Just thinking about hens

[lottie dolly]

As above,i have had it on mind for a while,but this year the thought is stronger,have been looking at threads,and coops on line,so many ideas,i will have to go in the garden and sum up a place first,then go see a friend who has some,several years ago our next door had lots of them,i remember going round to look after them 1 holiday time,it did me the world of good,and i found it very theraputic,have i suddenly gone bonkers,my thought are on how the coop it's self operates,as to cleaning it out,wether a slide out tray,or just a floor,at the mo all sorts are floating around,if weather ok next Tuesday i am concidering going to Melton market,just for a look see if any coops ext,have also looked at the RSPCA site for birds when the flue epidemic has gone,but nothing yet,this is all thought for now ,i also think it would be good for MR,

[Nannysally99]

Id say go for it LD.
I remember my sister getting chickens when she moved to the country. It was lovely to watch them all
could be just the tonic you both need

[Scarlet]

I thinks all poultry sales will be cancelled until the avian flu restriction are lifted .

Though I think a few birds in the garden would be a great tonic for the OH.
Have a look at VC's hen house. If you only have 3birds it's easy to put paper down when you shut them in at night and pick it up in the morning.
Remember though in the summer they won't go in till dark and want to be out first thing in the morning....no lie in in the morning!

[lottie dolly]

Thats just one off the things i looked at Scarlet,i will have something to get up for ,the paper idea sounds good,would put out the wanted to peeps ,

[Scarlet]

Here are some coop and run photos...
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...tos_62713.html

It's quite a good idea to have a raised coop...you won't have to bend down to clean it out.

[lottie dolly]

I have already gone though them,and a raised one looks good,i was thinking,if were off the ground,it maybe warmer for the girls,oooooh,a though just crept in me head,what IF the coop had a dropdown floor with some slider bolt/hinges,then it could come off for cleaning,i was hoping to sleep again tonight hahaha,i have options and ideas to come up with and ideas to think and put on paper,am sure something WILL come to me soon,when i am standing out in the zone,seems like i am slowly talking myself into this

[veggiechicken]

My girl's dog kennel with the removal side is perfect for 3/4 chooks. I have a piece of cardboard on the floor and 2 large seed trays which I fill with wood shavings (bought in a big bale - lasts for ages).
Clean them out roughly each week by dropping the side, pulling out the trays, pulling out the cardboard and sweeping it out.
Because its all plastic I can wash it out easily.
If you bought one it needs a door - mines clear perspex that drops down on a hinge.
It sits on 2 pallets so its up off the ground and they have a separate nestbox, outside, made from 2 trays of a wormery!
I can take photos of the inside if you're interested.
A rabbit hutch could be adapted too but, having had plastic, I wouldn't go back to wood as its harder to keep clean and mite-free.
Go for it Lottie, they're great fun!

[Bigmallly]

Here LD, this is VC's Kennel:

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ml#post1415597

[Snadger]

I'm on with constructing a coop to suit me just now. My other hexagon coop has a raised floor about two feet from the the ground. I have grown older and don't like bending down so the new coop has a floor THREE foot from the ground.

I would never be without chooks now even if I lost my allotment, I'd have three at home.

Theraputically, I can't reccomend them enough, and as a bonus, you get a few eggs now and again.

[Bigmallly]

What happened to the church steeple that you aspired to Snadge?

[Jay22]

VC, is the coop inside a chicken wire enclosure?

[veggiechicken]

Yes, Jay, wired, with the bottom of the wired buried with flagstones on top - to stop foxes from digging in. Its roofed with corrugated clear plastic to keep that part of their run dry. Behind the kennel is a big shed which used to be their chicken house. Its way to big for 3 hens and took ages to clean out and creocote every year.
I can clean the kennel out in 5 minutes and the bedding goes in the compost.

Should have added that the wired run has access to 2 other runs - its L shape so they use one for a while, then the other one. Normally, they spend time in the garden with me too but, sadly, they have to be confined at the moment.

Are you thinking of getting some too, Jay?

[lottie dolly]

Thankyou peeps,i do like the sound of the plastic,so much easier than i thought,looking at google sites,i thought the perches had to be higher up,and 4" wide for their feet,says allow4sqft"per bird for inside,and 10sqft" for the pen,so i have been well pondering and head scratching,i shall take the advice from you lovely lot,as it's tried and tested with the birds welfare at the top,i am a complete newby,MR is on board to,who needs exmas to get exited,

[veggiechicken]

The perch is about the size of a broom handle and curved so that they can wrap their toes around to it stay put while they're asleep. Mine's a branch attached to 2 blocks of wood from a pallet. All the chooks use it and their droppings fall into the trays beneath.
I've put larger trays in since I took the photos.

[lottie dolly]

did yours come with the side openening,or did you adapt it VC.