The Poultry Keeper

Vanderhum · Joined: 17 Jul 2008 Posts: 1 Location: Tipperary

Hope someone can advise me. We have been thinking about getting some hens (for eggs to start with) for quite a while and I have been doing a bit of research aka web trawling. We thought the easiest/cheapest option would be to convert one of our stables as we arent using them anyway and we have 5 of them - came with the house. We are thinking to fence off the grassy area between the stables and another building the whole area being about 200m2 so loads of space for them during the day and its not much use for anything else at the moment. The stable is one of two plus a storage area in one building with the internal walls only going up to shoulder height.

I guess what I am asking is is it ok to just build a nest box - was thinking a large comunal one - and a perch or two which I think I would do as a movable frame so its easy to take out and clean. We were thinking of getting just 3 or 4 birds to start with but am concerned that the stable would be too draughty esp in winter with so few birds.

Sorry for the saga!

kated · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 2041 Location: norfolk

Chickens are not fussy, your stable will be fine. Just make sure the nest box is dark or your chickens may start to eat their eggs.

mojo · Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 6:47 pm Post subject:

make perches on stands so you can move them find a peice of ply or similair to go under it to catch poo..............3 hens per nest a rule of thumb but they will probably use just one.......tea chests if you can get them or stout card boxes(burn them when smelly)and something hanging down 3/4 of the front to make them dark inside.............food and water bulk feeders and buy ones easy to open and clean............buy some chooks and away you go ....try to buy in odd numbers ie 3/5//7/9 as they miss better.............good luck and tell us how you get on