hello, newbie here - I've got myself an ark......

**Bayleaf** · 02-07-2009, 01:02 PM

Everything sounds OK for a start but beware foxes. With no electric fence and no top on any run, they can, and ultimately will, come calling, no matter where you live.

Food - for layers, pick a layers pellet (or mash) - organic or not, as suits you. If you get a cockerel at some time and want to produce a few chicks, breeders pellets will make for hatchable eggs. Pellets/mash needs to be most of their diet, with some grain as a bribe/titbit. The simplest idea is to buy a bag of feed from the supplier when you pick up the birds.

Grit - some pellets require extra calcium (oyster-shell/limestone), some don't - it should say on the bag - if it doesn't just ask the seller. They should have flint grit available even if not a calcium/mixed grit.

You will struggle to provide a normal drinker in the house - you could try what are often sold as coop cups - a large hook-on cup.

**bluemoon** · 02-07-2009, 01:02 PM

That's a lovely looking ark. You do know though that it will be nowhere near big enough? Once you have a couple of chickens more just keep turning up... don't know where they come from.

**tlck9** · 02-07-2009, 01:23 PM

I've been told that keeping chooks can get quite an obsession and a joy, which leads me to my next question......

I have bought this to start with, I was hoping to get something a little larger, but my OH was adamant to start at this size, so I bought the largest ark with run I could find....(he wanted to see it before buying so ebay was out)

can you have more than one of these, or say another hen coop and this within the same covered run, or would that lead to having certain chickens excluded to the other coup on their own? after buying this as always the case I've seen a second hand large coup and run being offered locally for a good price?

Any ideas on the easier way to extend this, eg, could I put nest boxes on the end and has anyone extended the run on one of these easily?

**Hilary B** · 02-07-2009, 02:18 PM

Firstly, if you put 2 arks in one rune, the chooks may all choose the same house.
Second, in that ark I would use a 'hang-up' type drinker in the unroofed part, and probably a second drinker in the outer run.
Third, if the outer run is 5mx5m roofing would be tricky, bit 1050mm is NOT high enough to keep chooks in without a roof (some chooks will get out of ANY unroofed area).
Fourth, you need a bit more depthto the underground part of the fencing to prevent foxy digging in, or lay slabs inside and outside all round.
Fifth, has the ark got a meash 'floor' throughout? If not, add one (fairly small mesh) to prevent rats digging their way in. I assume the idea is for the Ark to be for 'shutting in' times and the run for 'when someone is there to watch over them' times, but unless you are going to be there most of the daytimes, that ark won't do for more than 3 (and even then they will be a bit confined), you will need a 'all day' run (fox-proof) of a MINIMUM of 1 sq meter per hen, that is NOT including the size of the ark, and still assumes an hour or so per day in a much larger space.

With a bit of ingenuity you should manage to add an external nestbox at the end furthest away as shown,

Loads of ideas, or you could use the bigger one you've seen, and store the smaller one for when you get a broody.....

**HayleyB** · 02-07-2009, 03:56 PM

You could have separate runs with separate breeds with the separate homes and even get them some boys to play with

**tlck9** · 02-07-2009, 04:25 PM

Originally posted by Hilary B View Post

I assume the idea is for the Ark to be for 'shutting in' times and the run for 'when someone is there to watch over them' times, but unless you are going to be there most of the daytimes, that ark won't do for more than 3

Yes this was my idea, only having them in the run/ark area when no-one is there

Originally posted by Hilary B View Post

Second, in that ark I would use a 'hang-up' type drinker in the unroofed part, and probably a second drinker in the outer run.

Would yu then keep the door open and let them have the run and ark of an evening? or have a drinker inside the ark?

Originally posted by Hilary B View Post

Fifth, has the ark got a meash 'floor' throughout? If not, add one (fairly small mesh)

thats quite straight forward. I have some mess with holes of around 19mm would it need to be finer than that?

**MaureenHall** · 02-07-2009, 05:04 PM

Originally posted by tlck9 View Post

Yes this was my idea, only having them in the run/ark area when no-one is there

Originally posted by tlck9 View Post

Would yu then keep the door open and let them have the run and ark of an evening? or have a drinker inside the ark?

