Planning new coop - comments on design?

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Casey76

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Planning new coop - comments on design?
« on: January 22, 2011, 23:28 »
Planned coop for 5 or 6 bantams



Any improvements or suggestions?

The perch is removable, as is the front wall (hinged) for cleaning and egg collection.

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Diggit

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Re: Planning new coop - comments on design?
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2011, 23:47 »
Now that it spooky  :unsure:

Have a look at this thread from last week. It had some great replies. If you view the whole thread in order you'll see how the design evolved dramatically with comments and suggestions.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=69975.0
« Last Edit: January 22, 2011, 23:48 by Diggit »
Paul

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orchardlady

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Re: Planning new coop - comments on design?
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2011, 23:49 »
Up on a stand or legs so you don't have to grovel in the dirt to clean out. Use Onduline or similar for the roof. No need for ventilation holes then. No felt EVER.

Good luck.

OL

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Casey76

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Re: Planning new coop - comments on design?
« Reply #3 on: January 23, 2011, 07:41 »
Yes, I have the legs planned.  In my local DIY sotre I found some concrete temporary fence posts which are about a foot and a half high which I will be using; and I already have Onduline at home to use for the roof :)

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hillfooter

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Re: Planning new coop - comments on design?
« Reply #4 on: January 23, 2011, 09:50 »
Like the rising roosts but they are too elaborate and have too many joints for RM to live in.  Just fix the roosting bars together with with two straight batons set inboard from the walls.  On the walls fix two batons sloping upwards with a short "T" peg to act as a tenon which wil locate between two roosting bars.  This will positivly hold the "grid" of bars in place and you can just lift them off easily to clean.  See Forshams Lenham design if you don't unnderstand this.  For Bantams the bars should be no more than 50mm wide and with rounded edges (Not perfectly round like poles though)




See how the roosts rest on a wall baton and a peg top right locates them



Put the structural batons on the OUTSIDE so the inside is perfectly flat for sweeping out with no lips to act as a dirt trap.



Make the removable wall the one opposite the pophole which should be a VERTICALLY drop type not sliding or hinged. Don't use hinges at all in the construction they rust distort,  screws work loose and soon the door won't fit.  See my post on diggits design.  A simple lift off wall located with two baton pegs at the bottom into two holes in the edge of the floor with toggles on the house body at the top to secure it.  It's simple and won't distort on hinges gives complete acess.

If at all possible locate the nesbox externally for ease of egg collection and cleaning and uncomplicating the interior.

Onduline roofing is spot on advice.

Best of luck
« Last Edit: January 23, 2011, 09:53 by hillfooter »
Truth through science.

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spud

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Re: Planning new coop - comments on design?
« Reply #5 on: January 24, 2011, 11:47 »
I'm in the same position, I'm moving to a new house and I'm gonna need a new henhouse. This time I need a moveable house and run ... I've already seen the fox several times, previous owner fed the foxes so I could be in for some trouble.

Has anyone got what they consider to be the perfect hen house and got pics to prove it?

I will have about a dozen hens

Thanks everyone.
Best Regards,

spud

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spud

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Re: Planning new coop - comments on design?
« Reply #6 on: January 24, 2011, 14:40 »
Looking at the pic above, I was wondering how you feel about having mesh / wire under the roosts so the dropping fall out side?

TIA

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hillfooter

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Re: Planning new coop - comments on design?
« Reply #7 on: January 24, 2011, 15:18 »
Looking at the pic above, I was wondering how you feel about having mesh / wire under the roosts so the dropping fall out side?

TIA

I think that would be a little on the drafty side.  I'll do a separate thread which shows how to reduce your cleaning to an average of just 3mins per week with no poo pickings and I'll post a link to it on this thread.  give me a couple of days tp get the photos assembled.
HF
« Last Edit: January 30, 2011, 03:11 by hillfooter »

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spud

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Re: Planning new coop - comments on design?
« Reply #8 on: January 24, 2011, 15:42 »
I'm looking forward to that ... tnx again

Cheers

 :)

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hillfooter

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Re: Planning new coop - comments on design?
« Reply #9 on: January 24, 2011, 17:33 »
I'm looking forward to that ... tnx again

Cheers

 :)

Here's the link then Spud

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=70436.msg804050#msg804050

All the best
HF

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spud

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Re: Planning new coop - comments on design?
« Reply #10 on: January 26, 2011, 11:56 »
Tnx HF, I'm mighty impressed with the design, I've tried too many houses and found them all wanting in some way ... this looks like it covers many of the problems, so I'll get around to making one of these in the next month or so .... thanks again.

Cheers

 :)

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hillfooter

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Re: Planning new coop - comments on design?
« Reply #11 on: January 26, 2011, 15:53 »
Tnx HF, I'm mighty impressed with the design, I've tried too many houses and found them all wanting in some way ... this looks like it covers many of the problems, so I'll get around to making one of these in the next month or so .... thanks again.

Cheers

 :)

The house I showed in the 3 min cleaning thread was in fact a house made by Forshams (their Lenham 504) which would be quite complicated and a lot of work to emulate particularly the nestbox arrangement.  Diggits design looks simpler and easier to make and has many of the same or equivalent features so consider that.

If I were to criticise the Lenham design I would much prefer an onduline roof as the wooden one, though robustly constructed from 20mm T&G board, does split and eventually leak.  My oldest house is 10 years old and I've had to replace several roof boards and as they are a custom made moulding you need to get them from the manufacturers at significant expense.  The other criticism would be that the walls are made from heavy gauge T&G which provides lots of places for Red Mite to colonise.  I treat mine with a pesticide each year. Not a major task but sheet material would be more resistant if maybe not as rugged and long lasting as T&G board.  Which also reminds me that using rustproof screws makes repairs infinitely easier than nails.

Whatever route you go all the best
HF
« Last Edit: January 30, 2011, 09:35 by hillfooter »

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ManicMum

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Re: Planning new coop - comments on design?
« Reply #12 on: January 30, 2011, 00:06 »
Apologies in advance for this, but.........

At least with the raked slats, you know how many hens you own: only the ones on the bottom slat as.....the others are on higher perches.

Say it out loud - hire purchase - I did apologise! (and I'd put a smiley on if I knew how)
ManicMum

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hillfooter

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Re: Planning new coop - comments on design?
« Reply #13 on: January 30, 2011, 03:15 »
Groannnnnnnnnnnnnnn ???
HF

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Casey76

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Re: Planning new coop - comments on design?
« Reply #14 on: January 30, 2011, 08:51 »
 :tongue2: :tongue2: :tongue2:
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwful
 :tongue2: :tongue2: ::)



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