[chasechicken]

Hi all

I'm in the process of building my own hen house - being male and impatient I've started work without enough research.

It's approx 4ft x 3.5ft x 2.5ft.  There's an external nestbox and a perch inside about 1ft off the ground, leaving plenty of clearance - this I believe is all ok for 3 hens (although correct me if I'm wrong).

The cladding, however, is only around 7.5mm thick which I'm starting to think won't be enough a.) for insulation in winter months and b.) to withstand all of the pecking.

Can someone please reassure me that it will be ok?  Or, should I get some thicker cladding before it's too late (well, it is already really but there's little point continuing if it's not going to last more than 2 weeks!)

I will be treating the wood and painting it externally so it will at least be protected from the elements...

Any other tips?  If I stick with what I've done, should I perhaps line the inside with plywood for protection and use some foam for insulation?

Many thanks

D

[poultrygeist]

Hi chasechicken and welcome.

I used 1/2" (12mm) on mine and am pleased I did. I should think 7.5 would stand up to most things but may tend to shrink a bit too readily and could twist, unless you have it nailed every foot or so along the length. Since it'll soon be spring, you may be able to leave it for a few months to see how it holds up. They should keep warm enough with their ready made duvets.

The size sounds fine and if you can get any photos up, we can have a good nose.

Rob

[chasechicken]

Thanks Rob - I feel more positive now and you're right, the weather will (hopefully) start to improve soon.  I doubt the hen house will be finished before March anyway as I can only spend a couple of hours at the weekend working on it.

Photos here: http://www.rkins.co.uk/henhouse

It is nailed quite a lot although perhaps not quite every foot.  And it's tongue and grove so I'd imagine that will hold it nicely too?  (I'm not really a wood person so this is my first attempt at anything like this)

You'll see that there's a perch running all the way along - does this look suitable?

Thanks

Darren


I'll no doubt be in touch soon with further questions.

[richinbish]

That looks really good,are you copying it out of a book or magazine ?

[BestBreast]

Thats great.

I cannot tell from pics how much room is under the perch and how big the perch is. Hens tend to need something more rectangular but with a rounded top so they don't fall off when sleeping.

Are you going to put it on legs or have it on the ground?

How many hens are you getting and what size hens?

Check with paints/wood preservatives how long you need to leave it before you can house your chooks.

[poultrygeist]

Excellent joinery 

It looks very robust but I agree with best breast about the perch. It certainly needs to be a bigger piece of timber. Generally about 2-3" wide with rounded top edges.
I used a length of studding from wickes.

Rob

[SnooziSuzi]

(have tried to post this in my own post but it didn't work....  )

My OH has just built me a small henhouse for my Orpington cock, 2 warrens and banty and it's working out rather well if I say so myself;

we used an Ikea wooden bedframe for the overall structure:



Then we clad it with featheredge fencing panels:



and put the doors on:



Now all I need to do is section off an area inside for a nestbox (on the opposite end to the pop hole), add the perch, add a tray of some sort to easily remove droppings under the perch, add the opener for the pophole, and add a porch type thingie to prevent rain from getting in through the pophole and to move the chookies in  :happy:

From your description, chasechicken, yours sounds pretty much the same dimensions as mine.

I still need to insulate it for the winter months, and I was thinking of putting straw against the walls, held in place with chicken wire to prevent draughts, but I'll take this away as the weather warms and red mite threatens.

[chasechicken]

That's looking good SnooziSuzi!  Yes, similar dimensions to mind I'd agree.

I'll change the perch - it was an old broom handle we didn't need so just shoved it in.

We plan to get three Orpington hens, and there's about 250mm clearance from the ground where the perch is currently sitting, and therefore quite some head clearence.

SnooziSuzi, how thick is the wood you've used for the cladding?

Thanks

Darren

[chasechicken]

Forgot to add - I've seen several similar designs so whilst not copying it as such, my design was based very much on others available.

I'll be putting the legs on soon - I was going to incorporate it with the frame but decided that thicker (3" x 3") would be more suitable.  It'll then be sitting on a bricked area.

I'm also going to build a run which attaches to the hen house.  The hens will get run of the garden under supervision but when we're not around they'll at least have the run (foxes can get easy access)...

Out of interest, have foxes found a way of opening doors yet or are they fairly safe with a simple latch?

[poultrygeist]

Use a bolt. Foxes have the intelligence and problem solving ability (and strength?) of a dog with some of the agility of a cat.

All the advice says that foxes will lift a latch.

On my nestbox, I have two cabin hooks (one each side) figuring they can't simultaneously lift both. Unless two work together. 

Rob

[Foxy]

Excellent joinery 

It looks very robust but I agree with best breast about the perch. It certainly needs to be a bigger piece of timber. Generally about 2-3" wide with rounded top edges.
I used a length of studding from wickes.

Rob

and if it could be removable that will really help with cleaning! Looks fantastic!

[chasechicken]

Bolt it is!

The roof for the external nest box will be hinged so can clean and take eggs with ease - there will be a door on the other side which opens up for cleaning - it's 50% of the fill length so hopefully enough room (I'll send the neighbours kid in if needs be!)

Plus a small door at the front (which doubles as a ramp) for the hens to hop down.  That's the theory at least...

Any other tips would be greatly appreciated.  I planned to use shavings but would hay/straw be better at this time of year?  I like SnooziSuzi's idea of padding the walls with straw...

[andreadon]

Use a bolt. Foxes have the intelligence and problem solving ability (and strength?) of a dog with some of the agility of a cat.

All the advice says that foxes will lift a latch.

whilst we don't have fastenings on the house itself, the door of the run (which is more of an outhouse with mesh roof and front) has a bolt top and bottom and a hasp&staple with padlock.
Just in case the fox can figure it all out. You see, he'd need a key to get in!
(unless he can pick the lock  )

I agree with the perch statements - orpingtons are heavy, so you might want to put the perch lower, I think so they don't struggle to jump up or down... 

[SnooziSuzi]

SnooziSuzi, how thick is the wood you've used for the cladding?

It's just ordinary feather edged fencing from B&Q; up to 150mm at its widest edge I think.

we used it because it was easier to ship lap the carcas with, although even I think it is a little bit thin, hence the additional insulation need

[BestBreast]

The only thing with using straw on the walls is I can see the hens pulling at it. I would make it easy to replace. My ladies love to fling their droppings about so I end up cleaning the walls too.

I have a hasp with lock on the nesting box, a bolt and lock on the door and the pop hole has a sliding door with on lock. The coop door has two bolts and a lock at the top. The run has minimal security at the moment. the door catch I got was rubbish so I got some chain and 'O' key rings to fix the chain around the poles and a hook from a key ring so I can close it easily.

I was advised not to use hay as it leads to impacted crop or sour crop.

I would reconsider your door/ramp. It will get dirty with them going in and out unless they are not going to have access to grass/mud. You Can easily add a door on a hinge with hook and you can give them a curtain to prevent drafts. This way you will be able to make the house higher it will make them feel safer.

PS Nice job SnooziSuzi.