The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: ScotsGirl on March 26, 2012, 09:00:22 pm
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I am looking for the most efficient recycled plastic hen house to hold at least 10 adult hens. I have 2 Solway houses but not easiest to clean out. Brinsea new house looks good but not sure big enough and pricey. Like the idea of removable poo tray. I have some Orpingtons and crosses which don't like to perch so end up with dirty bums.
Also what do people use as bedding? Straw doesn't last and risk of mites, shavings don't break down quick enough for composting.
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I don't think the Brinsea houses are very big - the larger one says 6-10 hens, which I always understand to mean 4-6 large fowl in comfort ::)
I use shavings and just have a very large compost heap.......
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After 4 years and having had 2 coops I have finally made the move to plastic. I don't think that you will find a cheap plastic house, after lots of research I found they just don't exist! Having said that I spent more on my 2 wooden ones than on my new plastic one which should last longer with no maintenance, i can strip it down and wash it with a hose but best of all I can say goodbye to the cracks in the wooden joins that harboured the redmite so also saving money on products to rid them. I opted for the large Greenfrog Designs house which should take 8/10 large birds comfortably, the design is great although the floor does not slide out, its very well constructed and looks good so it ticks all the boxes and I would certainly recommend investing in one.
I have always used wood shavings and found that if they are mixed well with veg peelings and you introduce some additional Moisture the Alan Titchmarsh way (peeing on the compost) they breakdown fine. ;)
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I must admit I like the looks of the products from Green frog and Solway, plastic makes allot of sense for cleaning. I have always wondered about the thickness of the plastic sheeting they use and would this be sturdy enough. If there are any owners of these products reading this topic: How thick exactly is the sheeting that makes up the walls and the roofs of these coops?
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I have never tried a plastic hen house, but would they not be too hot in summer (with condensation) and way too cold in winter?
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Also what do people use as bedding? Straw doesn't last and risk of mites, shavings don't break down quick enough for composting.
I'd recommend you give "Hemcore" a try. It's about £9 a bale from your local farm supplies / horsey shop, and looks like little bits of chopped up straw. I use it instead of shavings and it's very absorbent, and breaks down much quicker in the compost heap. The bale is compressed, so a little goes a long way too.
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Try looking on Freecycle, Freegle or Gumtree for givaway children's Wendy houses.
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Or on freecycle for an old caravan, strip the fittings out (we save some cupboards to store stuff) shade the windows add some perches and your done with the best towable chicken house ever ;D
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Downsides of plastic are the weight, condensation (although plywood and painted wood is just as bad) and difficulty to modify if required. Bonus is ease of red mite prevention and general cleaning. Insulation value may be lower but the important thing is draughts, or lack of them. To minimise condensation problems use Aubiose bedding in Winter as it absorbs a lot of moisture -it's too dusty in Summer we have found.
We have mobile coops where weight is the most important factor. Wood was the only option. They are treated with a 50:50 mix of paraffin and creosote and we have a spare coop so that it can dry for at least two weeks before the chickens go back in them -creosote fumes are toxic and vapour is given off in hot sunlight so the nest boxes are not treated.
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Have any of you actually sat in a small tent on a hot day ??? Its like an oven. A small tent will get terribly hot, cant see how a plastic wendy house will not be roasting either? You have little chance of finding a cheap one either, if you do manage too you could likely get enough on ebay for it to buy a ready-made chicken house. Maybe you could grille off the windows and leave them open for ventilation or something but cant see it being a very easy job in reality as old plastic is brittle and liable to crack if you start drilling holes in it. I am sure it has been done successfully but cannot see it being an easy or cheap option at the end of the day. Good luck with it though! :thumbsup:
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But other than a short spell in which to lay eggs, chickens don't sit indoors all day ??? ???
Personally I wouldn't buy an eglu or similar as I can get more house for my money other places, which is why I have suggested a caravan. And as I live in one I would say it's just dandy.
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I know it was not the hottest day today but my Greenfrog plastic house was in direct sunlight and with the vents open it was fine inside.
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Thanks everyone for all the feedback. I think a caravan is a bit too big and unsightly for the location. I already have 2 Solway houses and although they do condensate with heat it disappears if vents are opened. Down side is they are heavy to move and low to the ground plus perches bend in middle with heavy hens.
No good for heavy hens as they can't get up to the perches. Anyway as the fox killed most of one houseful of hens and cockerels tonight (gamekeeper very kindly came and killed both foxes - hooray!) I might not need another!
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Sorry to hear that ScotsGirl and pleased to hear of the gamekeeper's success.
Can you change the perches to wood and reduce trhe height? As I said before wooden coops can be easily modified. Our bantams like a very high perch, the fattest Orpingtons prefer the floor.