[dizzylizzie]

That does look fab, i like the little bot for the pop hole..well done

[RichardH]

Ha! Bet you lot thought I'd given up and burnt the lot. No - managed to near enough finish the thing over the weekend.

Here's the surround for the ramp all meshed up.


Silicone in all the crevices to try and keep the mite hidey-holes to as minimum


Mesh on the roof to keep predators out before the Onduline goes on.


Onduline on! It's only just wide enough, so we're going to get another piece  - I'll use the excess to cover more of the run area to give more shelter.


Inside the coop with (removable) roosting bars in place - 12" apart, and 12" off the floor. All planed smooth with rounded edges.


Since then I've added 12" mesh "skirts" to the run to dissuade any digging, added tower bolts to the coop door and to the mesh door underneath the coop.

Oh, and I've also rejigged the nest box so the lid hinges from the front rather than the back, which means that the Onduline on it can butt close up to the side of the coop.


[EDIT - realised I'd linked to the wronmg pic for the inside photo - now fixed]

[joyfull]

Wow thats great, love the meshed ramp area - very clever 

[AmandaH]

Flippin' heck, that's not a coop, it's luxury chicken penthouse apartment!  Will it be featuring in one of those posh mags for country houses?  

When you're done, can you pop round and build me a new house!?  

[nzdunn]

looking fantastic      nickyx

[Flowerpower136]

Oh!  Brings it all back.  We made ours during those boiling hot 2 weeks in June.

Blood sweat and tears, but ever so proud making.

Hadn't thought of meshing under the bitumen, I fiddled about and cut the mesh to fit the contours front and back!!

Strangley I got on with the weldmesh OK.  Found it best to stand on it when cutting, that stops it taking your eye out, and didn't even have to resort to gloves.  Far too hot!

Oops, nearly forgot the pic. 

[Rubellite]

Yep, I stood on the weld mesh too, then once you've got a couple of staples in, it's all under control!!  Vicious stuff, but I prefer working with that than chicken wire 

[RichardH]

Well, it's finished, and the inmates are now here!

First off, the finishing of the coop and run.

Re-hinging the nest box so it opens forwards - allows the onduline to butt up closer to the side of the coop




The doodahs to fix the roof are supposed to be used with nails, but screws were much more controllable when fixing, but the cap didn't clip on because the screw was proud of the cover....



The solution - countersink the caps


Nearly there now - all fixed in place


Clambering around inside to screw the angled pop hole enclosure in place - chicken's eye view!

[RichardH]

...And now the reason for all the hard work



Sussex Ranger plus Bovans Amber and Maran Cuivre


Maran Cuivre with Rhode Ranger in the background


Got them from Hens4Homes - Kirsty is very helpful, and keen to recommend nice placid birds for us beginners.

[joyfull]

Lovely birds and super coup 

[RichardH]

Thanks!

Couple of brainpicks now....

Will all that grass be a problem? Do you think they'll munch away at too much of it and get the squits?

Once they're settled they'll be given a fair bit of garden to maraud in, but in the meantime we're keeping them within the run. We've realised that this corner of the garden is quite shaded, so they'll not get too much sun - is that a problem?

[joyfull]

Mine free range so the grass isn't a problem but what I've seen of others runs your grass won't last too long. Is the patch where they are wide enough to move the coup and run over onto the other bit so you can give the ground time to recover every couple of weeks? Mine eat grass all day with no ill effects just keep it fairly short to help prevent crop problems. I'm sure they will get enough sun  , joy xx

[Ma Lowe]

Oh don't they look sweet. Your henhouse and run is fab too. 

We are just finishing ours today so will hopefully post some pics later. Can't wait to gt some chooks especially now I have seen yours lol.

Now you can enjoy all your hard work.

[nzdunn]

arh congratulations your run and coup are absoutley fantastic, youve done such a good job, prehaps now you could hire yourself out , Your new girls are beautiful,  i wouldnt worry about the grass perfectly fine for them,   wot have you named them .  nickyx

[GrannieAnnie]

It's all lovely Richard, but I particularly like the weldmesh on the roof under the onduline idea.  Great for keeping out the rats and mice.  I coldn't do that with all our houses, so the shed that has onduline on it has weldmesh stapled from the wall of the house up and over the onduline.  doesn't look as neat, but keeps the little blighters out!!

It's great!  Well done you!