Topic: Got a hen house

[Tohellwithweeds]

hi i have got a hen house at last ;D ;D it looks good on the outside but i don't know what its like inside?? should i clean it before i put hens in and if so with what ?? i think i read somewhere that gloss paint can be used??? but not sure on that !! :-\ :-\  Also how deep should i put the chicken wire in the ground?? to stop Mr fox getting in  >:( i went to the local hair salon and asked for the hair that they cut off and was going to use ladies tights to put it in will that be OK??

 Ive been given some silkies crossed with bantams don't know what they will look like?? but hay they are free they are to young to start laying yet so do i need any thing special for them???

I'm sooooooooooo excited cant wait just wish the rain would stop and my sodding flu would go so i can get down my Lotty :( :(All advice  would be gladly welcome oh and sorry for so many questions thanks

[jonny211]

I think my book recommends burying the wire at least a foor into the ground - or one spades depth in my mind. I's also angle it outwards at the bottom so it may be worth digging out a trench two spades width wide and angling the wire out across the bottom.

Whats the inside made out of? If it's shiplap then there could be plenty of places for mites to hide, so a thick coat of paint to remove some hidey holes could work.

Also in this weather the birds could quickly turn any ground into a mudbath - Silkies with fluffy faethers may become mudballs unless you're covering any mud with wood shavings.

[Tohellwithweeds]

thanks jonny i will bear it all in mind when doing the wire and i think i will paint the inside just in case  ;) and Ive got loads of wood shavings so i will cover the ground with them once again thank you  ;D ;D

[kt.]

You can clean the inside with a sulphur candle. When you ignite it, ensure all livestock cannot get inside, close all doors and windows. The odours kill off anything inside that may cause disease. After 12 hours - open all doors and windows for about an hour to ventilate prior to locking the hens up for the night.

[jonny211]

Do these candles also work with Mites etc? My house has inner (plywood) and outer (shiplap) walls and would be a nightmare to creosote the outward facing sides of the inner lining (does that make sense?).

Jon

[kt.]

Do these candles also work with Mites etc? My house has inner (plywood) and outer (shiplap) walls and would be a nightmare to creosote the outward facing sides of the inner lining (does that make sense?).

They kill everything inside, takes no prisoners. I do my hen house twice yearly, and my greenhouse at the end of the season. It rids all mites, ticks, the works. Think you would need a few for a house!. If you were to do that I would not sleep in it for at least 24 hours instead of the 12. Usually it is one per shed or greenhouse. Never known a full house. Wouldn't like to say.

[Tohellwithweeds]

where can i get a sulphur candle from ???

[kt.]

I buy mine from my lottie shop. Could try B&Q?