The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: loosey on July 21, 2010, 01:29:33 pm
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I have managed to get Rob to agree to building me some chicken houses but we need some inspiration!
Can you show me your chooks accommodation please?! :chook: ;D
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Don't bother - you'll be almost as much for the wood as you would buying the basic garden sheds from your local DIY place and very little labour putting them together - plus they are walk in height so easy to clean. Just need a pop hole in the door.
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Build it with pallets! I'm embarking on said project when I'm on 'holiday' from work after Langdon recommended the book (well done that man!). I will post pictures when complete (probably in about 2 years when I get around to finishing it - there's just not enough hours in the day...)
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Our's is just a 6x4 shed ;D
Inside has been split so that there's room to store bits and pieces and an area behind for the chickens. We inherited this one and are about to make some changes to it, so we can keep a few more (only got 2 at the moment) We're going to take out the box and make 2 external nest boxes and run a couple of big chunky perches across the width of the shed. Oh yeah, and take out the high shelf that I keep bumping my head on - though hubby's hopefull it'll knock some sense into me ;) ;D
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you can veiw mine at www.woodlandproductsfife.com feel free to copy it if you wish, I would be happy to prvide the sizes.
Craig
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would have to agree that a shed is the cheapest option especially given the prices of sheds these days no ideas how they make them so cheap?? i am just pricing up my new hen house which will be 4.2mX2.4 and tall enough for me to stand up in with 6 nest boxes fixed to the side, the timber will be costing me around £600 for 2x2 frame and 19mm shiplap cladding. Unless you are after a thing of beauty i would go for a bog standerd shed!!
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send youre e mail il pass some over
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focus have a basic shiplap? shed for £109 it may have come down seeing as it is not really peak time, maybe worth looking on supermarket noticeboards
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focus have a basic shiplap? shed for £109 it may have come down seeing as it is not really peak time, maybe worth looking on supermarket noticeboards
That's what I have. Excellent for the price I think - and I got 10% off for being an OAP!
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We have loads of left over timber from building my stables and also a fair amount of ship lap which is currently redundant so I thought we'd try and put it to good use!
I shall investgate sheds as will need one for my turkeys! :)
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there are bargains to be had on Supermarket noticeboards and in your regional weekly magazines (whatever they're called). There is some rubbish out there but we picked up a gleaming one for our turkeys for £30 and one that required a minimal amount of work for £20!
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I want to live where you do Captain! The cheapest I've seen second hand hen houses suitable for more than 6 chickens in the paper etc is £120 but they get snapped up straight away and I haven;t been lucky enough to catch one yet! The rest are upwards of £165in poor condition! :o
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focus have a basic shiplap? shed for £109 it may have come down seeing as it is not really peak time, maybe worth looking on supermarket noticeboards
That's what I have. Excellent for the price I think - and I got 10% off for being an OAP!
we just bought one the other day and got 15% off. couple of hours and it was built! now have 7 large hens happily living in it - havent even bothered with a pop hole yet - just prop the door open
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I want to live where you do Captain! The cheapest I've seen second hand hen houses suitable for more than 6 chickens in the paper etc is £120 but they get snapped up straight away and I haven;t been lucky enough to catch one yet! The rest are upwards of £165in poor condition! :o
Trust me, I've seen some really naff ones that wouldn't even make it as firewood!!!
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i have a shed that is taking a lot of space in my garden that i built my self wood has gone through the roof how they make them so cheap is beyond me
it is 20ft by 16 ft i think its time to shorten it and have more room for the chicken don't know wat my poor suffering wife chris is going to say about it
time for some flowers me thinks ;D
(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j208/teza22/john%20wrenne%20pictures/DSC_7793.jpg)
(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j208/teza22/the%20accidental%20smallholder/mychuckshome.jpg)
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Those £109 sheds at b n q etc are just junk. the chooks could run through them. never mind what a half decent wind will do. thing will be in the next Field. better building one from channel lining, will last way longer..
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Sorry but i would disagree,i have had two of those sheds for 2 years now with no problems at all,my hens love it lots of space and so easy to clean and collect eggs.
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Yes, I disagree too, I have moved a few times and have bought these at each new abode - they have always been very stable and quite substantial.
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ok lol its not the lap larch ones then?
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Yes.
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Thing is, you can spend a lot on some fancy coop & it'll probably still leak like a sieve in heavy rain.
B&Q sheds are cheap for a reason, but are easily improved & your hens will be as happy as they would be in some £250+ designer coop
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It depends I spose how exposed you are as to what your ideal chicken shed would be constructed out of. We have massive winds here on the coast, we almost lost a 16"x10" shed full of tools last year to the winds, it was lifted and moved off the slab until we tied it down.
Our chicken shed is an old caravan chassis with builders ply sides, two broom handles for perches and 4 boxes for laying. We have ten chooks and they seem to like it fine.
We have also got 20 or so racket straps holding the netting pen to the floor cos when its windy - its windy!
