[carolbriar]

I have just finished our new hen house and run.  The house was block built and is 10'x8'.  The area inside can be split if needed.  It means that if I get new girls or have a broody on eggs, they will be able to see each other but not get together.  There are two pop holes, spaced apart on the back wall.  These lead into a shelter which is also large.  It means they have a totally dry area and the food and water are in there as well.  There is a door and a pull up entrance at the side of the shelter.  The run itself is about 12 metres square.  I have 8 hens at the moment so there is plenty of room for them all.  I still have to put some different items in the run for them, ie, different heights etc and possibly a small tree.  Around the bottom of the outer fence is two runs of electric wire and one run of wire along the top.  I have called it Cluckingham Palace, named after a sign I once saw! 

[Snoop]

Looks and sounds fantastic. Bet you'll have some happy birds. Congratulations.

[carolbriar]

Thank you.  I have had my poor girls in a run which was getting very wet underfoot (acidic soil) and the house was too small.  When looking at buying a house they were very expensive for what they were and a joiner suggested building one with blocks.  The new run area is much better soil and drains very well so for once the hens have more insects, worms etc to scratch around for and no longer get wet feet from standing in puddles.  So far it is working very well!  The hens seem very happy. 

[Snoop]

I agree with you about the price of hen houses. For what they are, they seem extremely expensive to me.

[carolbriar]

We were having an outbuilding built so the hen house was made at the same time which kept costs down.  If I ever stop having hens, highly unlikely, the house could be used as a shed.  I will take photos of my nest boxes as I think they are great. Mi have used small cat litter trays with a frame around them which they sit on and then sides.  3 on one unit and two on another. 

[carolbriar]

These are the nest boxes.  Easy to clean and handy to move around. 

[brookieme]

Well done you. Looks great and the chicken in her nesting box looks very happy.
You have a lot of space by the looks of it. Can they roam free?

[carolbriar]

The run is about 12 metres square, perhaps slightly bigger.  They have only been in there a week so haven't let them out yet.  They used to have some free range time but their old run is still up about 30 feet from the new one.  It's due to be taken down next week so will let them out after that.  I didn't want to confuse them.  They do have plenty of space - I made it large enough so I could get more hens if I wanted to!

[barley]

very impressive