Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi everyone. I am going to get a chicken coop and chickens sometime, somehow, soon and I have a few questions. Is a raised coop best (i've read somewhere some breeds dont like the ramp??) We have a small garden but want to give 3 chickens as much space as possible in there run, so any recommendations as to what type of coop is best ?

does the ground on a run get ripped up and bad ? so a movable coop would be the better option.?

I'm sorry - all these questions ! Its just that I have spent ages on the net now trying to figure out the best option so any advice greatly appreciated. Basically I want friendly chickens that are good layers (so which breed ?) and a coop that comes with a run (so what is best ? I like the look of the covered cottage chicken coop (Ideas-4-Pets :: Dog Kennels | Dog Cages | Rabbit Hutches | Parrot Cages | Dog Beds | Cat Beds | Bird Cages) but looks heavy to move?? and the Eglu is a bit too expensive for me).

I may even build one myself so anybody know where I can get hold of some plans if I go down that road ?

we are very excited about entering into the chicken keeping world by the way !

Hi we built ours ourselves out of marine ply. Think the total cost plus the run was about £60. The original run was 6ft by 6 ft but once we got the chickens in a) we had to move it weekly as they had nothing left to scratch (only got 3 hens) which answers one of your questions!and b) they looked cramped (but that's prob as I'm a softie lol.

Their coop is on legs so they can get under if it's raining etc and the ramp isn't a prob for them
I have a black rock (she lays big brown eggs up to 300 a year), a brown one that looks like a battery hen, she lays the same amount, and a white star, she is crossed somewhere down the line with a leghorn and is a wee bit flighty, won't let you pick her up like the other 2 will but does lay big white eggs (again about 300 a year).
They are not purebreeds mine are hybrids as I believe the egg production of purebreeds is usually less and they can be less friendly depending on the breed.

Hope this helps, happy to answer any more questions or dig out some pics of the coop etc if you like!

janeyo

I did read that the cheapest method is to get a secondhand shed and convert it.

Thanks for the help in answering some of my questions. It looks like I would have to move the run regularly then. I will end up with no lawn left but I dont really care - I would prefer the chickens. I would love to see the photos of your home made coop !

Thanks again

When OH gets home I will get him to do it for me (it will take me hours.... not too clever like that!)

janeyo

Hi PaulR

We've got 4 chickens in an Omlet Cube. We found if you didn't move the run everyday the grass would be scratched up. When you move it you're also left with a piles of chicken poo to sweep up so the children don't trample over it. I find it's better to put them in a fixed area and put something down that they can scratch through looking for worms and bugs. I sometimes use leaves, which I later use as leaf mould, bark, straw, hemcore, etc. You still have to move them occasionaly as the ground can become foul. Unless you have a run that you can separate into 2 areas and let one recover whilst using the other.

Tracey

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Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

Michael Pollan

Hello PaulR. I have plans for a poultry ark which I will happily email if you send me a PM with your email address.

Good luck with your chooks.

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk