The Poultry Keeper

zoolad · Joined: 08 Jul 2008 Posts: 41 Location: Middlesex

After having no luck finding a second hand house and coop that I can adapt, I'm considering buying one of these and then extending the run at a later date. Idea is to have this with an extended run down on the allotment for three hybrid laying hens... Wondered what people thoughts are on the size for three hens until I get round to extending it.

Sizes are: 6.5 ft x 2.5 ft x 3.5 ft width incl nest box x depth x height

Thanks,

Zoolad

Diane · Joined: 05 Feb 2006 Posts: 274 Location: Dorset

Looks fine to me.

Bhindi · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:57 am Post subject:

It looks very nice. I would worry about something that is on an allotment that looks so nice though because of 2 legged vermin.

zoolad · Joined: 08 Jul 2008 Posts: 41 Location: Middlesex

Thanks for the replies, I know what you mean about the 2 legged vermin but I think that I am going to take the risk. Coop will be securly locked up (fathers a locksmith) and be bolted to paving slabs that will be around the edge of the coop to prevent foxes digging directly under.

My plot is away from the main road and gates are padlocked every time someone enters/exits so I hope I will be ok with it but we will see in time...

Didn't think the council would say yes to keeping hens on the plot but they gave the ok after I pointed out what the rule book stated that hen and rabbits were excluded from the term "livestock" Wink

zoolad · Joined: 08 Jul 2008 Posts: 41 Location: Middlesex

Decided to go ahead and buy it... got the hen house/coop for £175.99 including delivery!

Bargain as they apparently retail at £299 but are on a pre-order offer price for August delivery so decided to save money and wait Wink

Will post pics once it's arrived at up and running...

Cheers,

Zoolad

Auntie Noo · Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 614 Location: Guildford

That's a good price Zoolad. I paid a lot more for a lot less!!! Smile

Whatever you get you end up butchering it and extending and playing around with it. We made another huge run and a house and use my old one as a quarantine ,, and have just lowered the house to the ground to use as a broody coop when mrs Silkie goes broody again. Hope you enjoy them when you get them!

zoolad · Joined: 08 Jul 2008 Posts: 41 Location: Middlesex

Hi Auntie Noo,

Yes I thought so, just hope it's as good in the flesh Smile

Got on eBay and the seller has good feedback for the other ones of this type he has sold so at least I know others have been happy with their purchases...

Planning on extending the run out on one of the sides to make it larger with another area fenced of around the pen so they can be aloud to free range when I down working on the allotment.

Enjoyed reading your blog bit's about your chickens Wink

Did you get your birds locally in Guildford?? Seen there is a few Poultry Places over there.

All the best,

Zoolad

Auntie Noo · Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 614 Location: Guildford

Yes I got my two hybrids at Whipley Farm Manor in Bramley near Guildford here they are actually just an animal feed place but sell loads of hybrid chooks. They are RIR and Light Sussex crosses, which I believe are commonly called Warrens. Cute birds, easily handled and lay every day! They were around £6.75 when I bought them about 2 weeks off POL. - If you are travelling to them though do phone first as they do sell out sometimes!

I got my pure breed Welsummers at Perfect Poultry here along with my first house and run. Nice bloke but bloomin' expensive in all honesty. I wouldn't pay that kind of money for a chicken again!!!(£30 each) Or indeed a house, which I have had to modify since ) They're lovely healthy birds but they don't do anything special, are as neurotic as they come and flippin' bossy to the other two!!!

My little silkie will be used to hatch some as soon as she goes broody again (I've just moved her into a house and run on her own and she has been laying ever since, which she wasn't doing before, I think she was being bullied!) So hopefully in around 3 - 4 weeks she'll be sitting on some eggs. I think I'll try Light Sussex as they will serve as dual purpose and any cockerals that hatch will be good enough for the table. I got the Silkie from a lady in Brighton, but just off a free-ad in the paper so no details I'm afraid!

Thanks for the compliments on the blog - it's hard work mixing chickens and knitting and keeping all readers happy!!! Smile

pjred · Joined: 15 Jun 2008 Posts: 243

I got my coop from the same supplier. Communication and delivery was excellent. I paid £101 for a smaller coop to take 6-8 birds (I have 6). But I have made a secure run and enclosure for them. I'll get my daughter to help me post some pictures on here in the week

mojo · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 10:15 pm Post subject:

if in an allotment suggest some nice big tent pegs to hold it down.......looks nice

zoolad · Joined: 08 Jul 2008 Posts: 41 Location: Middlesex

Had thought about that, am planning on adding a no dig skirt around the edge of the run and then tent peging it to the ground.

Just hope and pray that some little chav doesn't decide to start messing around with them Sad

as one couple used to keep hens on the site (Years ago) and the kids apparently kept letting them out for the fox to prey on!

Planning on fitting padlocks to each door, to try and prevent them being opened but as they say "If they want to get in they will" so all I can do is try Smile

closer2 · Joined: 03 Jul 2008 Posts: 21 Location: Tiptree, Essex

I've got the next size up of the same house. I went for it with the idea that the hens would be able to stay in the run during the winter, when we're out to work and back in the dark, but I don't think the run is big enough for that, so we're going to build on to it.

The other 'customising' we're going to do is to add external bolts to the bottom panels of the nest box, as I'm concerned that a determined fox could push up into the house through these.

Other than that, it's a great price for such a nice house.

zoolad · Joined: 08 Jul 2008 Posts: 41 Location: Middlesex

closer2 · Joined: 03 Jul 2008 Posts: 21 Location: Tiptree, Essex

Hi Zoolad,

Maybe it is the same one and the price you got was REALLY good Smile

- ours is 200cm x 85cm x 127cm. We paid GBP289.95 from ideas4pets at 20% introductory discount. I was assuming yours was the small one from the price!

We haven't completed the 'remodelling' yet (a bank holiday project), as the chickens are currently free ranging the garden, but I will certainly post the photos once it's done.

BTW, do your chickens sit on the perch? Ours don't seem to like it at all, I'm thinking they might prefer something wider.

zoolad · Joined: 08 Jul 2008 Posts: 41 Location: Middlesex