What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[Fur 'n' Feathers]

Well things are going a bit slower than we expected. Last weekend we plotted out a 12'x8' area for the WIR on a sloped garden and attempted to decrease the gradient down the area whilst levelling it across the width. We then laid sharp sand left over from having our patio relaid earlier this year (Bless Travis Perkins' large bulk packs!).

 

Then followed lifting 21 2' slabs, collecting 4 slabs from B&Qs and laying 24 slabs on the area (plus a delivery of another pack of slabs and moving them into the back garden for the extra 3x3 slab area for the cube & run). This took place on Monday.

 

By the time we got to the 24th slab we were exhausted . Next day we really ached and squeezing anything was an event to say the least .

 

We are not anything near expert in this area (or able ) but it's a half decent job.

 

Wednesday evening was plotting out the 3x3 ara and digging it out. By this time the ground was beginning to harden with the heatwave (not complaining, not complaining!) and moving the turfs around the raised edge at the lower end of the large area to hold the earth/sand in.

 

Got to go to a day conference tomorrow so won't get next opportunity until late Sunday/Monday.

 

Then we have to construct the WIR!!

 

Our girls are all intrigued as to what's going on as they watch from the cube & eglu on the lawn (or what's now left of it where they're sited currently - forgot about that aspect ).

Hope they appreciate all this at the end. Still, Aspro's just started laying again in the last 2 days after a long slow moult so it can't have upset them .

Edited October 9, 2011 by Guest

[Plum]

Ow Deep Heat spray on it's way over to you. Those slabs are pretty awful to carry around.

 

Good girls showing their appreciation for you.

[Plum]

Well is it done?

[Fur 'n' Feathers]

Well is it done?

 

Errrr...No! Not yet

 

We've often wondered how folks manage to say, "It's here & finished!". Hope to finish the final 9 slabs today as got some time owing, and to erect the WIR.

 

Is it just us that find this whole thing lengthy???

[Plum]

No took us weeks. I wanted to sling it up by OH is a bit OCD so he won and it got put up properly. good thing really

[Fur 'n' Feathers]

Well we got the slabs finished yesterday and all the side panels up. Managed to get 4 of the 6 upright poles fitted before we totally lost the light.

 

The instructions are VERY faint and it was difficult to see exactly where the poles should be located. After puting the on the vertical mesh next to the join we decided they needed to be on the join so that the roof is supported on them when constructed.

 

Omlet need to make their instructions a little bit bolder/ more contrasted.

[Fur 'n' Feathers]

Well, we've got to the stage in the WIR construction where the end might be in sight!.

 

Spent another hour after work tonight before the light went...again and have constructed all the poles. Still need to bracket most of the top sections with the P rings. It's beginning to look quite robust .

 

For a WIR with 1 extension an area made up of 6x4 2' slabs is perfect. There's a little bit of skirt overhang along the side edge of about an inch or so but that's on the grassso no pronlems. The length gives a surplus of concrete of about 10".

 

Haven't fitted the stable door yet but it looks quite useful. Not sure about it hanging on clips though. Will have to see if we have to put extra's on for reinforcements as each section is larger than a cube door.

 

Hope to have the girls in by the weekend. Might swap them round with the newbies in the cube section and the established girls in the WIR. Thought we could do this by putting just the eglu at the far end of the WIR and by separating the two flocks with the end panel of the cube run clipped internally as a separator. We could then remove it when we want to start integration proper.

[Plum]

Hadn't realised it was an Omlet one. Does it come as a stable door or is that your adaptation?

 

The cube run makes a natural introduction area doesn't it. It's going to be new for both lots of girls so your plan should work whichever way you do it, I reckon

 

Have fun

[Fur 'n' Feathers]

Hadn't realised it was an Omlet one. Does it come as a stable door or is that your adaptation?

 

 

 

The Omlet WIR has a stable door, each with two draw bolts......

 

AND ... it's all FINISHED!!!!

 

An hour each night this week and nearly seven hours today (but that does include thorough cleaning of the cube & the newbies' eglu). It's taken a couple of weeks overall with the slab laying but it is Soooooo worth it! .

 

Her's some pictures. Rain threatened so the green tarps are up:

 

 

 

Edited October 9, 2011 by Guest

[Plum]

Looks so neat and fresh. Loads of room for the girls and you, it's so tall

[Patricia W]

Remind me- how big is it? I'm wavering again - A4U or Omlet - but I'd need one to fit 8-10 ladies....

[Kazzy73]

Oooooo beautiful wir I love it ,really would like a wir but have just got my so better not push my luck with poor hubbys wallet

[Fur 'n' Feathers]

Remind me- how big is it? I'm wavering again - A4U or Omlet - but I'd need one to fit 8-10 ladies....

 

You can find details on the shop.

 

We have the basic WIR + one extension. This makes it 2mx3m rather than 2mx2m. Then the cube and run adds a further 2m in length (don't need the skirt on the front of the run if connected to the WIR).

 

Over all the slab size is 8'x12' plus the cube & run slabs are 6'x6'.

 

Depending on where you locate the cube the overall length will vary (cube on side of run rather than the end makes the overall length shorter but overall width wider (if you see what we mean).

 

There's plenty of room for 8-10 ladies in what we've got, which is the recommended limit for the cube housing anyway.