The new hen house and run has arrived, brought by three very capable men who put it up in no time. It’s an impressively well built structure, they’ll come back to fit out the inside in the next day or two.
It’s about 12 feet wide and, in the summer, an extra outdoor run will be added at the end, I have yet to scheme how that will work. Inside, there will be another door, to make a separate area to store the food – I am not sure whether they will be fed inside there or in the main part, as yet. I could even feed them in the run, which would be less messy. I’ll want to put some sort of cover on the floor, I’m still thinking about that. The idea for the storage is that I can shut the chickens away from the outside door while I wheel in the barrow with the sacks of food. There’s a lift-up door for them to go outdoors through – the mesh in the outdoor roof is fine enough to prevent contamination by wild birds while there’s an avian flu risk. Nor can vermin get through at the sides, though I’ll have to block off where the grass is at the end, as the ground there is a little lower than the paths.
My common-or-garden mongrel bantams won’t know what to make of such luxury. I’m renaming them collectively as the Clampetts.
That is a strong looking hen house, your little chicks should be happy in it. I had one in the back of my GA house (well it’s still there but in bad shape.) I do hope the bird flu will stop as so many poor birds have died from it.
Quite palatial and a very wise decision. This will save you so much worry, be far easier to maintain and the Clampetts will adore it!
Butyl liner (and it needs to be this sort, not the new plastic sort), as used in ponds, is highly recommended by me as an easy way to keep the bottom from rotting thorugh under the onslaught of hen poo. Sawdust of wood chip can go on top of it. When it is dirty, pick it up, tip it into the compost heap and hose it off. Job done.
Of course, you may need to enlist others to do this. That’s what staff are for, non?
it is really sturdy, very good quality – price tag to match, of course, but it wouldn’t have been much less money for something half as good. I’d done some research online and this is better value and made to my requirements. Thank you Blue Witch, I’ve taken your advice and ordered some. And decided to feed them out in the run, to save spillage of food and water. I can always bring it in temporarily if the weather is awful.