[steevc]

We've been considering keeping chickens for a while and have decided to take the plunge. There's certainly plenty of information on-line, but it can be overwhelming.

We have a big garden, so were planning to fence off part of it, maybe 4mx4m. The ground will be mostly bare earth after we finish clearing the worst of the weeds. I was looking at using 6' chicken wire with maybe something stronger at the bottom to deter predators. Should I bury it to prevent tunneling?

We're thinking of having 4 hens. We thought about ex-batteries, but have seen comments saying they may be tricky for beginners. This place is very close to us, so we would probably buy from there.

http://www.thornespoultrycentre.co.uk/

We may got for a selection of breeds. We're after eggs rather than meat as we are a mostly veggie family. We would pass on the surplus eggs to friends.

An initial idea was to convert our old wooden playhouse into a coop, but that's stretching my DIY skills and there are some very reasonably priced ones available. How about this one?

http://www.chickencoopsdirect.com/chicken-coop.htm

It looks a bit tight for four hens inside, but they would have plenty of outside space. We thought that if we were likely to be out late we could shut them in the attached run for extra safety. Is there a danger that they would get on top and hop over the fence?

Apart from that I know we need to get a feeder and drinker.

I've read that you should be able to change the area they use periodically. Is this essential with a small group? I could divide the fenced area and move them between the two halves.

Sorry for all the questions, but we want to get off to a good start. Any other hints welcome.

Steve and Tanya

[redmolly]

Hiya - they are a fab experience!! Def go for POLs rather than ex batts to start!! The POLs can cause enough mental health issues!!! You will learn a lot from them rather than go for the ex batts first off!!
If you want eggs - def POLs.....some ex batts are past their laying date - hence why they are being rehomed!!
Great to give them a lovely life.....but don't ask for too much back (ie eggs).
Best of luck!! Very addictive!! I got some in March - 4 POLs and a little hen house......I now have an 8x6 kitted out shed after one went broody and we have 6 more...3 were cocks (2 have been rehomed). I've promised hatching eggs to all who go broody next year too!! Would love to rehome some ex batts....but not feeling confident enough for that yet......we've had a serious mite infection, a cropbound, 2 eggbound (1 did i twice) & a broody......at times it's been very worrying and hard work....not to mention calling a vet on a Sunday for bubbly eyes, swollen faces and sneezing!!!! 

[Foxy]

That is a really small house, very cramped for 4 hens, even for a short period. Also, they aren't very sturdy. You would still need to fix good bolts on and does it come with a perch?

I would be tempted to look again at your wooden playhouse. It wont need much in the way of alterations, just a pophole cut out really and a perch, nestboxes could just be a washing up bowl with straw in for now. Alternatively, you could get in contact with a local carpenter to make the alterations for you I have 2 converted playhouses and they are lovely, plenty of space to hang feeders, and for those extra chickens you will no doubt need!

[GrannieAnnie]

And to add to what Foxy said, if you could site the chicken (play)house in the middle of the largest run you can manage, and fence it down the middle then put 2 popholes in the house, one each side, you can alternate the runs.  Give the hens maybe 3 months one side then 3 months the other.  that would give the garden a rest and give the grass a chance to re-grow!

Good luck with it!!!!!  They really are addictive!

[redmolly]

Our nest box - is now a bedside pine cabinet!! £5 in the cahrity shop.....removed drawer....attached piece of deep skirting to the front and the girls are loving it!!!

Oh - I had a house like that....paid £114 for it.....had 4 large hens in it....3 slept on the front and one on the back! Cosily sleeps 6 big girls.....but as for the so called run....was absolutely cruel!!! They had a rather large extention built within 2 days!!!! The "run" was cramped with 4 of them in there!!!

Go it in March.....(it's a pig to clean\scrub down thoroughly when you have mites!!!)...the roof has cracked and bowed and there is a huge part at the back that has bowed out too!!!
It's difficult to clean the roof as you have to get in and where half the solution\fluid!!!!

If you have something to convert - much much better!!!!!

[beulah59]

I have a 4m x 4m netting fruit cage ... so a similar size ... with an ark on one side which covers a fair bit of the space on that side, so I reckon on moving that from side to side occasionally as I can't move the run around to fresh soil. They don't spend a lot of time in the run under the ark, except to dust bath!

I've not been able to rainproof the cage, but it does have a netting roof to stop other birds getting in as much as my girls getting out (they are ex-batts and don't really get off the ground much!).