Yes, keep the door to the coop open from when you first let them out in the mornings till when they put themselves to bed at night. I wouldn't put a drinker inside the coop, once the chooks are in bed for the night, they sleep, they don't need the water there all the time (same with food)

Originally posted by tlck9 View Post

thats quite straight forward. I have some mess with holes of around 19mm would it need to be finer than that?

Can't see why it shouldn't be ok

Good luck with your chooks, and don't forget to post some photos when they arrive

**tlck9** · 02-07-2009, 05:19 PM

Originally posted by MaureenHall View Post

Good luck with your chooks, and don't forget to post some photos when they arrive

Thanks maureen, will do, I will post a few of the chooks and their abode...

Cant wait

I was given a couple of cabbage plants, so I plan to get these in the allotment and treat the little-uns when they are ready!

**kevnsue** · 02-07-2009, 05:19 PM

After much deliberation i've built another chicken house,i just can't seem to help myself.

Attached Files

**Hilary B** · 02-07-2009, 09:35 PM

With that sort of ark, the chooks can be left their 'mini outdoors' all the time, except for really severe winter conditions. That way if they wake up before you do in summer, they have access to a drink. The biggest advantage to such an arrangement is that there is no need for water in the enclosed part.
Of the chooks I kept (in very haphazard ways) over a good many years, i don't think I ever shut them in 'just-the-indoors', but that is only viable if the pop-hole is well sheltered from risk of wind-driven rain or snow getting into the house (which basically means siting it so that the wind cannot blow directly in, not always easy with an ark).

Nice house Kevnsue

**MaureenHall** · 02-07-2009, 09:41 PM

Wow kevnsue, that's brilliant!!! Can I pinch some of your ideas please for the next one I make? Detailed plans / cutting list / materials needed etc gratefully appreciated

**tlck9** · 02-07-2009, 10:34 PM

Originally posted by Hilary B View Post

With that sort of ark, the chooks can be left their 'mini outdoors' all the time, except for really severe winter conditions.

but that is only viable if the pop-hole is well sheltered from risk of wind-driven rain or snow getting into the house (which basically means siting it so that the wind cannot blow directly in, not always easy with an ark

It is quite a windy site, but I am putting scaffold sheeting along the very outer wire fencing to reduce the wind for both crops and chooks.

Also I have a hedge the other side, so hopefully it will be quite sheltered by the time I've finished.....

So I could leave them in the whole area with the pop door open over night....I know one of the others on the allotment has a eglu and they do that

I have hinted that I need a walkin roofed enclosure to the OH so, hopefully this is now on the agenda for soonest rather than later

I second Maureens comment about the plans.....a winter project for the OH

nice coop kevnsue

**Hilary B** · 02-07-2009, 11:04 PM

Originally posted by tlck9 View Post

It is quite a windy site, but I am putting scaffold sheeting along the very outer wire fencing to reduce the wind for both crops and chooks.

Also I have a hedge the other side, so hopefully it will be quite sheltered by the time I've finished.....

So I could leave them in the whole area with the pop door open over night....I know one of the others on the allotment has a eglu and they do that

I have hinted that I need a walkin roofed enclosure to the OH so, hopefully this is now on the agenda for soonest rather than later

I second Maureens comment about the plans.....a winter project for the OH

nice coop kevnsue

You may need to shut them in on WINTER nights, but days are short enough then that it is surely no hardship to be there to shut the door just after it gets dark, and to open it as soon as there is daylight. In summer, the chooks may be wanting to be 'up and about' from 4am to 9pm (or possibly even later depending how far North they are), so letting them choose when to go in the 'garden' pays.
Yes, a proper roofed enclosure to keep foxy out when you are 'there but not really watching' is definitely a good idea!

**tlck9** · 04-07-2009, 09:22 PM

No hardship to let them in and out in the winter, I would prefer to do this every day for my own piece of mind anyway.

Great news......I collect my hens tomorrow.....

I have chosen:

Cornish meadow white, Cornish Meadow ranger, Bovans Nera and Cornish Meadow red.....

I cannot wait to go and pick them up.

I have the small holders Layer pellet, and the super corn, from the same makers, I'm told the super corn has grit in it (both are gm food free) paying around �9.50ish for a 20kg bag

I have put the thought into my OH about the run, so this is now on the agenda.

Any suggestions on the best way to collect the hens????

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hello, newbie here - I've got myself an ark......

hello, newbie here - I've got myself an ark......

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