Grow Your Own Magazine

I am currently building my first chicken house, nicked the design from photos!

Can I slosh any old preservative on or does it need to be chicken friendly?

Also when is it best to buy the chucks and where from. Quite like the idea of rescuing battery hens but am worried they will not lay for long, poor blighter's must be worn out.

I quite fancy the idea of nice looking hens, but presumably these would not be battery!

I'm based in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands

Helloooooooooo! MJnorthing - I bet if I shout you can hear me!!

Welcome to the vine!

I know nothing about chickens (tho' there are lots of grapes on here who do - and who have ex-battery hens too) - except possibly how to rustle new laid eggsies if you are not careful.....?

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Hazel
www.hazelandjanesallotment.blogspot.com
update Tues 02/09/2008......beans and beans and beans......

Not much use to me on this one then, nice too hear of the like minded never the less!

Have organic plot at the back of our house, although 9 month old daughter is competing for my time at the moment so I don't see as much of it as I would like.

Will pencil you in for chicken sitting (pays free eggs!) when we are away.

Now that is a thought....!

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Hazel
www.hazelandjanesallotment.blogspot.com
update Tues 02/09/2008......beans and beans and beans......

If you are interested in battery hens check out the battery hen welfare trust website (they will have all the info you need if you wanted to adopt some) and find out when the rescue dates are, bound to have one near you at some point. As far as I know normal wood preservative would be ok, as long as its fully dried before you get hens.

I've got ex-battery hens, they look good now. All were virtually bald when I got them, but are fully feathered now and have re-discovered the full range of chook habits now. They are hybrid, so will be the golden brown colour. Have some pics of mine on t'blog.

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I'd rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than be crowded on a velvet cushion.

http://hollandsroadparadise.blogspot.com
updated 14 May 2008

House is now finished (well almost), got a bit stuck on a few of the finer points!

Perches, how high off the ground? size? shape? how much headroom?

Door, how big to get a "normal" hen through?

Perches - 2-3" square with smooth rounded edges, at least 6" from wall and a good 6-9" min up from floor. Can be a couple of feet if you want.

Being called by him - back soon

I cannot have chickens, but even I found this website very interesting and very informative. Also quite heart warming..or perhaps that's the wine i am currently drinking.

Battery Hen Welfare Trust

Can I just say to all you who take on a rescue hen...jolly well done and good luck.

Thanks TPeers will get those installed! I have five ex-bats on the way on the 19th of Jan so must get the house finnished quick smart. 95% there though

Superb! Can we see photos of them when you've got them into their new home, mj?

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Hazel
www.hazelandjanesallotment.blogspot.com
update Tues 02/09/2008......beans and beans and beans......

No probs - Good luck finishing the house! Sorry it has taken so long for me to get back to answer the other question!

Hen house door - for my hen house I have a 1' square pophole which leads down to a ramp. Hopefully the attached photos will explain! This seems fine for my birds, which are classed as 'heavy', if you are planning on Orpingtons I would make it larger - I suspect that they might suffer damage to their feathers if forced to go through a pophole that was too small for thier bulk.

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