Is my pekin bantam male or female?

[Dom T]

About to buy an Eglu Go! Whoop!  My game plan is to set it in a run that I make using the structure of this banister (see img link below). Cover in chicken wire that I dig down a bit for foxes. Make a roof for eagles/dogs protection that I can take off so I can get inside to clean etc Set the Eglu at point A for ease of access. The structure is about 90cm high and a few forums seem to say 1m meter would be better for chicken welfare so I could dig down a bit, built it up a bit or make a triangle shaped roof. Only planning on getting two chickens if that is a factor. Any holes in my plan?

Completely new to this so open to all and any idea/feedback just trying to get learned advice so that I only have to make the run once rather than learn something and then have to remake it

Here is a very rough idea

 

 

 

[Patricia W]

Congratulations!  First thing, forget chicken wire.  It’s not strong enough to keep out predators. It only keeps chickens in or off your vegetable patch.   You need to use  weldmesh, minimum of 16gram 1/2 inch mesh size .  Cheapest I’ve found is Hills of Devon who will help you over the phone if you need more advice.   It looks as thought your site is on a slope so that is good.  I would slab it to stop rats digging in.  Easier to clean too. If you cover your run with either a wavy plastic roof or clear tarpaulins ( look at Tarpaflex for them) which you will need to for Avian Flu lockdowns, then you can use Aubiose to cover the run floor.  It’s hemp based and lasts for months.  I use it it in the nest box and poop trays too.   Finally, you will be better off getting 3 chickens.   If one dies and you only have two, it’s not easy to introduce more.    Anyway you’ll be wanting more anyway as Chicken keeping is addictive! 

Edited February 23, 2021 by Patricia W

[Dom T]

Wow that is so helpful! Thank you so much Exactly the sort of  learned advice I was after

[Cat tails]

Are you getting the Go or the Go Up? The Go Up is higher than 90 cm. Also you want to access the run, so I would advice ar least 100 cm, otherwise you need to crawl in.

And also everything @Patricia W said!

[mullethunter]

Sounds like a great plan and I echo the comments regarding chicken wire vs weldmesh. 

The only thing I would say about the height is to think about whether you’re going to want to get into the run (to clean it out - put in food etc.) - if you are you’ll probably find it easier to do a pitched roof so you can get in there.

[Dom T]

@Cat tails Thank you for your reply : )  My game plan A is to get the GO, just the hutch bit rather than the green wire run that  you can get with it as I figure I am making my own run so don't need a run within a run. Would I regret that? i.e do I need the run bit that you can get with the GO? 

@mullethunter Thank you also for your reply Was thinking about making the roof hinged so I could get in, would that work?

What a lovely supportive community thanks Omlet for creating this! 

[Cat tails]

57 minutes ago, Dom T said:

@Cat tails Thank you for your reply : )  My game plan A is to get the GO, just the hutch bit rather than the green wire run that  you can get with it as I figure I am making my own run so don't need a run within a run. Would I regret that? i.e do I need the run bit that you can get with the GO? 

@mullethunter Thank you also for your reply Was thinking about making the roof hinged so I could get in, would that work?

What a lovely supportive community thanks Omlet for creating this! 

No you don’t need the run, but do consider the legs. It saves a lot of bending down to clean and collect eggs. And the chickens have some shelter underneath the coop. But then you need to make the run about 110 cm high. If you have the space, you could even place the coop outside of your run for easier access.

[Beantree]

Our runs are 1100 high, which was set by the width of the mesh roll. Access is difficult to say the least, so I'd advise making it taller if you can get wider mesh. There will soon come a time when I can't actually get into ours and they will have to be modified. Consider also snow loading on the top. You may need some supports in the middle, which then of course get in the way and hamper access; we remove them after Winter.

[soapdragon]

I'd echo Patricia's comment about getting 3...........but you could have 4 if you had bantams 😉! And do slab the base......much easier to deal with in terms of mucking out and also protecting from rats.

Edited February 24, 2021 by soapdragon
Dimwittedness

[Dom T]

@Beantree great insight on the snow, we live in the French Alps so having a pitched roof makes complete sense  @soapdragon sounds good 33% more chickens coming up!

[Luvachicken]

On 2/24/2021 at 8:34 AM, Dom T said:

I figure I am making my own run so don't need a run within a run. Would I regret that? i.e do I need the run bit that you can get with the GO? 

I don't think you will regret this as the Omlet run wire does let in unwanted creatures and quite a lot of us have had to cover our runs with smaller wire to stop this.

I love your photo 😊

Looking forward to how things work out, and definitely get 3 or more chickens x

[mullethunter]

On 2/24/2021 at 8:34 AM, Dom T said:

Was thinking about making the roof hinged so I could get in, would that work?

As long as you have very heavy duty hinges I can’t see why that wouldn’t work. You’d just need to think carefully about how to make sure that didn’t lead to inherent weaknesses in protection from predators though.

[Cat tails]

Maybe add a gully/gutter for the water run off from the water from you mountain side? It wouldn’t be great if you have water running through your run.

[Dom T]

@Luvachicken aw thank for verifying that  @mullethunter good point on the hinges, I have rewatched fantastic Mr Fox in the name of research ha ha and have maybe underestimated their strength and cunning so will have to make a chicken fort knox! @Cat tails great idea! 

The run currently looks out over the road, would that cause an issue, do chickens scare when they see cars coming? For context the road maybe has 10 cars that come by a day and at 10 mph max! Otherwise I reckon thanks to all your advice we are good to build! 

[Luvachicken]

I think the cars should be OK and that they would soon get used to them anyway.

Mine soon got used to the lawn mower and that gets a lot closer.

[Dom T]

@Luvachicken thank you Can't wait!