At last the three huge trees that have dominated the shared land we bought from British Rail at the end of our gardens have been felled so now we have room to build a nice big home for our two girls. They are currently in a run which we can move about but it is too small for both them and me to feel comfartable about. They have a lovely cosy coop but that is all we are satisfied with. I would be extremely grateful for any suggestions from all you experienced persons..They have not been able to freerange yet due to a high level of fox activity so their new home needs to be roomy, but do they have a slanting roof? Should we put down concrete slabs? It will be built on grass but of course this wont last long so would mud be better (I always give them grass from the field down the road). We need to put their current home in as this is their bed..sorry to babble on but thought we would ask before the builder turns up saturday(he said it is upto us)..p.s. our girls are rangers, we have had them for 2 months, only Alice has her comb but has stopped laying since last week though she seems perfectly healthy..pps thanks for all the fatball comments, have decided against them...
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ANY ARCHITECTS OUT THERE??ANY ARCHITECTS OUT THERE?? At last the three huge trees that have dominated the shared land we bought from British Rail at the end of our gardens have been felled so now we have room to build a nice big home for our two girls. They are currently in a run which we can move about but it is too small for both them and me to feel comfartable about. They have a lovely cosy coop but that is all we are satisfied with. I would be extremely grateful for any suggestions from all you experienced persons..They have not been able to freerange yet due to a high level of fox activity so their new home needs to be roomy, but do they have a slanting roof? Should we put down concrete slabs? It will be built on grass but of course this wont last long so would mud be better (I always give them grass from the field down the road). We need to put their current home in as this is their bed..sorry to babble on but thought we would ask before the builder turns up saturday(he said it is upto us)..p.s. our girls are rangers, we have had them for 2 months, only Alice has her comb but has stopped laying since last week though she seems perfectly healthy..pps thanks for all the fatball comments, have decided against them...
My OH made this fab run and added the coop for our girls, (we have 4). Some have said it must be 'panther' proof, let alone fox/vermin proof. We went for the best & biggest we could do in the space. A roof was essential to keep it dry and wild bird free, along with small gauge wire to prevent mice getting in, (also dug into the ground where necessary to prevent burrowing from the outside). It works great and the chooks are very happy and healthy. They cannot free range, so we wanted to do the best we could for them. There is some concrete and some soil, which we cover with bark. I know bark isn't always the best material, but because we have a completly dry run, we haven't had a mould problem. They also have a dry area for dust bathing in one corner. It did cost quite alot to do and it will be a couple of years before we recoup the cost through egg production, but it was worth it. 
Hi Adele.
I suggest that the coop has sloping roof but leave a very small air gap at both the bottom of the slope and the top. It only needs to be about 1/4". This will be above head height when the chooks are on their perch, a very important point! Include in your design a nest box for every 4 hens. No need to be too fussy here, it could be an old washing up bowl to a wooden box with just a large hole in one of the 4 sides. They may prefer to have a roof on it. Line this with straw, not hay, that harbours red mite parasites as does roofing felt. Windows are not necessary, Perch should be about 2" cross section, and need about 12" per bird, and above the height of the nest box. The whole coop should be about 2 feet of the ground. This provides shade and reduces the rat problem. It also makes it easier to clean it out. Make provision for a large door for this purpose. Provide a ramp for entry and put cross bars on it for grip. I use wood shavings on the coop floor, they are inexpensive and compost down, but it takes time. All the poo can go in the compost, it is a good accelerator. Make a lifting door for the pop hole and make it fairly heavy as a fox will force a light weight one up. Hope I haven't boggled your mind with all this, and the best of luck. Mike Right now I'm having amnesia and deja vu at the same time. I think I've forgotten this before.
Thankyou both so much. didn^t expect any replies so quickly..I have written all your comments down to pass on to my ^architect^. The house in the pictures looks like Chicken h1lton, I bet your girls love it..I do feel quilty they cannot free range but with a house like that they are practically doing so. I am hoping to let them out just before dusk in the spring as another person (cannot remember who) does so they will return. Accidentally let my neighbours chicken escape the other morning, took awhile for a lot of us to coax her back in..Thanks again
Always a good time to let them out just about an hour before dark!
They all trot off to bed one after another as it gets dark! Bless!!! Its my fav time watching them! stace
Last edited by stace on 15 Nov 2008, 08:28, edited 1 time in total.
Bev xx
http://www.freshstartforhens.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" my poor girls have to stay in their ark until December 8th as it is dark when I leave and return from work and weekends nextdoors are out and they dont mix! But after all you helpful advice they will be living in a new 12 by 12 foot home which is going to cost around £1000! My ^chickens are for eating not for pets^ friends think I am off my trolley but I cannot wait for my girls to be able to run around. We have lots of logs and rounds of trunks to pop in the new house and I hope I will be able to get the hang of the photo sizing thingy to place their new home on the forum. Thanks so much I am so happy to have found this site, there are other people out there who know chickens are just as ^human^ as cats and dogs..Roll on 8.12.2008
 Mine cost me £100 - mostly in mesh - I managed to get all the wood I needed from skips and freecycle. I have pix of my build here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/conant/Chickens# 
 It is so interesting seeing other peoples' set ups.
 though!
Helen Helen xx
3 children, 3 grandchildren, 3 chooks, 3 fish, a shrimp that thinks its a prawn and a dappy dog. http://www.acountrygrandma.blogspot.com Thanks for your concerns but the only land we have that is big enough to house our Alice and Abby is a bit swampy. It will need a lot of foundation work or it will be like the castle in the holy grail!(monty Python^s version that is). We are also going to need a chicken wire fence between our ground and the forest area nextdoor and a covered roof to protect it from the embankment. I have taken note of all the previous notes and they have been incorporated in the design. Yes we only have 2 but in the future there will be more. It is being constructed to last a lifetime, mine I hope, but I am grateful for your concern. All your pictures look great and if mine ends up looking anything less I shall be upset. Anyhow thanks again..p.s. neighbours converted aviary has muddy floor which smells like a sewer as it floods and sinks so often.
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