Hen house reno idears

Y.barnesy · **Posted:** Thu Nov 14, 2013 6:39 pm

finally the storage stuff is out of the hen house so gotta clean there where I could not get to but also woundering about that to do with two area's

With the doors to the run not sure to do them I shade cloth mesh or metal, I would like to keep out the wind and rain
The south side of the hen house is where the nesting boxes will be just going to get bigger ones for King Henrys ladies in jan or Feb

Not sure to use the noth west part of the hen house ( the part that had storage in it)
As a another pen for a sick bay and nursery or to move the mesh and combine it with the other part of the hen house and give every one more room as well as put the perches there.

Not sure because would it be too close to the rest of every one else in the main house and would it not get enough light?

On the west side there will be after the wall 3 meters of car space then another shead going up that should take a lot of heat away from the hen house.

The north west side of the wire is wider then the north east side of the hen house

Going to put 70% shade cloth over part of the run.

going to be other future reno's next year with a day run around the main hen house run, That will go to the drive way to the south and to the back fence going east as well as north from the other side of the hen house to the side fence the day run also has a tree as well as a steep bank that I am not sure if the chookies will be able to handle it going to post pic's of the bank after its been cleared up.

Chicka-Dee · **Joined:** Tue Jan 17, 2012 11:12 am **Posts:** 1194

First point of reference is always think......Protection........protection from elements..& protection from vermin getting into & soiling food sources & the spreading of fiecies and disease.

If this means metal doors, then metal doors it should be. If you are worried about ventilation then look at putting some whirlybirds on the roof or some vents up high on the shed so the hot air can escape when it rises.

Put the neting boxes in the darkest part as the girls like darkness & privacy when laying their eggs.....and the perches should be away from drafts or any chance of rain getting on them when sleeping.

Plug all holes in the roof that need to, so you can make it as weather prof as possible when big storms hit and it rains extra hard on those stupid angles, that rain seems to do. Nothing worse then going down to the pen after a big storm and there's puddles everywhere. The girls will get cold & sick & drop dead on you. And you don't want that.

At different times of the day go in there and locate where it is hottest and where it is coolest (but remember this will change with each season), so don't think immediate, but long term.

In the run, look at the spots where they like to dust bath as you don't want to cover it in spots with shade cloth if it is going to cast more shade as the girls like to bath in the sun most of the time, but if its extra hot they also like to find a nice shadey spot to bath and cool off, so think of both scenarios.

Finally, I like you "copyright" symbol on your photos....but does it have to be across the whole photo?, can't it just be in the corner?

That's my feedback Yas.

Cheers
Chicka-Dee

Y.barnesy · **Posted:** Fri Nov 15, 2013 5:41 pm

Thank you chicka_Dee

So I will go with the metal doors on the hen house to the run.
A whirlybird has been on my mind for a while now so I will buy one and put it in the roof on the western side of the roof.

also with the west north end I am thinking of changing the wire and that part would make a good place for perches and more room
its a tight fit at the north east end of the hen house.

I will make the watermark a bit fainter with the transparency.

Cheers Yas

LOOLOO · **Posted:** Sat Nov 16, 2013 8:17 am

I put 2 of the whirlybirds in my parge coop and they made a very big difference in summer very big

LooLoo

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Is it possible to do the renovations before King Henry and his wives come? Maybe easier and less stressful for them.

Nice nesting box!

Remember that the sun rises in the East and chook coops facing North/South will the winter's sun. You have to take into consideration your climate conditions the heat in summer, the cold in winter, which direction the rain comes in from to orientate your coop and pen and run etc

Y.barnesy · **Posted:** Tue Nov 19, 2013 4:50 pm

Hoping to do the majoir renos before King Henry and his wives arrive

The whirlybirds will have to wait till January when the fellow comes to put up the shed that will be to the west of the hen house (I don't have the know how to do it) and that shed will over shadow the hen house from early in the afternoons.

There are three whirlybirds in the workshop to the south of the hen house they do a great job.

The run gets the morning sun and partly shade which increases during the afternoons.

The rain well the doors going from hen house to the run will fix te rain prob and the wind as well.

how big should the chicken door be for Sussex's?

I have decided to have a poop tray made for under the perches

Thank you PP those nesting boxes are going to have to go not too sure what to do with them them because they will not be big enough for King Henrys wives.

Will be buying a bunch of items in feb or so for all the chookies
lager nesting boxes, gal feeders and waterers nesting boxes pads too

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Y.barnesy wrote:

how big should the chicken door be for Sussex's?

BIG! Standard Sussex's are BIG CHOOKIES!

LOOLOO · **Posted:** Wed Nov 20, 2013 5:18 pm

Make the door big enough for the largest chook breed. the orpington just incase you ever decide to get some

LooLoo

gozy · **Joined:** Thu Nov 21, 2013 6:39 am **Posts:** 1

How do you find the concrete floor in winter? do you cover it?

LOOLOO · **Posted:** Fri Nov 22, 2013 9:21 am

In winter you can cover the floor with wood shavings or even sand in you get very cold nights

LooLoo

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