And I did start with ex-batts, but we've been very fortunate with them ... not much feather loss and with four hens we're getting an average of 3+ eggs a day from day 1!

[nzdunn]

hiya and welcome to the fourm, how exciting for  you, the place your gonna get your girls from looks lovely and they have a nice selection.    As someone else pointed out i would defo use your wooden playhouse.   In the summer my girls had a plastic wendy house that used to belong to the kids.   All we did was fix in a wooden perch and two nest boxes at the back, it will save you a lot of money, im sure your diy skills could do that lol lol.   My girls dont live in a coup, 2 of them live in a dog kennel, and they other 2 live in a converted rabbit hutch.   They only go to roost in them at night as they have a huge area to roam about in.   Oh forgot to say chooks are great clearers as in the weeds etc, i would leave them in (if there not posionous) the girls will love digging about in them for worms etc.   Good luck and look forward to your piccys.  nickyx

[steevc]

Thanks for the warm welcome and all the tips. Tanya was quite taken with those hen houses, but I'm still up for converting the playhouse. It's a wooden one about 4' square. I was thinking of making a raised floor inside to make cleaning easier. Tanya likes the idea of a pull-out tray, but that will mean making more holes in the side. Does most of the poo go under the perch?

I know I need to make plenty of ventilation, so that will go up at the top, just under the roof.

Here's a couple of pics of the playhouse and our planned site

http://picasaweb.google.com/steevc/Chickens#

If we use the playhouse then we may put it in the middle with fence across one side and a hen exit each side to given two ranges. I may try and get by with one gate and a movable bit of fence. We're trying to keep costs down.

[Flowerpower136]

The site looks perfect, they'll appreciate the tree.  I wouldn't worry too much about clearing it, the girls will enjoy doing that for you!

My pen is about that size, possibly a tad bigger.  They can't have access to the garden because of the dog, but are more than happy in their pen.  I've used weldmesh to construct a walkin enclosure, and buried at least 12 inches around the edges.  Initially roof was also weldmesh.  since then, I've roofed the whole thing with polycarb because it turned into a mud bath when it rained.  The girls are incredibly good and enthusiastic diggers, and even with wood chips down, it became very messy, and they were just miserable.  Hens don't like being wet.  The girls are so much happier in the dry.

We made our own coop, as many on here have done.  Really simple.  Whatever you do, keep in mind all the time, "How can I clean it", and avoid anything which might harbour redmite.  We designed our coup so that the majority of joints were external.  Inside is a clean and simple box.





Make sure coup is well off ground if poss to avoid rats.



And consider auto pop hole opener.  Worth the investment.

Re feeders etc, would recommend the green bottom ones. Started with the red bottom ones, but wasn't impressed.  With 8 hens we have 2 x 3kg hoppers plus an 8 ltr water container.  More than adequate.  Also they need access to grit, so a little container for that too.

My 8 are all ex batts, and I've had them 3 months.  As a complete newbie, I've been very lucky in that they haven't had any serious health problems, and are just a complete joy.  They've blossomed into happy, healthy chickens, and it really does your heart good to see how they enjoy life here after those awful cages.  They are busy all day long, and delighted to see me when I go down the steps.  Incredibly friendly and inquisitive.  And despite being in retirement, they produce at least 6 eggs a day, regularly 7 and occasionally 8.

But, I do take the point, that ex batts can be a challenge if you are unlucky and get ones with problems.  I do realise that I've been very lucky.  So hope you are too which ever way you decide to go.  

[francais]

I brought a very similar house off e-bay 2 weeks ago. It arrived a DH put it up last weekend. This weekend we are making the extensions and we only have two girls in there!!! They really are TINY !!! and very poor made. It will do for now with the extension, but very much doubt it will see this time next year.  I am very new to this and thought when the seller said 5 or 6 chickens that they would not be far off the mark...wrong!!! they should be done under trade descriptions

I have already got my eye on a wooden play house at my MIL's home (shhh don't tell her!)

PS when people on here tell you that you will soon want more, and you think "no I won't" - trust me...they know what they are talking about    I just wanted two....now....well lets just say I have plans hehehe!!!

[Rubellite]

I have a converted playhouse I bought second-hand and have just bought another one new. Considered buying a custom-made henhouse but they are so expensive for what they are and usually small too. Playhouses look good, as well