[Boxfanman]

I have just been given an allotment, this is about 4mtrs by 10mtrs - I'll post some photo's later. I am intending to keep some chickens on it using about half the land, on the land is a shed that is an old iron framed shed that I intend to cover in colour coat steel, what do I need to put in the shed for the chickens?

In terms of a run, how much space do they need per chicken? I am thinking on having 7-8 egg laying hens.

Any help advice greatly recieved, appologies for new thread, but information overload elsewhere...

[henpecked]

Sounds good so far!

They'll need a perch, mine is an old fence post resting diaganally across a corner resting on a piece of wood nailed to the frame of the shed at each end and 1 carefully placed screw!

They'll also need a nest box, I found an old wooden box with a partition in the middle, it's placed on it's side on top of an old plastic bread tray I found.

I managed to put my whole outfit together from bits and bobs found on the lottie. It only cost 70p in total and that was for the staples to nail the chicken wire (found on lottie) to the fence posts (found on lottie).

With regards to the run, I'd say as big as you can make it! I have four girls, in a run about 12'x16' and they are happy, but they do like a wander now and then!  

henpecked

[Aunt Sally]

Hi Boxfanman, Welcome to the forums  

What is "colour coat steel"  might that turn it into an oven on a hot day  :?:

[poultrygeist]

That sound likely Aunty.

Could you include a vented section covered with weldmesh (12mm x 19g min) and maybe a sliding cover for cold/windy/raint days and nights ?

If you could give them about 10sq.m.+ but ideally about 2 or 3sq.m each unless you are going to let them wander on the plot for a while each day.
 They could also do with a covered over section in the run for wet weather because they tend to get miserable when their hair gets messed up in the wet.  

Rob

[Boxfanman]

Hi Boxfanman, Welcome to the forums  

What is "colour coat steel"  might that turn it into an oven on a hot day  :?:

It would certainly turn into an oven, I was hoping chicken may have had the sense to not hang around in the shed on such a day, and maybe use the run?

[Boxfanman]

That sound likely Aunty.

Could you include a vented section covered with weldmesh (12mm x 19g min) and maybe a sliding cover for cold/windy/raint days and nights ?

If you could give them about 10sq.m.+ but ideally about 2 or 3sq.m each unless you are going to let them wander on the plot for a while each day.
 They could also do with a covered over section in the run for wet weather because they tend to get miserable when their hair gets messed up in the wet.  

Rob

There is a window on the shed, that I was going to use for egg collecting, but I will leave that as a vent.

Just come from the allotment and a guy has been giving me some advice.

[poultrygeist]

Hi Boxfanman, Welcome to the forums  

What is "colour coat steel"  might that turn it into an oven on a hot day  :?:

It would certainly turn into an oven, I was hoping chicken may have had the sense to not hang around in the shed on such a day, and maybe use the run?

Chickens.....sense

If you make it possible for them to do something silly, they will.  

You are the only common sense they have. If they need to go in for half an hour to lay and it's 35 degrees in there, they may not come out again !

I cleaned out our coop today while the sun was shining and I think I need to put more ventilation in. It's wooden with a high roof but the temperature was still very warm. And that's with the side off.

Rob

[Boxfanman]

Here are some photo's of the plot and shed...

[poultrygeist]

It looks pretty exposed to the elements and sun. You'll deffo need some shade too.

Whereabouts in the country are you ?

Rob

[Boxfanman]

It looks pretty exposed to the elements and sun. You'll deffo need some shade too.

Whereabouts in the country are you ?

Rob

I'm in South Wales. Definately exposed to elements and sun.

[Aunt Sally]

If they live in there it might be best to feed them on paxo to save time  

[poultrygeist]

And LOTS of rain !

I've no experience of allotments but I would guess if you could provide the southwest corner of the run with 3 feet high screening of some sort and some semi-opaque corrugated plastic roofing over a few sq metres of the run they should be ok. I've put some black fleece on the southern side of ours but they're in the back garden with some screenign from hedge and shrubs. You're effectively starting from zilch. I would imagine you could make some nest boxes inside on a low shelf. You could do with advice from some of the folks on here with sheds. I've got a box on legs with external nest box. Don't really know the minimum requirements for that many hens in a shed from scratch.

Rob

[Boxfanman]

If they live in there it might be best to feed them on paxo to save time  

Haha, trying to avoid that.

Think I might try and enable the roof have vents to help things.

The covering you see on the shed in the photo's will go all together, I am just using the frame as although not the best saves me having to build a structure, so I will be building around it for the sole purpose of having chickens.

[poultrygeist]

If they live in there it might be best to feed them on paxo to save time  

Are you getting images of Steve McQueen in The Great Escape ?  

Hens sat in there throwing baseballs against the wall til they're allowed out to catch a gasp of fresh air !!  

I reckon with a goodly hole at each end they'll be able to feel the wind in their hair even in the middle of summer.

Rob

[treacleminer]

I kno nothing ...but in a metal shed might they not freeze in winter too?