Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: SusieB on October 02, 2009, 09:35

Title: Tips on building a winter shelter
Post by: SusieB on October 02, 2009, 09:35
I have no winter/hen experience, as I got my ex-batts in June.  They never go in the coop (except to lay), whatever the weather.  Their coop is very high off the ground, it is not good protection from the rain, so I need to build a shelter.  I have a pallet (1m x 1.2m) to get them off the muddy ground, and I know it'll need a pitched roof.  Does it need three and a half sides so they can get out of the wind,whichever direction.  I am thinking it's getting like a second coop.  Does anybody have any ideas or suggestions or is trial and error?
Many thanks
Title: Re: Tips on building a winter shelter
Post by: Roughlee Handled on October 02, 2009, 10:50
Slightly confused.

Where are the chickens at night?

A chicken will need 4 sides as roof. Ventilation not draft.

Try this link
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=32947.0
Title: Re: Tips on building a winter shelter
Post by: SusieB on October 02, 2009, 11:05
Sorry, I'm good at confusing people.  My chickens have a coop,  and lucky them it has 4 sides. 
I need somewhere for them to shelter from the wind and rain in the daytime.  I am probably talking rubbish, I can't decide whether they need just a roof on it or something more substantial because of the wind.  Being a newbie, I don't know whether they stay in the coop if the weather is really horrid.
Title: Re: Tips on building a winter shelter
Post by: Roughlee Handled on October 02, 2009, 11:10


I built mine a small "fag shelter" for the day. It had 3 sides.

But another batch of hens (they have a shed) go in if it rains to badly.

Title: Re: Tips on building a winter shelter
Post by: SusieB on October 02, 2009, 11:23
A fag shelter, it sounds just the ticket. Thanks.
Title: Re: Tips on building a winter shelter
Post by: poultrygeist on October 02, 2009, 11:31
If they're in a run, I fix some weed fabric to part of the side facing the prevailing wind and it keeps the worst of the weather off them, along with the plastic roof.

If they're ranging, then as rough says, a bit of a roofed shelter where they can have a gossip. Maybe a couple so that no-one gets bullied away from it.

Rob 8)
Title: Re: Tips on building a winter shelter
Post by: themagicaltoad1 on October 02, 2009, 12:09
Mine like the odd crafty fag as well :lol:
Title: Re: Tips on building a winter shelter
Post by: Roughlee Handled on October 02, 2009, 12:11
Are you sure that is a fag? ???
Title: Re: Tips on building a winter shelter
Post by: viettaclark on October 02, 2009, 13:05
 ;)
Title: Re: Tips on building a winter shelter
Post by: Arnfields on October 06, 2009, 16:06
Are you sure that is a fag? ???

Haha, loving the shades too! :)
Title: Re: Tips on building a winter shelter
Post by: Caralou on October 06, 2009, 16:14
Remember they are stupid creatures - just because you build the shelter doesn't mean they will use it  :lol: About an hour ago we had a huge downpour here - the ducks decided it was too heavy even for them and sheltered, the chickens just stood there squarking away at me as if it was my fault ::) I now have some very bedraggled looking hens and 12 week old chicks who are rolling in the mud (the light sussex look just great covered in mud  :wacko: ).
Title: Re: Tips on building a winter shelter
Post by: Roughlee Handled on October 06, 2009, 16:18
.................. (the light sussex look just great covered in mud  :wacko: ).


I bet  :lol:
Title: Re: Tips on building a winter shelter
Post by: pink-chicken on October 06, 2009, 17:52
Our coop came with an attached weld mesh run as seen in the one pic. When hubby and son had completed the outer fox proof (fingers crossed) pen we were able to utilise the run as a shelter, after separating it from the coop. We purchased corrugated plastic sheeting (at around a fiver per strip) cut to size and screwed in place on the sloping roof. Upside down guttering added at the top of the pent gives added waterproofing at the join. They now have their dust bath and slabs for food and water when its raining inside the shelter too and love to sit in here chatting when the weather is bad. :) The one end is always open but we can pen them in here with an old table when we are working on something that requires them not to be under our feet.

Jan.
Title: Re: Tips on building a winter shelter
Post by: peter o on October 06, 2009, 20:48
hi
i know this isnt an easy thing to get hold of but when I bought my place there cwas all sorts of junk lying around. I found the top plastic sloping bit of an articulated lorry and use that. It looks like a plastic bus shelter and when it rains heavy all the chickens stand under it looking out like there waiting for a bus. :wub: