[Dawnuss]

I have just had my new doodlehouse mimi arrive. I havnt put it up yet but looked at all the pieces that are like a big jigsaw lol. Just wanted to ask anyone else that has a doodle house the pieces seem really flexible like bendy was this a problem when you put the house together? and how easy is it to take apart for when i do a good cleaning?

[Hen 1-0 Fox]

Hi Dawnuss,

I have a mimi... Once assembled is pretty rigid, it can be a bit tricky to move due to the parts just slotting together so I would recommend building it in its permanent position. It's really easy to take apart for a clean, I'm regularly removing part of the roof during daily checks, takes seconds to do. Only issue I've had is I thought the perches were rubbish, so I've made my own and put them in. It's been waterproof in heavy rain and looks very smart, just need to convince the girls not to sleep in the next boxes somehow ha ha.

[Jo57]

I've been looking at the mimi. How many hens would comfortably sleep/lay in if freeranging through day? At the moment have a large (cheap) wooden one and they snuggle  into one nest box leaving huge area empty.

[Hen 1-0 Fox]

I'm currently keeping four hybrids in there, plenty of room, I'd say no more than six hybrids, especially as there are just two nest boxes.

[Taylor40]

We have one and it's brilliant. As someone else already said, the perches are a bit naff (too square) but a tip I found elsewhere was to split some old hose and wrap it around to create rounded perch. Otherwise it's a fantastic product and so easy to clean out..

Ian

[Jo57]

sounds like it would suit my bantams then. I have 2 hens and 5 growing fast chicks. May not be able to keep all as two are boys. Going to see how we get on with them. They are very pretty boys  and quiet so far

[Dawnuss]

thanks for the replies may have to steal the hose pipe trick  as for them sleeping in the nest boxes ive seen a thing on the doodle house website that slots in front of them to stop the chooks going in although in the coop i have now i put a bucket in at night and take it out in the morning. Ive noticed they also sell astro turf for the doodle house does anyone else use it?

[Hen 1-0 Fox]

Not used the astro turf yet, we've just chopped down a big tree in the back garden and have lots of wood shavings at the moment. I work shifts and I can't get up early enough to remove any best box blocker so for now just seeing how things go... Hardly any poo in there this morning so fingers crossed. As for the perches I've made my own now, using some branches from the felled tree.

[jhub]

If you need to block the nest box you don't need to wait until the morning to re open the nest. As soon as my hens are settled on their roosting bars and it's dark I remove the partition, they stay where they are in the dark.

[Hen 1-0 Fox]

Hmmmm interesting... Will give the late night nest box visit a try... Many thanks !

[SMS6]

I have just had my new doodlehouse mimi arrive. I havnt put it up yet but looked at all the pieces that are like a big jigsaw lol. Just wanted to ask anyone else that has a doodle house the pieces seem really flexible like bendy was this a problem when you put the house together? and how easy is it to take apart for when i do a good cleaning?

Have you put it together yet?  What do you think of it?   I'm thinking of getting a new coop and looking towards plastic so I've been doing some internet looking.  You really can't tell on screen though can you so any help from anyone that has a good one is welcome.

One thing I couldn't work out on the Doodlehouse from the pictures is how does the door work? Where's the handle?

Also has anyone got one raised up off the ground - could it sit on a platform?

[grinling]

Astroturf is tough, have it at the house down south, but whether it could sustain chicken attack and not stick in crop is another matter.

[Hen 1-0 Fox]

My doodle house is currently sat off the ground on slabs.. May eventually put it on a table top... Not decided yet. Just locate it carefully, pop hole door slides out to the side, it's the full width of the house so needs enough space to slide out.

[Dawnuss]

Haven't put it up yet as we are building  our walk in run first and the panels for that have only just arrived. From having all the pieces out it looks pretty simple ( i hope) i will probably be putting it up on a table also that way the chooks will have a stupid amount of space  seriously i must be mad my pets live better than we do lol why do we do it  SMS6 if your looking for a doodlehouse keep your eye out on ebay we got our mimi for £200.

[SMS6]

Well I bit the bullet and ordered the Max late Friday night.   I'm told it's out for delivery today so lets hope that's the case.   I've taken the day off to wait its arrival.

I did check out ebay but as the company had a sale on their website prices it wasn't any cheaper.

We've decided to give it a coat of paint as we're not keen on the starkness of white in the garden - will probably go for a shade or two of green so it blends in a little.  We also want to build a table of sorts that we can stand it up on to give the hens space underneath for shelter. 

They're missing a trick not making one of those as an accessory   

Once we have it up and running I'll get a picture up on here