As long as they have shelter, enough room, a few boxes and enough perching space for all them I dont think you can go wrong. The hardest thing I find about making stuff for the yard is that it doesnt have to be an exact design job, just do enough over engineering for it too last.
Ta
Baz
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That in a sheltered area the doganjo? OK I think I was a little Miss understood here. OK its a cheap shed with enough room for the hens everyone is happy, but would you keep your tools in it or the lawn mower or bikes. maybe me being a shed and hen house builder I was comparing a little to much to my products, lol sorry if i offended anyone
Craig
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I have used these sheds in various situations, no harm has come to them in any of the weather in North East Scotland. OK they are cheap but not nasty and if you are on a budget they are fine. If I had a big income coming in and wasn't bothered about how much my hens or my dogs cost me, then I'd maybe buy a better quality coop, but it would need to be one I could stand up in to clean out. For my dogs and puppies I line the inside with ply and stuff polystyrene between that and the shed walls. The hens don't need that. I put a large overlapping sheet of vinyl on the floor and for the dogs a platform half way up with their fibre glass bed and bedding underneath so if it's warm they can go on the shelf. The birds have a shelf along one long side and plastic basins for nesting boxes with straw on the floor.
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suppose im just lucky and build mine myself with any off cuts etc, the floor in my coop slides out like a drawer so cleaning is not a problem. Its all at waste height aswell. I know that the price of them sheds are great for what they are being used for, personaly I would pay or build a far superior building. with a long life expectancy, thus saving the need to cut so many trees down. you Aberdeen way?
Craig
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Used to be, Craig - between Inverurie and Huntly, 2 miles off A96, now in Central Scotland. Since I'm 66, female and on my own, I can't build things like chicken coops ;D ;D ;D
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very good point doganjo, Im new round here so wouldnt know, Although I must be nearing my 3rd star, and they say woman can yap. So what other animals you got?
Craig
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very good point doganjo, Im new round here so wouldnt know, Although I must be nearing my 3rd star, and they say woman can yap. So what other animals you got?
Craig
5 :dog:, 1 :cat:, 4 :&>, 4 :chook: about to get 6 more ex-batt :chook: My son and son-in-law help with the manual chores sometimes when they can spare time from work, and my 3 grandchildren love coming to help feed the animals. We had a family day yesterday putting up the new trampoline I bought for them.
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Superb doganjo. You have a good day then? if I was a little closer Id gladly lend you a little hand now and then. thats just the kinda bloke i am lol.
Craig
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Superb doganjo. You have a good day then? if I was a little closer Id gladly lend you a little hand now and then. thats just the kinda bloke i am lol.
Craig
I'm rather glad you aren't closer. It would appear form your pin on the members map that you are in the middle of the North Sea ::) ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D
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yea i know im on the ark!! lol I just fixed it. i never new it was like that!!
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Looks a long way away but only about an hour. Lots of TASers over this way, Craig. And you could join Central Scotland Smallholders! We'll have a stand at Kinross show on 14th August if you fancy a day out and to meet some of us. www.smallholders.info - old website still up but new one is imminent with loads of good stuff on it.
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Yeah Im not far away at all. I should have had a stand at Kinross as well, plenty customers round that kneck of the woods. I found a few at the scottish game fare at Scone palace a couple of weeks back. I will have a look at your site, Just need the small holding to go with it lol.
Craig
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Smallholding is in the mind not on the ground! If you grow things, maybe have a few chickens then you can class yourself as a smallholder - it's what you aspire to. I only have hens, ducks, veg and fruit, and at my age I doubt if I'll ever have enough land again to do any more - perhaps bees. But I feel like a smallholder.
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We should maybe have a TAS meet at Kinross then- I will be there too. I will be a year older as well >:(
Beth
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Yeah Annie, your rite, I just want to expand it that little bit more. Theres nothing more enjoyable relaxing and calming than animals. When things just don't seem to be going well, The chooks are an instant pick up. Back to the work and it all fits into place, Although feather has always been my passion, I have a little experience with sheep, I may turn up at Kinross Annie with a load of flyer's lol
Craig
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Not a bad idea, Beth - I'm on duty 1pm to 3pm I believe, and this time I'm taking a flask with me - so if anyone wants to join me on the stand for a coffee, feel free. I believe the ground is flat unlike Doune & Dunblane where we were on a slope of about 60 degrees, so we should be able to anchor things down a bit easier!
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Yes, its completly flat at Kinross- should be much better. It's also a very sheltered site, as it has either stone walls or trees all round, so it isn't windy either. We will be judging in the morning, so after 12pm is better for us for a meet.
If anyone wants to come and see the goats- they are hard to find at Kinross as we are tucked away down under the trees. Head for the dog judging ring, and then head on down past it, into the trees.
Beth
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Feel freeto look at our website......I think John is there somewhere with one of the houses.....
Ive made him make me 5 (of increasingly better design) and he now gives me 'that'look when i mention increasing our stock. :D