[Porffor]

Our weekend away worked wonders... Our second hen shimmer is laying now too!

2 eggs today and yesterday.. Am really surprised as Scarlet hasn't missed a day yet.

My 'hen sitter' was over the moon with her eggs but still saved Shimmers first egg for us! how wonderful. she was thrilled with her 'wages' lol and has promised to be on hand whenever i need her.

New house is now in position, hubby is just doing the ladder and we're ready to start putting them to bed tonight (old house is in the run still but will be closed tonight). Have ordered a hanging feeder and waterer to hang in the shelter under the house. more chooks to follow! Along with pics.


From dog kennel to chook palace..


perches x 2


Back door / egg collecting door  - holes are covered with plastic inside


Front of the run and house my view from the kitchen sink..


We fit in quite well mum..


Peekaboo!

[Nats]

Congrats! I'm glad they're both laying.

One of mine laid her first one on Sunday and hasn't laid another since! She spent 50 minutes in the next box today but nothing came out!

Maybe it takes them a while to recognise the 'urge' properly...

maybe I should also leave her for a few days!

[Porffor]

Great news you got an egg! Maybe she's just practising in between. my first hen made a big deal of making the nest. they'll sit there together during the day now without laying. Fingers x'd for you that you have a flurry of eggs soon!

[smiler43]

Porrffor, lovley hens what type are they, a lovely colour :o)

[Porffor]

I think they're Bovan Nera's... wasn't sure if they were or if they were another type, but the other ones lay dark brown eggs, and our girls lay 'normal' coloured eggs

[Kate and her Ducks]

Congratulations!!! Thats a posh looking house but your girls are obviously worth it.

[Vember]

Lovely hens  

Fantastic house for them, any plan's to paint it purple??

[Porffor]

would love to paint it purple, but hubby nearly had a fit! it's woodstained already, and we did the base ourselves - not an exact match but it's what we had in the shed - yeah.. i remember saying those words before!

The girls are SO worth it.. they seemed to like it earlier, just hope they can get to 'grips' (excuse the pun) with the ladder.. not sure hubbies spacing isn't a bit too far apart on the rungs, but he'll adjust it if they don't get the hang of it. They flew down from the house earlier.

[jack russell]

nice conversion there   looking good, I have a similar looking hen which lays white eggs.

[Porffor]

Thanks JR the site had helped loads on seeing what others have, what is recommended etc. I'm thinking the house could house another 4 hens, but the run would limit me to another 2.. so aiming for 2

[azubah]

Love the hen house. What a good idea to use a dog kennel. It looks a solid job. I was suprised at the size of your perches. Mine are 4" wide. I could almost perch on them myself! What size should they be for best comfort?

[Nats]

After a bit more practising, we had our second egg today Porffor!

Hope she gets regular soon!

Your coop looks great  

[Porffor]

ooh now you have me wondering.. i thought i read they should be 1.5 inches or more.. they seem happy on them and use them each night..

anyone else with advice on this?

Nat.. great news you got egg No.2!!
Despite the new house, Scarlet still laid in her nest! in the new box.. i wasn't even sure she'd make it up into the house really pleased. no egg from Shimmer today, so she's obviously a 1 every 2 days

[kattcottrell]

Well what a fantastic house, you've done a fantastic job. I'm like you were, mine live in a converted rabbit hutch and am gagging to get them something better, was thinking of a 6x4 shed but yours looks great, where did you buy from or did hubby make from scratch?

As for the perches, I was told 2"x2" inch square perches with rounded off edges for comfort, stops them having to grip so tight to hang on, but I could be wrong.

Lush chickens too