ChickenPoopGarden Posted May 12, 2017 Share Posted May 12, 2017 Finally! After a full week of the most gruelling hard work I have ever done (heavy lifting, carrying, scrubbing, dismantling, reassembling- the lot!) we surprised my middle son on his 6th birthday with a chicken shopping trip! Each boy got to choose his own chicken and then we bought a couple of others that we fancied. Son 1 bought a dark Brahma and has named her 'Titanic'. She laid a tiny brown egg in the box on the way home, so that was very pleasing! Son 2, the birthday boy, bought a black Pekin and named her 'Dolly' Son 3 bought a Millefleur Pekin and named her 'Lavender'. The other three are a Copper Black Marans named 'Boadicea', a light Sussex named 'Marsha' and a vorwerk named 'Tulip'. They are now safely snuggled in their clean coop inside the steel and concrete fortress. I had to relocate FOUR of them from the same nestbox onto a roost! I had forgotten the young ones need to learn how to use a coop! I also had no idea four chickens fit inside one coop! I thought there were three of them, but when I lifted Tulip little Dolly was underneath! So cute. Hopefully will add two more laying chickens in the week. Perhaps a Chalkhill blue and a silver Sussex? Not sure, but we would like eggs! Ahhhhh, it feels so right to have chickens again! IN YOUR FACE, FOXY-LOXY! No more chicken dinners for you here! Naff of back to the countryside and eat some verminous rabbits like you are supposed to, you orange psycho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted May 12, 2017 Share Posted May 12, 2017 I'm so pleased for you and I am glad you have a Brahma. I had a beautiful golden Brahma, Clara, that the psycho fox got, so please send me photos of yours and let me share her with you I have to admit to not knowing many of the others, so again photos please. Well done you for being brave. Not sure I will ever be brave enough again though sadly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 Sounds a lovely flock,what great choices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 That sounds like an amazing flock - definitely photos please! And well done on all your hard work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlina Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 Well done you! Now we need pictures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChickenPoopGarden Posted May 13, 2017 Author Share Posted May 13, 2017 ok, here goes... This should be a photo of the new, beefed up run and painted coop... [/img] From left to right you can see Marsha, Lavender and Titanic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChickenPoopGarden Posted May 13, 2017 Author Share Posted May 13, 2017 This one is of beautiful Boadicea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChickenPoopGarden Posted May 13, 2017 Author Share Posted May 13, 2017 This is a shot of the girls at the feeder, obviously Titanic is kind of taking up most of the photo, but you can see Tulip there on the right! Also, the black smudge is Dolly... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 What a beautiful collection of chickens I think your run looks fab. I think they will be very safe in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hippie Chick Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 No more chicken dinners for you here! Naff of back to the countryside and eat some verminous rabbits like you are supposed to, you orange psycho. This has to be the comment of the year The chickens are beautiful and are a lovely range of breeds/types. Love the names too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 They are beautiful and that looks amazing. What is the roof made of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 They are beautiful and that looks amazing. What is the roof made of? Doh.. I was going to ask the same! Is it fruit net or chicken wire? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 This is a woman with the same fears as me. I would doubt it's anything as flimsy as either of those Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 I only ask because I had what looks like the same....I thought a fox wouldn't walk across it as it wasn't secure underfoot...how wrong was I, I saw a fox bounce across it one morning and how he never fell through it I will never know....bib and braces time...... It took us a whole weekend but we took the front back by about 7 foot and built a new roof...take that you Red Devils Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 That looks amazing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChickenPoopGarden Posted May 14, 2017 Author Share Posted May 14, 2017 It is agricultural grade chicken wire FOR NOW. I'm not really sure what to replace it with for future sturdyness. I've heard that 19g weldmesh with a very small hole size is bite proof, but I really haven't figured it out. The Heras panels are 3.45m wide, so placing wooden half rails over the top with weldmesh going across? I just fear the rails will sag in the middle. Not really sure... The hubs is arguing against a full roof as he's sure it will get blown away in the wind. All sensible ideas welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChickenPoopGarden Posted May 14, 2017 Author Share Posted May 14, 2017 Or, just thought... Heras panels as a roof? Foxy could leap about on those forever and never bust through. And they are only £15 each. Hmmmm. Will have to get out and do some measuring... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 Heras panels as roof would be good providing you can support them. Gavclojak that looks fantastic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 I was think that, would you need industrial strength supports Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 Chickenpoopgarden, that was the problem I had. I had a large area and thought the wire would work but when I saw him literally bouncing on it I knew the sides even though they were stapled with wield staples wouldn't hold for long. We put a plastic corrogated roof supported by beans inside. I'm not so sure I would worry about him biting through rather than falling through. I honestly don't mean to sound negative and your maybe 100% fine...mine wasn't and I was just very very lucky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 You don't sound negative I would be grateful for your comments and I am sure CPG is too. I think it's a shame we don't live nearer to each other on here so we could survey each other's set ups with our previous learnt knowledge My husband has just suggested concrete flooring mesh with welded chicken wire over the top He said google Travis Perkins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChickenPoopGarden Posted May 14, 2017 Author Share Posted May 14, 2017 Ooooh, that's a good idea about the concrete mesh. We've got a Travis Perkins in town. And I am more than happy to hear about improvements I can make. I am only just getting to know these chickies but I am planning on having plenty of time with them before they roll off this mortal coil! Mr Fox's accelerated Chicken dispatching service is not welcomed here!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 Its not a cheap option I discovered when I google, but there must be something similar and cheaper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChickenPoopGarden Posted May 14, 2017 Author Share Posted May 14, 2017 I've googled it! Looks FAN-BLOOMING-TASTIC!!! Concrete floor mesh.... In your pointy orange FACE foxy! Hahahahahaaaaa! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 How is your Brahma doing? You'll need a broody cage if she is anything like mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
