Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: snowdrops on December 26, 2018, 21:20
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Ok, I’ve had a couple of chickens x 2 at our old garden before it became fashionable & before I found this forum & the only advice I could get then was for small flocks of 50 chickens! So scaling the housing & run down was an issue
I’ve now got an allotment, & I’m considering having my daughters 4 chickens as she needs to move them on. What advice can you offer me for
A, keeping them on my plot that is normally secure(break-in on Saturday),it’s only 5 minutes away from the house.
B, hubby is a joiner so building a new house won’t be a problem, but what do we need to consider. We had a couple of houses before & they have one now but it’s getting to need replacing(wooden)
I’ll be having a secure walk in run with a roof of some description. They don’t get locked in now but are in a secure run & have been ok for the last few years even with foxes round & about the place. So I was thinking to do the same so I would just need to go up every day but not to let them out & put them away at night, although could have an automatic pop hole.
They get to free range in my daughter’s garden occasionally but that obviously won’t be possible at the plot, C, I know we’ll need to trench the netting in but I have slabbed paths, not concreted down, with beds 5ft wide. Would the run be ok on top of the slabs or could foxes dig under the slab in a night.
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I don't think hens are that deprived in a run compared to free range so long as they have things to do. Hanging greens, scratchable stuff on the floor etc. Better than being eaten by the fox!
I can't see a fox burrowing under a 2'x2' concrete slab in a night - unless the soil under is really loose and lovely. They have been know to gnaw through chicken wire though - not often but using weldmesh makes them invulnerable.
Your biggest risk on an allotment is two legged vermin, which all depends on the site.
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Thanks John, yes my daughter has a roll of weldmesh that she was going to use to build a new pen & all the wood etc for a new house so I get all that too 😂. As for free range versus penned I was more concerned re size of run etc, I suppose there’s a chance I might increase to 6 hens as son has 3 well granddaughter actually so I could end up with them as they age🙄☹️.
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At least that means that you have lots of grateful recipients for the eggs!
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If they're going to be kept in the run all the time for 6 hens I'd try for 6 square metres if you can. That's basically 10x6 feet in real money. Because of the Avian Flu I roofed our secure run. It's weldmesh with polytunnel polythene over to keep it dry and bio-secure. Because of the winds I have run battens from side to side over the polythene. The polythene is not expensive so I used the excess to make windbreak sides to 2 faces. Cheapest place to get it was First Tunnels
https://www.firsttunnels.co.uk/polytunnel-coversDetail/super-therm-polythene
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Thanks John, I’m about to take the plunge & buy a poly tunnel too so that’s useful to know as well re polythene, although I was thinking onduline(sp)?
How do you get on with the Eglu coop, do the eggs stay clean & how easy is it to clean out if they’re not really roosting? I was considering a plastic coop if I had chickens again but daughter has got all the wood for a new house as she was going to move them to her partners but now they are going to sell both of the houses & buy together (people houses not Chicken lol)
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Well with the polytunnel, I can't speak highly enough of First Tunnels, but it depends on how large you want and what the weather is like where you are. The cheap ones on Ebay for £100 ish are good value but nowhere near as sturdy.
I used to be pretty anti the Eglu's but having had one totally changed my mind. So easy to clean - the weekly clean is a 10 minute job. Line the dropping tray with the free newspaper - straight to the compost bin. Take out the tray and roosting bars, spray down with the hosepipe and then dry off and reassemble. Job done.
Slight negative in that Chocky likes to roost in the nestbox so have to close the door when they've laid and open it again after dark or 1st thing in the morning. The autodoor was easy to fit and works well too.
The Cube isn't cheap but if you decide to stop and want to sell it, they really hold their value.
I did a review on it here:
The Omlet Eglu Cube Review ? Plastic Chicken Coop for 10 Chickens (http://www.chickens.allotment-garden.org/equipment/poultry-housing/omlet-eglu-cube-review/)
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Right then chickens are go....
