Hen House Plans - fingers crossed!

[TPeers]

Just to frighten everyone I will now display my total lack of woodworking skills!

Those of a nervous disposition should look away.

Having got, and renovated, a small chicken ark I have decided to build a larger one for my hens. I don't know about you but I hate being cramped into a small space and I doubt that the chickens like it either. Given the number of foxes in this area just letting them freerange is an act of stupidity, something I try to avoid (OH says I'm failing, but then he has seen me with a hammer! ).

So without more ado, the plan is to build a hen house of split level design with the coop above the run, linked by a ramp. The run will be in sections so that it can be removed to allow the house to be moved by my daughter and myself.

In terms of access there will be a side door into the run to allow access to the feeder and drinker and to let the hens out if I can be there to watch them. There will be a flap at the nestbox end for access to eggs (I hope), a side door to the coop for ease of access putting hens in or what have you and a large removable panel at the back to give access for cleaning.

If I can contrive sufficiently the run will have hinged 'gates' to the front, level with the front of the coop, such that a minimal run is enclosed while moving the house, and the 'gates' will form part of the sides of the finished run area.

So before all the English teachers out there make comments on my spelling and punctuation (never needed it before.... ). All comments will be read, some might be replied to, and any ideas may be incoporated.

Get your keyboards ready!

[shirlthegirl43]

Just make sure that your sections fix together very strongly - foxes are so very persistent. We lost all our chickens one year - the run fencing was buried 2 foot under the soil and was 3 foot high with a wire 'roof'. Mum gave up keeping chooks then as it was so stressful.

Not of course suggesting that this will happen to you - just recommending very careful thought about joining the sections together. Glad you are enjoying your hens (and the eggs).

[TPeers]

The story so far

Construction is in 1"x2" planed softwood drilled and screwed (don't like nails) and the dimensions are as follows.

Rear uprights 4', front uprights 4'6"

Side bars 2'

Front bars are 1.2m (because the wood comes in 2.4m lengths not 8')

Note that there is no bar across the bottom of the front, I want my 'gates' to go there.

Additional framing includes two uprights in the coop area set 8" back from the front, these will be used to support a roosting bar. The angled pieces which frame the top (roof) were scribed in situe to get the correct angles.

The coop floor is a piece of 9mm ply that I happened to have in the garage, the lines on it show the placings of cross bars to support it.

The pop hole is 1' by 8", and was cut with a jigsaw and then sanded to give a smooth edge.

This is how it looks at the moment.

[TPeers]

Todays work

Today boringly enough was an ironing day, so not much on the coop!

Built the ramp. Measured some shiplap to the width of the pophole and cut 8 pieces. Joined them together with two strips of 1"x2" on the back, drilling and screwing. Finished ramp measures 33". Trimmed thin lap piece from top of ramp to give a deeper, more solid surface to screw into.

Fixed ramp to hen house frame with brass hinges (won't rust!).

Pictures below - the first is my cat Bournville 'making friends' with the hens!

Note the extra framing bar that closes the gap between the floor and the ramp so that should a fox get into the run there is nowhere for a paw to gain leverage!

[yoanbob]

looking good TP

[JennieAtkinson]

love the cat/hen picture! Looks very good TP - got me thinking it would look nice in the garden here.

[TPeers]

Which Jennie?

The cat, the ark, the new hen house?

Terry

[CountryFayre]

Oh my goodness, I feel totally ashamed of my own DIY skills now!! And I can't use the excuse that I am domesticated, 'cos I hate Ironing (and housework)!!!!

[TPeers]

I know that feeling! I only iron if I have no choice, I suspect a tem in jail might be easier! As for cleaning I go for the 'sweeping a room with a glance' technique and let it all slide as long as poss!

Richard (OH) reckons I can't do DIY 'cause I work on the lottie principle that if it don't fall over it's fine. Actually making something which is sufficiently 'nice' for the garden and his poor sensitive eyes is quite a challenge. I may get ordered to paint the thing a suitable colour which in OH parlance means creosote (or rather a pet friendly alternative!)

Still as long as it works and I don't have a repeat of this morning too often (imagine if you please a middle age housewife sceaming like a banshee and hissing like a goose chasing a fox - better yet, sit down first. I must have looked so wierd!)

Thank God for tolerant neighbours

Terry

[JennieAtkinson]

The ark Terry. But I like the cat as well!

[TPeers]

Well in theory when I have finished the new hen house the ark will e going looking for a new home - I had to promise not to 'fill' the garden!

Suspect the shipping cost to you might be rather too much though!

[TPeers]

Good bits and Bad bits!

Today I wanted to get the partition to the nesting area in place; I had a rummage in the garage and came up with some 4mm ply, which I think will do the job - a bit on the flimsy side, but should be ok.

Cut the vertical sides of the pop hole to the nest area with his nibs bandsaw, then scribed the horizontal on both sides and snapped the piece free. Sanded to remove rough edges.

Because the ply is so flexable I have put in a couple of extra framing pieces to support it so that the birds can't tear it out on the first evening! I also added a horizontal bar along the floor to stop the birds from kicking all the nesting material (and possible eggs) out of the nest area into the main roosing area - not sure if it is high enough, no doubt time will tell.

The not so good bit next - the ramp broke!

When I put the coop on its side to get better access to screw things together the ramp dropped suddenly and the jaring impact snapped the ramp into three pieces - so back to the drawing board on that.

I think the 'cure' is to use longer rear struts and extra fixings on the top and bottom pieces to give better support - should have done this in the first place!

Finally I have started the cladding on the front. I am using standard shiplap as you can see in the picture, measuring from the bottom with each piece to ensure that they go on evenly and will look 'correct'. The last piece is missing and will go on tomorrow after I drill a series of holes in it and cover them with wire for ventilation.

As an aside, I do have my plans for this coop drawn out on paper - should anyone want them do get in touch. copies can easily be made. They are a bit on the rough and ready side and migh need interpretation!

[CountryFayre]

Make it into a book and the publish it - or easier still, produce an E-book that you can email!!

[JennieAtkinson]

Looking great Terry!

[TPeers]

Got nothing done today, far too soggy out there for me! The hens seem to like the rain, they've been standing out in it all day - daft things.

Put a cover over the run this afternoon to get them dry before I locked them up for the night.