Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: alisonwo on February 28, 2011, 11:34
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Well we have just reserved a plastic shed from B&Q which they have on offer atm. We need a bigger shed and I thought this would be great as it can be hosed out like the Eglu ones so no probs with red mite etc. Supposed to be easy to put together, all plastic but needs to be staked down as quite light, its a 6x4 so a good size, hubby will need to make a few alterations for nest boxes, pop hole etc. Will update once erected and let you know if any good. Have asked him to give a slight slant to it so if hosed out will be able to drain off OK, hopefully the girls won't be walking uphill lol! At £169 rather than full wack of £250 its a good buy, Heres hoping anyway
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I'm not sure how a plastic shed would be for a coop :(
If it is single walled I'd worry about it being hot in summer and cold in winter.
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condensation is a problem with plastic
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Does it have a floor?
Re red mite and plastic - it's not just that plastic can be cleaned more easily than wood which makes it more resistant to RM it's also that there are hopefully fewer seams and cracks for them to colonise. Plastic if it has lots of cracks and seams which hold dirt and most importantly for RM moisture and is just as attractive a haven for RM. The key thing about plastic is that it doesn't hold moisture on exposed smooth surfaces. RM need moisture so a well designed plastic house which eliminates corners and seams plus being easy to clean performs the best.
Unless your shed does this it won't perform as well as an EGLU for example. Even at £169 if it is a compromise hen house as the above posts caution it might not be a good buy.
HF
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I was looking at that shed myself yesterday. It is doublewalled and comes in 4 sections and the roof, so there is only a join at each corner. I don't remember if it had a floor. I was thinking how suitable it could be for chickens.
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Just collected it, yes it does have a floor, is double walled and is quite smooth, it has a tinted plastic window which will be handy, but one of the air vents is too low down so will need to adapt that so it's overhead, they are selling like hot cakes atm, and quite a few for chicken coops. Although double walled they are empty cavities so was wondering if I could inject foam into them to insultate it, although this would be fiddly. Hubby is ex design and technology teacher so no problems there if it needs adapting in any way. Although it weighs 43kg I gather once built it seems quite light so will need to ensure its well secured to the ground. I feel quite confident it will work well, but if not we still have the original one which he built.
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Just collected it, yes it does have a floor, is double walled and is quite smooth, it has a tinted plastic window which will be handy, but one of the air vents is too low down so will need to adapt that so it's overhead, they are selling like hot cakes atm, and quite a few for chicken coops. Although double walled they are empty cavities so was wondering if I could inject foam into them to insultate it, although this would be fiddly. Hubby is ex design and technology teacher so no problems there if it needs adapting in any way. Although it weighs 43kg I gather once built it seems quite light so will need to ensure its well secured to the ground. I feel quite confident it will work well, but if not we still have the original one which he built.
I wouldn't attempt to inject it. I once boarded a stable to use as a workshop and put in fiberglass insulation. The mice loved it and nested in the cavity even though there's no food kept in there to attract them.
Keep us informed on your progress with this as a hen house.
HF
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I think if you tried to inject foam into it the walls would bow out. I would leave it, air is a good insulation.