Topic: Chicken house/run recommendations?

[kitten]

Hi all, we're considering getting 2 or 3 chickens, and am wondering whether anybody can recommend a good company to supply a house and run?  I saw the ad in Feb's Kitchen Garden for Omlet, and i'm wondering whether they're the best, or can anyone recommend another good company to buy from?

Any recommendations and/or advice welcome!

Thanks in advance, kitten x

[Paulines7]

Kitten, you might find this site helpful,

http://www.poultry.allotment.org.uk/Chicken_a/chicken_coop_tour.php

[teresa]

Nice site, lots start with Omlet than buy a wooden house later.
Lots of garden centres are now stocking houses also large pet shops do a kit form so you just screw together.
Depends on if you want to move it or have it fixed in one place.

[kt.]

You could build one at half the price to that of a ready made one. Here is a link to a homemade one that is fabulous. So simple yet just as effective. Looks very neat & tidy too. If I was to start out - this would be it ;)

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,35820.0.html

[kitten]

Thanks all, very helpful as usual  ;D

We're just at the thinking about it stage, but have spoken to someone at work today who has an eglu & swears by them so that's looking good.  Also borrowing a book off him tomorrow so can have a read up about what we're taking on  ;)

Wow kt, jonny's hen house looks well posh  :o  Bit too big for our town garden tho  :D

[kt.]

Wow kt, jonny's hen house looks well posh  :o  Bit too big for our town garden tho  :D

Just downsize ;D

[Old bird]

Are you rich or something?

Those eglu houses and cubes are really lovely but the price is astronomical!

I have seen them on ebay selling second had for £260 ish and they are a couple of years old.  They will only house a few birds.  They look really nice but to me they seem to cost a heck of a lot of money!

Good luck anyway - but I would look around to find  a choice of houses!

Old Bird

 ;D

[jonny211]

Hello Jonny here,

I must admit that the house I built is way to big for three hens, they sleep in a pile in the corner and the house could easily fit six more!

One thing I did learn is that having the house built into the run (mine fits onto a kind of table structure) at waist height will really save your back when it comes to mucking them out and disinfecting the house. Three hens in a small house will still produce a lot of poop that will quickly stink out a small space.

I think the total cost of my house was about £100 but the outside cladding is only cheap tongue and groove stuff from B&Q but it's never leaked and as it has a plywood inner skin the rain/wind isn't chilling the inside so much.

One word of warning though, when spending days in the garage making the house and run don't forget to keep the OH sweet otherwise there'll be trouble  ;)

Jon

[Thegoodlife]

i have some chicken house plans if you require them enough for 8 birds, pm me if you require them ;D

[hazelize_uk]

I'd Love to see your plans as we need to build a house to fit 15 hens by the end of Feb! have pm'd you  ;D