My eco solution to rat problems

[hl050]

Hi Chubby Chook

 

I like your thinking

 

Man came yesterday to quote for concrete base - if it comes up too expensive HB will the have to do it ( so i hope he thinks its reasonably priced)

WIR will be here in 10 days....

I can't wait it looks like the chooks are having a festival down the end of the garden theres so much mud, can't venture down there without wellies, my chickie poo shoes aren't up to the job!!

[LottyJ1]

Love the idea of the chooks having a festival!

[Chortle Chook]

Festival? They've organised a Rave

[hl050]

even the concrete man said - ''it looks like Glastonbury down here''

well the mud has dried out a bit and the concrete man is returning Thursday to lay the base !!

 

I'm going to take piccies of every stage,

is it natural to be this excited...

[Ain't Nobody Here]

is it natural to be this excited...

Absolutely . This is the only place where you'll find everyone knows exactly what you mean .

[hl050]

hl050 wrote:

is it natural to be this excited...

 

 

Absolutely . This is the only place where you'll find everyone knows exactly what you mean .

 

i thought so

[hopingforchickens]

Well I can offically join this thread I've ordered a 10foot by 7 foot WIR with corrugated plastic roof and guttering, plus kick boards along the bottom. The weekend of the 4th Aug the girls are going on holiday for a fortnight, then I'm spending the rest of the weekend taking down the current run. A friend of mine is chopping down the tree that sits in the middle of my existing WIR (that I built myself!) and laying a concrete base, with slabs on the top. Then He's going to put up my new run

 

So here is a picture of the run now;

 

 

and this is a picture of the playhouse that it will sit next to;

 

 

so, my plan is that hopefully the WIR will arrive in plenty of time for me to paint it before it gets put up, but what colour?! I'm useless at matching things together, I really like this blue (I think it was cornflower blue) but to do it the same would, possibly look too much, but I don't know what would go. I want something that will look timeless and appeal to both me and my 60+ year old neighbour, who has put up with my monstrosity of a WIR for over a year now!!! I'm also planning on getting some old small car/trailer tyres to stack in 2s or 3s to go next to the house as planters, which I will paint in the blue and whatever other colour I choose. PLEASE help me I'm rubbish!!!

 

Sorry if the second photo is huge, I have resized it but it hasn't shrunk for some reason!

[Chortle Chook]

What a brilliant friend you have As for colours, that is a difficult one. I'd be inclined to do the WIR fencing a slightly lighter blue than the play house so that it blends with both the white and the cornflower blue. Cuprinol are doing loads of different shades now and even do a personalised mixing service in some DIY outlets so I'm sure you could get a sort of light, sky blue. Alternatively if you had the patience (and I'm not sure I would) you could get a striped effect by doing the uprights alternatively in white and cornflower. The stripes might be quite pretty and is used for things like beach huts.

[LottyJ1]

Alternatively if you had the patience (and I'm not sure I would) you could get a striped effect by doing the uprights alternatively in white and cornflower. The stripes might be quite pretty and is used for things like beach huts.

 

Good idea!

[hopingforchickens]

ooh that sounds nice! Not entirely sure I have either the patience, time or indeed skill for that though!!! I like the idea of a lighter blue though, I was thinking of a light green, but I may have to rethink now

 

I'm starting to get soooo excited! Can't wait to get my hands on the frame so I can get stuck in. The garden is starting to look like a junk yard, I've been collecting slabs off freecycle to keep the costs down, and did a skills swap with said friend to pay for his labour costs! Can't believe it's just around the corner now.

 

I'm also planning on buying some lavender in pots to go along the front and want some terracotta dishes to put citronella oil in, that if possible I can screw to the inside of the frame high up to help with the smell. Don't know if such a thing exists but if anyone sees anything like that I'd be most grateful for a point in the right direction...

[hopingforchickens]

Hello again, I've been looking for colours for the WIR today and I have two that I like at the minute, can I get your opinion?

 

They are either the 'muted clay' or 'willow' although I don't really think the little square of willow really does it justice - it looked better on the tin! Remember this has to match the playhouse in the picture above...

 

http://www.cuprinol.co.uk/products/garden_shades.jsp

 

do either of them catch your eye?...

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I prefer Willow (although I have been at a party all afternoon drinking copious amounts of wine, so my vision may be impaired ).

[coppers]

Def Willow xxxx

[hopingforchickens]

I prefer Willow (although I have been at a party all afternoon drinking copious amounts of wine, so my vision may be impaired ).

I think I do too

[scubababe]

Yep!! Looking at willow to do my WIR

[scubababe]

I have now 'sealed' the front of the WIR!! I've done 3/4 of the side too. I still need to do the inisde but it's a start Hopefully that will stop the 'flooding' of the WIR until I can afford to get the slabs and pebbles

 

I've also nailed some picket fencing along the front to stop the kids from poking finger through the WIR

[hopingforchickens]

Yep!! Looking at willow to do my WIR

I'm so confused now, some friends of mine are trying to persuade me to do a more pink or purple colour (purple pansy or pink honeysuckle in the range!). I really like willow though, might stick to my instincts...

[scubababe]

Keep with your instincts. Willow is a lovely, relaxing colour

[hopingforchickens]

Keep with your instincts. Willow is a lovely, relaxing colour

Thanks! You just don't know how terrible I usually am when picking colours! Definitely think it's the way to go though. Can't wait for it to go up now, make sure you post some pictures of yours, I'll keep my eye out for you

[SueChick]

Wow! That looks amazing - well done! It's so exciting isn't it?

 

Well I have finally got around to adding more photos of the chicken high rise and the new garden built to accommodate it! Also, the requested photos of the PVC cladding ladder up on to the wire mezzanine level and brown handle perched in each corner. There is also a sandbars and rockery! Not that they are spoilt or anything.! The photo link is here:

 

http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/81329610@N02/7467176448/

[scubababe]

Suechick that looks amazing and am loving the ladder. Definitely looking at commandeering the PVC cladding. Thanks for the link & posting the pictures

[hopingforchickens]

Wow that looks great, and very clean!

[SueChick]

Confession time.... I washed it before taking the photo....there were lots of sandy foot prints up the rungs!!!

[Chortle Chook]

Yep!! Looking at willow to do my WIR

I'm so confused now, some friends of mine are trying to persuade me to do a more pink or purple colour (purple pansy or pink honeysuckle in the range!). I really like willow though, might stick to my instincts...

 

Use willow as you like it and then if you still want some pink or purple in your colour scheme, as these are very strong colours, just use them as highlights. For instance you could get a pink or purple grub/ glug and tub trug dust bath. Or if you want more, you could do the play house door in purple or just the surround of the windows / door in purple.

[hopingforchickens]

I think you're right, I'm going to stick with my instincts and go with Willow. I should be getting a call any time now to say when the run is getting delivered, the wait is agonising!