Topic: Henhouses - Anybody got one of these

[kt.]

I am thinking having hens in my garden, doing away with my henhouse at the allotment to give way for more digging area.  I would also reduce the  number of hens from 10 to 3-4.  Has anybody got one of these henhouses?  Any downsides to them....

http://www.henhouseworld.co.uk/ch101.htm

[xlynettex]

hello,
i bought 1 of  those for my hens in our garden. i have 4 hens but i found the run far to small and had to added a 6' x 6' run to the front of it and removed the run door. it also leaks rain water into the house via the egg box lid hinge side  (if that make sense). so NO i wouldn`t recommend it and cant wait to buy another but have to put up with it for awhile. it is also to small for large fowl. my buff orpington she finds it difficult to fit into the nesting boxes so i had to remove the central divide.
Lynette xx

[ipt8]

I would say that if the run is not movable you will want at least 12ft x 12 ft and also let the hens out as it will soon be bare earth, how would you like living on that? ???

[DolphinGarden]

Hmmm,

I'm in two minds now, how much should you let two birds have fresh grass over the winter. to ipt8, don't they like living on open soil?

outside the coop, they have an enclosed but uncovered area. You can see the railing in the background, this side of the compost bin is the garden shed...that big enough???

[Solorn]

I bought one of those hen houses last year when I first got chickens. A year on and it's tatty, the edging is falling off, the roof felt is peeling off and it's drafty. I am always fixing things on it! The pull out drawer doesn't fit properly and the boards underneath fall out on a regular basis.  Aside from that the whole thing is made of flimsy soft wood and won't last longer than a couple of years max anyway.

If I could do it all again I would buy a good quality hard wood coop.

As for flooring, well...Mine raked up the grass within a week but I put down bark chips for them to play in and they are let loose in the garden daily to hunt for bugs and eat the lawn. If you don't intend to let them free roam then you will need a good sized run. The one on that coop is no where near enough. I started with 3 bantam silkies and it was too small for them even though the coop is supposed to be alright for 6 large fowl.

[DolphinGarden]

I. If you don't intend to let them free roam then you will need a good sized run. The one on that coop is no where near enough.

I've been thinking about this comment for the last 4 months. Do you mean the coop? or the run area outside the coop? They do get extra exercise in other parts of the garden too as the coop and the external area resemble the somme now.

In fact, I throw them over the hedge to next door's grass full back garden and they find their own way back home.

I'm concerned about the amount of mud.

[ipt8]

Just looking back over topics. Did you ever sort out your hen run?

The one in the link I have to say I would not recomend as we had three smaller ones made of the same wood, and in less than 12 months they are falling to pieces.

Admittedly we got them at a good price new by auction on ebay, but its just as well as I would be mad if we paid full price. The problem seems to be they are made of MDF and some sort foreign timber, and all the fixings work loose and the boards warp, doors wont close, roof leaks, bits fall off, and on and on.
We now are buying from a BRITISH made supplier, who uses tanalised timber. We will see how these go. The link for the supplier is www.pinnegarandbarnesstables.com.

[kt.]

Just looking back over topics. Did you ever sort out your hen run?

I intend to buy a 6x4 ft shed and put in some vents and a bop-hole.  I am shortly going to be working abroad for 7 months so will wait till I return.  My mother-in-laws partner will look after the hens and my plot until I return.

[DolphinGarden]

Just looking back over topics. Did you ever sort out your hen run?

well, they ate all around them and we let them into the main part of the garden too. In fact, we let them into next door's garden. Students, never venture into the garden, not even to hang out clothes, they go home at the weekends.

Most of the coop is 2x1 and the body of the coop, well, I think it'll last a while yet. My only worry was the 2x1 resting permanently on damp soil.

thank you