Daughter delivered all the new wood, poop trays, nest box trays, new water feeder yesterday & hubby & I have just been down to the plot & measured up. Totally blown my head deal of where the chickens will go out of the water. Hubs suggestedthey go next to shed 1, behind the compost bins to give me ease of access etc. We will sink slabs in to prevent rodent access & will be using weld mesh when DD delivers it. Will have onduline roofing completely over the roof with gutters, house will be inside with access to nest box from the outside for egg collection. Food & water will be fillable from the outside too. I’ve asked for a house that can be disassembled easily for thorough cleaning if & when needed.
Poly tunnel will be purchased in the not too distant future & thanks to you John also be in a different place than I originally thought as I’d not considered proximity to water for the summer, so that will be near the chickens too, with the main door facing them as that will be the shortest walk from the tap.
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Sounds really great - we'll need photos, you know :)
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Haha, ok I’ll get some, house now designed,cough,cough, & built, just awaiting the glue to arrive for said house to be dismantled & glued & reassembled before being moved into the greenhouse (possibly) to be painted.
I’m not intending to paint the insides, is that right?
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Haha, ok I’ll get some, house now designed,cough,cough, & built, just awaiting the glue to arrive for said house to be dismantled & glued & reassembled before being moved into the greenhouse (possibly) to be painted.
I’m not intending to paint the insides, is that right?
Correctomundo! :)
I'd say to go for stain rather than paint in case they start pecking it but that's maybe worrying too much.
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Thanks John, the house will be raised so I’m not sure that will be an issue. Been to the plot today to start the ‘groundworks’. Unfortunately we discovered I have a bit more of a rat problem than I had realised, I knew there was an issue with them in at least 1 of my compost bins, but when we moved my bench & a few other bits from the front of the shed I discovered a pile of compost, then we realised they’ve pulled out loads from the bins (behind the shed) & dragged it under the shed 😱. We got out as much as we could & as were going to sink in slabs anyway got on with that. Now I’m worrying where they’ll pop out next. Ideally I want to move the shed as I can’t remember if it’s totally slabbed under it or partially, plus I’ve got enough slabs to sink in the total length of the compost bins, probably 16/17 ft. Not sure hubby is up for that though☹️
Here’s the before & after pics
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You've been busy!
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Thanks John so have you, I only ordered your backyard chicken book the other day & it arrived today. Great service & a good read, thank you.
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Thanks! We do our best. :D :D
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Forgot to say hanks for the seeds, now I better get some compost sorted & sow the onions, & I was going to look for Uchiki Kuri later in the season so win win 😊
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Unfortunately we discovered I have a bit more of a rat problem than I had realised, I knew there was an issue with them in at least 1 of my compost bins, but when we moved my bench & a few other bits from the front of the shed I discovered a pile of compost, then we realised they’ve pulled out loads from the bins (behind the shed) & dragged it under the shed 😱.
Tip for rats under the shed - stuff the space under the shed with holly leaves. Collect holly hedge trimmings from anyone with a holly bush or throwing out Christmas decos and make the space as spiky as possible. Top up each year and they wont bother with it. We had rats like you in the compost and then making themselves comfy under the shed, so when we were given the tip I reckoned we had nothing to lose and we did have a holly bush in need of a major haircut. It was a surprising win win. Won't stop the mice but I can live with them.
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Thanks Madcat, I’ll bear that in mind. I’d still like to move it & sort it out in the first instance but it’s 10x8 or thereabouts so a bit of a job😱
Couple of photos of the coup, hubby has dismantled it & reassembled it now the special glue has arrived
1st pic is looking down into the coup from what will be the roof with the 2 yellow trays as nest boxes that pull out for cleaning
2nd is action shot of Mr S
3rd is with the yellow trays in place & black tray overlapping that lifts out for cleaning &
4th is looking at the pop hole.
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Looking good but you might find it better to put a partition between the roosting area and the nestboxes.
If you can lift the nestboxes to be slightly higher than the roosting area they'll be more likely to use them for laying rather than roosting. Silly me - it's the other way around.
