AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

Another shed was built today. Photos will come...eventually. It's in the diagram below.

I have built two "breeding pair" sized pens each with 6ft chain mesh (forget the word right now) into a trench so the foxes can't crawl under and digging is less likely. They will have the old 15ft trampoline mat and other netting over the top, so are unlikely to be invaded from above either.

One has roofing iron along the bottom of three sides and joins the other breeding pen on the fourth side. I may add another sheet of roofing iron to that side as well to discourage "fence-fighting" -- the cause of Ann@Nanango's boy's broken beak.

The other has roofing iron on one side, adjoins the other pen on one side, backs onto the Leghorn pen (so does one of the roofing iron sides of the other pen), and has no roofing iron along the front. It is a simple addition and I have spare roofing iron, so I might add it anyway.

The rain started bucketing down before I was done and then my wife called me up for dinner, so they aren't finished.

The dark lines on the diagram show where roofing iron is currently. The X's show where the access is. The photos (still to come) may show the doors better than me trying to explain it. Best described as stupid-fox-proof.

Those lines along the left-hand side show the trench I dug last year which diverts water around the pens. It'll be getting a bit of a re-dig reno, too.

Just one consideration - wouldn't these tin sheds get awfully hot in the summer. I know our colourbond shed gets really hot in the summer and unbearable to stand in.

Also there are no ventilation holes to allow the hot air to escape out the top!!!!

I myself have used a large wooden cubby house elevated about 60cm off the ground. I have insulated the roof (With spare insulation I have scavenged out of builders bins) and have drilled ventilation holes in the top of the eaves to let the hot air out. It also has three windows which I have meshed and leave open on really hot days. The elevation allows the chooks to seek shelter underneath from the weather and also provides somewhere to hang the food and water so that it is out of the shed and not attracting mice/rats.

The other problem with such a small elevation is that snakes would be attracted to hide under there - our neighbours bought a chook shed that was only elevated slightly off the ground and they have had terrible trouble with snakes and we live on semi rural acreage not out bush, they have just recently moved their coop and elevated the same as I have.

Couldn't you cement four round posts into the ground about 60cm high and then screw a piece of wood over connecting at each corner and then screw the shed to the wood??? If its all screwed and cemented there is no way it will blow away!! I have lined my shed floor with vinyl to prevent the wooden floor from perishing (Got a cheap off cut from Bunnings $15) and then laid white sand down as flooring (Cost me $40 delivered). I then just use a sieve to scoop up the droppings every morning - takes me five mins max and I have 25 chooks in there. My shed is much larger than these sheds you are using so these costs would cover possibly three/four of your smaller sheds.

Anyway just a few ideas - will be watching closely to see the finished product!!!
Hope all goes well.
PS - I know what its like with building things - I recently purchased a cross trainer and was told it took about 45 mins to assemble - more like 5hrs!!!


BUT remember the first one is always the hardest and the next one won't take half as long.

...if they weren't covered properly? Yes.
You're right. It didn't take half as long...unfortunately.

A photo or two.Broody pen on the left. Breeding pen on the right. Note the corrugated iron which protects the doorway of the broody pen. A very smart fox could find its way in by sliding between the chain mesh of the "door" and the front of the breeding pen, but I'm not expecting it.I attached two additional sheets of tin to the shed. One is full height extending further forward the side you can't see (pretty much in line with the door and almost invisible in the first photo, too) and the other is over the top of the door and attaches to the top of the door. The door is held in that position by the sheet above it. The trampoline mat covers much of the shed, shadecloth covers the rest of the pen.

Unlike the first shed, this one is mounted on a sheet of 18mm ply. The shed and pen have a layer of mulch hay. The nesting box is a 60l drum with wood shavings. My chooks know that wood shavings mean "nest" and that's where I found the egg yesterday (day 1).

A1 greenaus you have obviously put allot of time & thought into it and it show, well done. Jeff