Hen Housing - Advice Please!

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Hen Housing - Advice Please!
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Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Mon Feb 21, 05 8:36 pm Post subject:
PS don't worry about the emoticon-abuse. I'm a fellow sufferer. I hated them to begin with, now I find myself unable to write an email without thinking "that needs some rolling eyes".

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon Feb 21, 05 8:38 pm Post subject:
I would recommend looking at the book I mentioned in this tread. It gives some good plans that you may decide not to follow but give a good idea of several types of house.

sofaloaf

Joined: 20 Feb 2005
Posts: 18
Location: Kent

Posted: Mon Feb 21, 05 8:49 pm Post subject:
Dats ok Treacodactyl, I've got it already- that's partly what's made me so much of a mental-DIYer- no, not mad for all you comedians out there, I mean that I like to think of DIY stuff to in my head...and then it gets out of hand and I have to hit myself with something to make it stop I love that one.

sofaloaf

Joined: 20 Feb 2005
Posts: 18
Location: Kent

Posted: Mon Feb 21, 05 9:14 pm Post subject:

the inspiration is coming thick and fast this evening! I think I will convert the room at the end of our barn instead. Loads of room (12'x7'), straw + shavings on floor, perch with droppings board on back wall, rabbit hutch to lay in (the chooks love it, they actually search the barn for it, sit in it contentedly and make happy noises

). Very cost effective! All I need to buy/scrounge is stuff to make perch out of...

organic john

Joined: 27 Jan 2005
Posts: 95
Location: Raunds, Northants

Posted: Mon Feb 21, 05 9:17 pm Post subject:
if i lived nearer id give you one

sofaloaf

Joined: 20 Feb 2005
Posts: 18
Location: Kent

Posted: Mon Feb 21, 05 9:20 pm Post subject:
a perch? Thanx organic john, thats nice of you. I migh actually have found something, in the basement. YES!! free!!

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon Feb 21, 05 9:30 pm Post subject:
I used some handy shaped poles from some dogwood we cut back. They are a nice oval shape and the hens love 'em.

Marigold123

Joined: 06 Feb 2005
Posts: 224

Posted: Tue Feb 22, 05 6:28 pm Post subject:

sofaloaf wrote:

I'm currently looking around for a larger house for 15-20 hens which must have a droppings board!! That would save me so much work!

I just have the 3 hens on deep litter system with a droppings board. (Actually 3 is as many as can fit on the perch, as the shed is very tiny.) Because they are out all day, and poop on the board at night, I hardly ever have to change the woodshavings. Last Summer, when they didn't get up with their timer-light before it was light outside, I seriously didn't have to change the litter for about 6 months. It just didn't get dirty; it was amazing! My one bale of shavings is still only just over one third used up. I just scrape the board every 3 days or so into the compost heap, rinse it under the garden tap and leave it to dry before putting it back. It's really easy.

Someone asked about nest boxes and cutting a pop hole for shed conversions. For the pop hole I actually had to remove the overlapping planks on the outside of the shed and re-cut them before nailing them back. There are probably better ways to do this, and because the planks were so thin, it being such a tiny shed, as well as rather old, the wood was inclined to crack and split while it was being cut and nailed. I managed in the end though.

I had to do the same for the external nestbox; there simply wasn't room inside for one.

When I move and have space for more hens, I'll get a larger shed so I can put simple nest boxes inside. Building something rainproof onto the outside is a pain. I'll probably put in a flap to collect the eggs, though. And I'll keep the old shed in case I need separate living space for a mum and chicks away from the other birds.

Last edited by Marigold123 on Tue Feb 22, 05 6:46 pm; edited 1 time in total

sofaloaf

Joined: 20 Feb 2005
Posts: 18
Location: Kent

Posted: Tue Feb 22, 05 6:42 pm Post subject:
I know...I'm so jealous...I NEED a droppings board...neeeed one...

Marigold123

Joined: 06 Feb 2005
Posts: 224

Posted: Tue Feb 22, 05 6:47 pm Post subject:
Is there any way you can install a simple board underneath the perches in the house you've got?

sofaloaf

Joined: 20 Feb 2005
Posts: 18
Location: Kent

Posted: Tue Feb 22, 05 6:57 pm Post subject:
Nope! Its one of those A frame arks with run underneath and the perch is literally 1" off the floor of the house. There's only just enough room for the chooks to get on the perch as it is!

Marigold123

Joined: 06 Feb 2005
Posts: 224

Posted: Tue Feb 22, 05 7:23 pm Post subject:
Fit little nappies?

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