Maybe I'm over-thinking it :nowink:
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Hi thanks John but it’s done now, I thought the nest boxes needed to be lower than the roosting bars? There’s a division between the 2 yellow nest boxes so they don’t squabble lol . Trouble with them being older birds I won’t be able to block the nest boxes off when they move in, although I had thought to move them late afternoonblick it until they roost & then take it away as it goes dark.
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John, in your book(see previous post) I quote
“The nest boxes should be sited lower than the perch if possible. This discourages the hens from sleeping in the nest boxes”
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John, in your book(see previous post) I quote
“The nest boxes should be sited lower than the perch if possible. This discourages the hens from sleeping in the nest boxes”
Sorry, I was having a senior moment when I posted. I didn't get much sleep last night with this blessed cold. I'll correct my post.
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Trouble with them being older birds I won’t be able to block the nest boxes off when they move in, although I had thought to move them late afternoon block it until they roost & then take it away as it goes dark.
I have to do that with the Omlet Cube - eventually they are trained not to spend the night in the nestbox but then they revert. I think a lot is down to how they were housed initially.
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2 coats of paint applied to the Chicken palace (in the greenhouse). No more done on the run as the weather has not been suitable to be out there plus Mr S has been replacing our shower pump,then our hot water cylinder,then the 3 way valve for the heating 😱. Hopefully we can back on it now if the weather stabilises 🤞
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I’ve had another look at the run & decided it’s not big enough as they won’t be able to free range, also hubby has now suggested that we slab inside the run is this a good idea, I would put chippings etc back in for them to scratch around in & I have plenty of spare slabs. I’m just a bit worried about the rat situation, chap who I was talking too on the plot who has chickens said I need to dig the area of the run down to 18” & put mesh down then fill it back with the soil. So the slabs might be the easier way to go. What do you think?
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Digging down 18" sounds a lot of work to me and I doubt it's needed. Neither would I slab it - although sometimes I think it's not so much as a dust bath they've dug as an escape tunnel. I use wood chips on soil - the wood chips go onto the compost heap. The soil aids microbial action in the wood chips and the odd worm who gets near the surface is a treat for the ladies.
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Thanks John, you confirmed my thoughts.
Last Saturday our daughter came & helped with the ground works & I was happy with the new sized pen, then yesterday hubby & I measured up twice 🙄 don’t ask! We began making the panels for the sides, & today we’ve finished 3 sides & put the weldmesh on & taken them round to the plot & fixed them together. Most of the wood that came from DD is used up so we need more for the 4th side & roof, plus a door & we also need the onduline for the roofer the pen & hen house. Will still need more mesh I think, but that came from eBay so will get that ordered when I’m sure & also order a treadle feeder. Already got a padlock & should be good to go I think. Pictures to follow as I didn’t take any today. Might go & collect some leaves tomorrow from the park to throw in the pen as where the guttering needs altering on the shed there’s a patch that’s very wet & ive seen some wood chips on fb marketplace.
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Pen is nearly finished, new roll of weldmesh for the roof arrived yesterday & we bought the onduline in the week with the rest of the wood. House is ensconced minus a roof,that will be onduline too,that also will be will be onduline underneath. For the first time the council has delivered wood chippings to the allotments so barrow loads of that were moved into the pen in preparation for the girls arrival.
Went a walk over yesterday to take photos.
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That's not a chicken run - it's a palace! :D
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Haha, I have been calling it the chicken palace 😂. Suppose that’s what comes of having a chippie for a husband 😊. About all done now, roof netted & covered in onduline, house roof covered in onduline, another coat of paint given to the house to touch it up where it got scratched, back of the compost bin given a coat of grey paint to match the Chicken house & sheds, green stripes to be added another day.
Just need to look up Hillfooters slurry recipe & apply that & let it dry. Hopefully the birds can move in Wednesday or Thursday. The treadle feeder is due to arrive then too, so would be good if that’s in place when they move in
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The treadle feeder is due to arrive then too, so would be good if that’s in place when they move in
I'd think so too or the hens will be hungry. Distressed gentlehens - luxury house but nothing for tea :)
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My daughter has a feed hopper that she fills via a pipe up through the roof of the pen but I don’t want to do that, it gets damp from time to time & im sure the local vermin must be helping themselves from time to time. She has got a plastic feeder that she hangs up so I will be using that until the treadle feeder arrives if the chickens arrive first.
