[shokkyy]

I'm about to take a plunge and get 2 or 3 chicks, and I've been endlessly trawling the web looking at hen houses/runs. The supplier that's caught my eye is Woodenart. Their coops/runs look very solid and well built and the James Super model gives a lovely big run as well.

I like the idea of the Eglu, that I wouldn't have to worry about mite infestation, but the runs are really very small. I know you can buy bigger runs separately, but that does make it a very expensive option. The James Super would give me a 12' X 6' run, which is a lot more room for them. I've got plenty of space but free range isn't really an option, because I have a lot of foxes in the area as well as a lurcher with an extremely strong hunting drive. Later on, I might want to add to the flock, so I want the house/run to be big enough to have that as an option.

I'm planning to sit the run on an existing concrete base for full fox protection, with a couple of inches of wood chippings on the floor, which I can rake out and change once in a while. Does this sound sensible?

If anybody out there has a Woodenart coop/run, have you been pleased with it? And can you tell me how much they charge for boarding in the run end?

[helens-hens]

Hi shokkyy

I have just had the woodenart james super installed a few weeks ago and I am very pleased with it. The build quality is good, it all seems very sturdy and well made and it looks good. I had it part boarded (the part under the actual hen house) which I think cost an additional £35. I find that is enough to keep their food dry and give them somewhere to go in particularly cold & wet weather.

The hens seem to have settled in well, the only thing is that the nest boxes are perch level which gave 2 problems. Firstly, when hens roost they like to be as high as possible and as the next boxes are the same height as the perch they decided to try and sleep in the nest boxes. I solved this by blocking them off at night until they got the hang of where they should be. The 2nd problem was that the girls were used to the nest box being at the level of the house floor and the girls were reluctant to use them. I put a golf ball in one (looks vaguely like an egg!) and plenty of straw as well and 1 is now using it regularly and I think the other one is catching on.

I do let mine free range a couple of hours a day which they like but I think the James Super is big enough for 2 or 3 kept permanently in (depending on the type of hen - some adapt more readily than others). As well as size it has the advantage of height so you can, if you like, increase their floor space a bit by having things at different heights. There are 2 perches in the actual run but the girls haven't used these yet.

Something you may also want to consider is an automatic pop hole opener as if you order it they will fit this for you when erecting the hen house. The one I have is the vsbi which is positioned inside the hen house and is activated by light and raises the door in the first light of morning and closes it at dusk. The only thing I have found is that sunrise is getting earlier and earlier, the girls are coming out earlier and they can make a bit of a noise which concerns me with neighbours. I have now ordered a timer which I will try & install but you could ask woodenart to supply & install it possibly if you wanted.

Our hen house is on concrete slabs and I use easibed in there. Because of the height of the run it is easy to poop scoop and keep clean.

I was also very impressed with Mark & Ian who installed the coop. They were very professional, on time etc and the whole thing was up in I think just over 2 hours.

I have probably gone on a bit but it is nice to be able to pass on first hand experience. As you will know these coops aren't cheap but for those of us without the time or skills to build our own, I think this one ticks most of the boxes such as having an onduline roof (not roofing felt which harbours mites), uses weldmesh rather than chicken wire, offers a good deal of run space and height, is well made and looks good.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more queries

[joyfull]

thats just the sort of thing I think shokky was after - nice to get a reply from somebody who has one and can point out the pro's and cons 

[kegs]

I'm jealous - it looks lovely.      

[shokkyy]

Thanks, Helen, that's perfect. It's a bit nervewracking ordering something so expensive over the web without ever having touched or seen it, so it's nice to get a firsthand opinion. It's really the only one I've found that has a good size run without costing a small mortgage. With time, we may get brave enough to let them out in an electric run or something, but that really depends how my lurcher reacts to them.

The boarding looks reasonable, so I'll definitely go for that. I did look at the auto door opener but was a bit put off by the price. They're quoting £122 on the site, and that does seem quite a lot for an optional extra. I was thinking of putting extra perches and shelves in the run, maybe with some branches going up to them so they can run up.

I was going to go for some hybrid hens, something that will give me a decent number of eggs but will be strong and healthy and not too difficult to take care of, something like Black Rock, Goldline, Pepperpot, Bluebell, Speckledy, that kind of thing. Are those types likely to be ok with living permanently in the run?

[helens-hens]

Hi Shokkyy. Re the auto pop hole opener, the price is about the same as if you bought it independently but the bonus is they fit it for you and they didn't charge extra for this.

I currently have 2 rhode rock types (like Black Rocks). They are both probably just over 2 years old now and though there have been a few egg laying hiccups with both, they still lay well and regularly, not that some of the eggs would win any prizes! Hybrids will initially lay very well but start to tail off after a couple of years. Pure breds will lay less often and probably not in the winter but will lay for more years, should suffer less from laying problems (1 of mine had a big problem with soft shelled eggs last year) and generally live longer.

These 2 do like to free range a bit, they are used to having a good hour and a half to 2 hours (more in the summer evenings and on weekends) and will vocally complain if they aren't let out. Perhaps if never let out they won't miss it but I do like to see the hens out & about scratching round the hedge, sunbathing when its nice (they are doing that right now!) and so on. You could maybe stay out with them for an hour or so and have your dog on a lead maybe?

Some hens will cope better in runs than others. I know that rhode rocks / black rocks are active birds and do like to free range as I have said. I am not sure about the other hybrids you mentioned - hopefully somebody else on the forum may have experience of them and be able to advise?

[ANHBUC]

It looks a good setup but the only thing that would put me off is the maximum height is 5ft 6ins.  This would mean having to stoop whilst in the run cleaning out.  If you can raise it on 4inch bearers it would make cleaning out much easier.

[shokkyy]

It looks a good setup but the only thing that would put me off is the maximum height is 5ft 6ins.  This would mean having to stoop whilst in the run cleaning out.  If you can raise it on 4inch bearers it would make cleaning out much easier.

As it happens, I'm exactly 5ft 6ins

[ANHBUC]

So am I but think I would still have to stoop as that is the highest point.  Sure your will manage, I suffer with a bad back after an op on it many moons ago so stooping is a no no!   

[helens-hens]

I am also 5ft 6ins which is 1 reason I went for it! They do also put the house/run on top of trreated planks so this probably adds nearly an inch as well. As they say though it is only 5ft 6 at the very highest bpoint so you will still need to stoop slightly in other areas.

Having said that it is a million times better for cleaning out than the last one I had - daily poop picking the small run area involved clambering around inside it on hands & knees!

No contest