Best liner/ bedding for drop tray

[CatsCube]

Okay so I have been throwing around ideas today on how best to house hen and chicks, Im hoping to use 2 pekins to hatch and raise young, now as this is just going to be an occasional thing, for the experience and I will most likely sell all hens successfully raised I don't want to spend a fortune on a load of omlet houses, and I want housing that will be big enough to see them through till POL when I sell them.

 

I dont really want to use wooden houses as I like how easy to clean plastic is. And I have seen used before plastic garden storage boxes http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/Plastic-Storage/BillyOh-Value-Deluxe-Storage-Box with a pop hole cut in. No I don't want just a hole cut in it, as this isn't closeable plus I think the edges could be a little sharp. So I was thinking put a removable dividing wall in the middle making two houses (one for each hen and eggs/chicks and in each cut a door but put a cat flap in place, this way no sharp edges and a lockable door that during the day I could tie open (guess mum and chicks wont want to headbutt it open to go out) then build a basic run for them to go out into (again with a removable dividing partition down the middle for when they are all ready to socialise) I could work out putting in removable perches for when they hit 16 weeks, only draw back is not having easy slide out poo trays but I might find some other sort of plastic trays that fit in the bottom so I can lift them out.

 

What do you think?

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Sounds like a plan ......I've just posted on your other thread re keeping the 2 mums apart, which this would do..........I like the cat flap idea ..........inventive lot us chook keepers aren't we

 

Good luck,

 

Sha x

[Redwing]

It's not a bad idea but I'd be very worried about condensation. Lots of ventilation would be needed

 

One of my coops has a cat flap on it which works well it's a perfect size for a pekin but not much else

 

If you don't want the expense of plastic coops then maybe wooden is the way to go?

[CatsCube]

Ah didn't think about the ventilation/condensation thing, damn!

 

Looking around at wooden coops, the thing that concerns me is that the bulk of them are raised so bottoms don't get damp etc but Im guessing these raised houses with ramps going up to them are not suitable for chicks, as I have visions of them falling off and doing themselves a mischief!

The more ground dwelling ones like the triangular arks look terribly small in terms of out door space. Although this one looked a good compromise http://www.thepetpads.co.uk/shop/all-chicken-coops/henrietta%27s---blue-%7C8228/looks easily accessible to clean etc and not to big an entrance ramp. with two seperate nesting boxes could I stick two sitting hens in or would they still wander into each others box and pick a fight?

[Redwing]

the entrance ramp is too steep for chicks

 

This is a better bet http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LARGE-CHICKEN-POULTRY-HEN-COOP-HOUSE-and-6ft-RUN-c3t-/170530623253?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Poultry&hash=item27b46acf15 you could maybe separate it for two broodies as it has two doors, I would stress though that its a cheap import and unlikely to lasy very long

 

If you shop around you'd probably be able to find something more suitable and sturdy

 

If you are looking to do it on a budget then rabbit hutches are an option, I'd have one long run split in the middle and a rabbit hutch at each end, use the rabbit hutch with door closed for the week after the chicks hatch then let them out in to the world, when they are older block up the wire section of the front leaving an inch of wire exposed at the top for ventilation and use the smaller door as the access point. each hutch raised up on some bricks will keep it off the damp ground and a wide low ramp could easily be made, you can get hutches with lift up lids now for easy cleaning, replace the roof felt with some clear corrugated plastic. removable free standing perches can be made easily

[CatsCube]

Good fine, yes I had thought about the rabbit hutch idea with one at each end of a run, I was hunting down plastic ones too, just didnt know if once again same problem of being a bit high off the ground for chicks to use ramps.

 

At what sort of age can the two batches of chicks with mums mingle, and at what point can I take the mums away and leave the chicks to it?

[CatsCube]

Oh what about a couple of these http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RABBIT-HUTCH---'Snugs'-ROTATIONALLY--MOULDED-PLASTIC-_W0QQitemZ140491518066QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=229075756597&rvr_id=229075756597&cguid=9e8aee4712a0a0aad4b60b46fde3b1bb#ht_500wt_922 low to the ground, easy to clean. they look tiny but the discription reckons they are 18inches high and wide which seems like its bigger than an eglu as its over 1m wide in fact its almost cube sized. what do you think?

[Redwing]

Sadly they are pretty tiny, the 18.5 inch height includes the apex and the width includes the overhang, I have a dog kennel made out of that stuff and its very thin

 

Sorry to be negative

[Jools]

When you can mingle mums and chicks depends entirely on the mums. Some won't tolerate any mingling ever, others begrudgingly put up with it. You'll need to be prepared to keep them separate until the mums go back to the flock and then the chicks can be amalgamated - around the 6-8 week mark.

 

I just looked at the link for the pink/purple plastic rabbit hutch and I think it's telling that the second photo is taken inside - it suggests it's not the most weatherproof structure ever made.

 

Personally I'd resist buying anything online unless I'd seen it in the flesh first, or if it came highly recommended.

[CatsCube]

Gah! I thought that next to the rabit it didn't look very big!

 

I might just have to talk the OH into building me something, although he is just finishing building me one walk in run, and I have just talked him into removing all the brickweave drive from down the side of the house and turfing it so its my new big chicken area. Do you think he might be getting fed up of chickens soon?

[Redwing]

Quite possibly bless him

 

Personally I'd keep the brickwork it would be loads easier to keep everything clean

[CatsCube]

Im going to keep all the houses on the brick weave to make life easier but I want them to be able to free range on grass (however long the grass lasts) then they can scratch and forage, I read pekins can become a bit anemic looking if they cant go on grass, plus I thinks its I bit more natural to get a bit of soil under their feet.

[Cheryl]

Its been 4 weeks almost.. and now I have removed the chicken wire barrier from between these two mummies and their chicks and they seem to be doing fine together.. they both have separate housing one is a rabbit hutch and the other a wooden small coop.. I think it will nice as there are 9 chicks all playing together, ages ranging from 4 down to 2 weeks old..