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I did realise you'd have cunning plan :D :D
It really is a 'grand design' - and without the drama of running out of money half way through!
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I did realise you'd have cunning plan :D :D
It really is a 'grand design' - and without the drama of running out of money half way through!
Haha, no thanks so sure about the running out of money, certainly cost more than I anticipated, you get to the point with these things that it’s a case of “ well it’s cost ### so far another £20 to finish it off isn’t going to make much difference “! Which is precisely what happened yesterday. Son was going to Wickes to get wood for a Wendy house & hubby asked him to pick up 4 lengths of lath to fasten the roof on, we got a phone call to say “it’s £20 for 8 lengths”. I’d initially thought the wood that our daughter had bought would be enough but then I wanted the pen bigger as they won’t get to free range.
I’m sure they’ll be very happy & so will I be ( you watch bet they cop their clogs this year & I have to buy new ones lol)
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You could recoup the costs by selling guided tours!
Being serious, the cost of housing depends on how many hens and the lifespan of the coup. Some of the very cheap coups on Ebay will be lucky to last 3 years. A quality coup costs more to buy but should last at least 15 years. A rough calculation..
3 hen coup, £120. = £40 per hen which goes to £13.33 per hen per year.
6 hen quality coup, £600 = £100 per hen goes to £6.66 per hen per year.
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Yes that’s true, hadn’t thought of it like that, whatever, I couldn’t see them in a rubbish thing with no room to move about like the chap up the way
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They’re coming today.... well tonight when they’ve gone to bed at their old digs, daughter tried to catch them today but couldn’t , so she came & we mixed up Hillfooters slurry & she painted that on all over the inside of the house & I finished the painting on the outside, then she laid 2 slabs 1 ontop of one another to raise the treadle feeder above the height of the chippings & then we filled that up & propped the lid open until they get used to it. Grit spread about & shaving in the house, golf balls in the nest box & hopefully eggs tomorrow.
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Forgot to say the hens up the way in the tiny house & run are now in a walk in run as well so much relieved as they are lovely hens with beautiful markings as if they’ve had a line painted around each feather in black.
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Operation chicken rehoming is accomplished. I got the call from our daughter that they had gone to ‘bed’ & set off the 1 mile to her house, to get caught in the rush hour traffic. Finally arriving & being dispatched down the garden to do the deed, I found I needed an extra pair of hands to hold the nest box lid up , so daughter came to help, I held the lid up & she wrenched them out as those that perch on the lip of the nest box put up a bit of a fight lol. On our way, I collected hubby to help & protect me in the dark at the plot. With a bit of squeaking we got them in, all was fine until one fell of the perch & decided to take a look out of the pophole 😱. We came out & left them to calm down & see if she found her way back in but after 5 minutes we were getting cold so with the help of a torch I managed to grab her & put her back in & held her on the perch until she got her balance, I hope they don’t move into the nest box but I had to leave it uncovered so they can get in there in the morning if needed. I suppose I’ll know if there’s no poop in there when I go to check on them.
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They don't seem too bothered to awaken in a strange place - probably goes back to roosting in different trees every few days. Tomorrow they'll think they've taken over a palace :)
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And don't forget - they love greens. So when you cut a cauli or get a bolted lettuce - turn it into eggs. Yum yum. :)
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Thanks John, they seem fine this morning. We went down at 8 so I could open up the feeder for them until they get used to it. Hopefully by tomorrow they’ll be able to open it themselves once they know the food is in there. I assume they’ll find the water as the cups are bright red. I’ve left my gone over brassicas in readyness for them plus I’ve got a small area of chickweed I’ve got to weed so that will go in to & some frosted chicory & fennel so that’s them sorted for a few days lol. My daughter threw all her peelings in, including onions etc