[FCG]

Well after going over this forum green with envy and looking at a vast amount of other web sites on the topic... I've decided to take the plunge and get myself some chickens! One of my neighbours (who I've never spoken to, but I think I will shortly!) keeps them so I'm sure nothing is wrong in having them in the area.

I had a look at an eglu, but they are way out of my budget.. now seeing as I'm a dab hand at DIY I'm going to turn my hands to a DIY wooden hen house and run. Easy peasy lemon squeezey. I've already decided no cockerels as they would probably be throttled by me every morning, but the breed is going to be marans if i can get them. I have plenty of room, the only problem is going to be keeping them off my raised beds!

So what do you think? Reckless or smart?

Oh and babs... pictures will be online. Don't worry, i just have to build it first.

[richyrich7]

 Great Mike, you may have to pen them in to keep 'em off your raised beds, but they will clean them lovely over winter for you  

[FCG]

Methinks i'll pen the raised beds rather than the chickens... make life a little more simpler. There are too many stories on here of 6ft high leaps!

[peggyprice]

Good on you!  Reckless?  Nah ... life is good and chickens are fun  

[Porffor]

Hello and Welcome! to the henhouse!

I Am also a fellow freecycler, and I DIY'd an old hutch we had into a hen house.
I am new to chicken keeping and I have my chooks (only 2 at the moment due to house space) in a run (hand built) with Veggie/pond netting over the top. This we bought for £1.40 a metre from Homebase, though the guy that did the marking up was a chook keeper - we were laughing about grass etc, and he only charged me for 1 metre!

They are penned rather than my veg as we have dogs, and kids too so have to share the garden, can't trust either of the dogs or kids not to scare the chooks.. and the chooks not to escape next door and beyond! lol
They are good at pecking through chicken wire, so might need to leave a bit of a boundary round your veggies.

I'm sure you're neighbour will love nattering to you and what a great way to see if maybe you have the makings of being friends!

Congratulations on your decision. Look forward to the picstures!

[babe]

So what do you think? Reckless or smart?

definately smart   you'll love it.

[woodburner]

Making your own is definitely the way to go.

My plan is to have 4ft wide runs in sections and coops to fit them so they can be moved from bed to bed, to fertilise and clear. At the moment though, the chooks are just in a corral (sp) around a broody coop. It's high time I got the saw and screwdriver out, the materials (except for the mesh) are sitting there waiting for drier weather. (Fat chance this week   )

[Kate and her Ducks]

Completely reckless but don't think that is mutually exclusive with smart. Do think that if despite browsing this site and assessing the addictive naure of keeping chooks and you're still up for it then dive in feet first. You'll have loads of company
Kate

[smiler43]

Go for it you won't regret it, they are great, you loose a lot of time though watching them!!

My hubby made our hen house and run mainly from scrap wood from work, made a great job.  Making your own is a good idea because you make it to your own design/needs.