How are the veggies coming along?

[AHPP]

 

If I may be so bold as to veer away from veggies and towards henhusbanding, talk coops to me. I need chicken accommodation. It'll be in a 15'x30' ish run (Heras - do I need a roof?). I have an IBC (flask and cage but would rather not use the cage), a few sheets of roofing tin, a load of Heras (mostly broken) various bits of wire and various bits of wood. Current thinking is cut a square hole in the side of the flask and make a door/drawbridge ramp type thing and top with roofing tin to keep the sun off. Perches seem straightforward. What I haven't yet worked out is a neat way to make them lay eggs in the same place that's easy for me to get to. Ideas. Go.

[Steven P]

Fox Food!! The need to scratch at the earth, you need to stop the foxes digging in so bury the fence a bit. Likewise, local farm place lost a lot with the fox going over the top.... so a roof would be handy too.

 

Might need open the shelter up for cleaning? Hinges? Not sure here but would it be too much of a heat trap, boiled eggs in the morning? Might need extra vents apart from the door? I might be tempted to take the floor out too

[peds]

Heras makes a fine run, and is sought after. Bury flat the thickest mesh you can afford around the entire outer perimeter, or just lay on the ground and let the grass grow through it. This deters burrowing predators.

Use the same mesh across in strips for the roof, and ideally cover at least ½, ideally all of it, with a decent tarp or better. They prefer a dry run.

 

Ensure sufficient ventilation if using the plastic of an IBC, they sweat something rotten. Cut a strip out and reseal with mesh,or keep holes small enough to prevent access for mink etc.

 

Completely removable bottom is necessary for ease of cleaning. Bark-on-stick perches, replaceable from the forest floor when needed, are preferred for grip.

[AHPP]

Someone on youtube had a pair of holes with a pair of little crates that can be pulled out from outside. How do you convince chickens to lay eggs where you want them to (in said crates, boxes built onto the end etc)?

[peds]

Put shop-bought eggs or golf balls where you want them to lay, until they get the idea.

[AHPP]

Last question for now. Pond. I was going to bury a bath in the run for backup water and to attract slugs for food. Good idea?

[AHPP]

Superultimate question: Does a coop have to be off the ground?

[Doug Tait]

My mate has fake eggs that they'll lay next to. I discovered that the first time I looked after the girls for him and tried to have a rubber egg for breakfast.

 

The buried bath sounds a pain to clean out though.

[peds]

Better to have a 200l barrel collecting off the tarp (or better) roof, and topping up fresh water either daily or automatically (overflow from barrel when it rains) than having water sat around collecting droppings and scratchings. They enjoy hunting around a pond, but your run isn't big enough. The slugs will come anyway.

 

A dust bath, elevated or contained off the ground (tractor tire, logs pushed together, etc.) and topped up with dry, screened soil occasionally is much preferred to anything wet.

[peds]

Coop is better off the ground as they like to roost, ideally up in the trees. They are only ground-nesting birds when broody or injured/sick.

Edited September 22 by peds