Thread: Chicken Coop

I was given two hens years ago and set to and built a little pen for them that day, Woke up the next morning and they were gone , I found them up the road a bit perched up in a tree, so I caught them took them home fixed up the pen , next morning they had broken out and gone again. An old chinese told me how to over come this problem, very simple put a perch in for them . After that they stayed home and became good layers .
So dont forget to put a perch in for them.

Hodgo

I found that it is important to have the chicken house on a concrete slab so it is easily cleanable. A lot of people I know who do not do the concrete slab have constant issues with lice. And a dipped chicken is a pretty funny sight.

Also choose your chooks well and decide if you want a rooster. If you want a rooster I.e. babies your housing will be slightly different.

If your just after a constant supply of eggs then get a good layer. I have 4 isa browns and some chinese silkies but due to being suburban I don't have a rooster. I will get one as soon as I can. A good layer gives one egg a day but when seasons fluctuate or if they are disturbed they may stop laying for a few days.

Not sure how many people you live with but we find 6 chickens for the two of us gives us enough eggs and then some for the neighbours from time to time. They have about 300sqm of land which they roam and then locked up at night as foxes come and have a go otherwise.

If you need plans for a shed let me know and I'll organise some. You have a lot of options but they need somewhere high to perch which has a sloped landing so they can walk up it and then they need an area which is more "cosy" within the confines of the coup. Also, I find straw is very good or grass clippings and they like to have something to mound up in the shed.

I'm not sure it sounds like an ideal situation if they can roam free but they probably won't because of the dogs. If the chickens are scared they cross their legs and won't lay. My experience is unless it is a good dog which protects the farms animals they will kill the chickens.

Xav

Originally Posted by cartm58

Avoid the peacocks ........

I'll second that!


I don't know what your area is, but the major problem with keeping chooks round here, and most places I know of, is foxes.

John

Hi Jase, I whipped mine up from left over roofing timbers and roof sheets from work sites.

I have 6 chooks (ISA browns)

Hen house is 3000x3000x2400 with a full tin roof and back (towards prevailing weather) also 1/3rd of the sides are covered.
In the covered area provide roosting boxes with top access to get the eggs from...

Any questions give me a call

DD

thanks for all the advice - keep it coming.
i'll be starting it today but probably won't get the choocks till next weekend.
still not decided on the rooster but think we'll leave it for now
i don't think the dogs will be a problem as there both still young (1 is 14 months and the other 11 weeks) and have been brought up mixing with all sorts - though we will be keeping an eye on them.
were kind of on a crest of a hill looking down a small valley so am going to build the coop up against the shed for extra protection and will make sure i put roosting boxes in.
numptys missus thanks for the photos - it give's me something to aim for.

Originally Posted by taff

hi all - i'm going to start knocking up a chicken coop and was hoping that maybe somebody could give me a few piccy's of their's as i don't really have a clue as to what they want/need.
also any advice on keeping chook's greatly appreciated.
jason

Jason,

This is what my Wife calls, "The Chicken Coup"!


One day I'll fix it....

Originally Posted by Numpty's Missus

Ron,

I can see the chooks have been roosting at night on the rear of that they left their calling cards

It certainly looks like that, or pigeons

Actually, I clean out my spray gun on it

Just another fairly random thought on the subject of chook houses.

If for some reason you build a minimalist chook shed with a low roof, it can be convenient to have the laying boxes against the back wall of the shed.
The idea then is to have a flap that opens onto the back of each box.
That way you can collect the eggs without having to go into the run or the shed.
It can be a lot more convenient than having to duck to get into the shed if the roof is fairly low.