[ellied]

I have finally cleared an area of my garden that seems ideal for a chicken shed - I have electric poultry netting in the garage, and when I went to pay a straw bill I found a notice for POL pullets in 4 breeds I happen to think I'd like very much, only a few miles away and someone I know   They have a wee netting run they'll give me for bits of the orchard "weeding" that needs a bit of DIY but I'm just missing a shed for overnight protection/shelter..

I've commented before on the unbelievable cost of custom chicken coops, and been told/shown a few cases where an ordinary garden shed can be converted well enough, but I just wondered if anyone had thoughts on where to get one cheaply that isn't going to be impractical, dangerous, too hard for me to convert, or just fall over for being shoddily made?  My alternative is to clear the garage for them to roost in, but it's already my feed room, vet stuff storage, rug store, garden shed, woodstore, freezer home and various other workshop type activities go on there, so not something easily given up

I don't suppose anyone has something they don't want or use, like a coop, an eglu, a garden shed... ?

Also, what size to buy?  6x4 is the standard size, but would 8x4 be more practical?  How many full size hens (ie not bantams) would be comfortbale in a 6x4?  The ones available are BlackRock, Wyandotte, Sussex I think, can't remember now!  But all that size..

I'm quite excited - enough to go online to B&Q or something but if anyone knows of where there are special offers on.. please?

[Womble]

I've just done something similar as a turkey shed. I looked in B&Q etc, and was absolutely appauled at the quality on offer (even on the display models the doors didn't shut properly, would be far too flimsy to deter a fox, and just weren't going to last more than a few years).

In the end, I bought an old one off E-bay (lots also available on gumtree etc). OK, so I replaced the roofing felt and floor, and re-painted it, but it's a proper tongue and groove construction, and has been re-built to last, for less than half the price of the B&Q cheapo model.  I also mounted it on long skids (old fenceposts), so I can tow it around behind the Landy if I need to.

As for the number of birds, the key thing is perching space. Yes, they do seem to all huddle up together, but IIRC, the guidelines say 10"-12" per bird. We currently have 16 hens roosting in a 7"x5" shed very happily. It has two full width perches installed, so that's 14' in total, and actually not too different from the guideline figure as it happens. You could fit the same amount of perch space in a 6x4 shed with a bit of care, so say 15 hens in a 6x4 perhaps?

I'm also going to install more ventilation grilles this weekend as it can get quite stuffy in there during a warm night. I only mention this, as it would be perhaps easier to build in right from day one.

HTH!

[Sandy]

OUrs was second hand and is 6x8 and very good quality for £100 delivered in a horse box, the owners had put it in a barn so it had not even been outside. THe new sheds are very poorly made so a good used one is fantastic but harder to come buy and also often you need to be able to dismatle and transport very quickly as they sell fast!!! I covered our floor with corrigated plyable plastic sheets, they are not brittle so can be easily walked on and taken out, great for keeping it clean!!

[doganjo]

Well, my cheap and cheerful Focus shed for £90 delivered hasn't fallen down yet! That's about 3 and a half years now.  It is 6 x 4, has vinyl on the floor, bigger than the base so it turns up at the sides and catches most of the muck, round dowels wedged into the corners for perches, a shelf right along one side.  And where do they sleep? On the floor or in the nesting box, which is an old drawer.  However, their grass run is long since no more, and this weekend my son and I will finish laying a second ton of gravel over terram. Holes have been drileld in the wee dyke for drainage so hopefully we have at last found a solution to the messy, muddy hell hole! 

[NorthEssexsmallholding]

I bought a wickes shed and it is pretty poor to be honest, managed to strengthen it by buying extra timber.

[egglady]

freecycle...

[princesspiggy]

we were looking at sheds in b@q 2day and they are all broken or warped or smashed up. we got budget shiplap ones from argos and no complaints after a year.

[Womble]

I actually lucked out and got another 6x4 from a friend who wanted rid. It's a really old one, with plenty of rot. However, it must also be at least 25 years old, and has a window made of real glass. The real contrast is that this one has a planked floor (not cheap OSB), tongue & groove walls (not overlap), 2" framing inside (not 0.75" as on the cheap ones), and proper sarking for the roof (again, not OSB). The whole thing is also more than twice the weight of the cheap B&Q efforts.

The result?  Once I've repaired the rotten bits and re-felted it, it's going to be utterly bombproof! I'm sorry, but they really don't make things like they used to! 

[Sandy]

I seem to remember that some where like China used to supply (excuse me if I am wrong) wood for fence and sheds etc but then the price went sky high so all fence panels and sheds, garden furniture etc, were being made witht he cheaper wood to keep prices down, I shall have to look! I bought 2 focus garden benches and around 2 years later bought another and its much poorer quality but looks the same!!! The do not make stuff like they used to as its now too expensive for us to buy things that are good quality!!!

[SumatraJohnny]

I bought a couple of the cheapies from Wickes like NorthEssex..... Loads of creosote and a little strengthening and they are ok. I've cut popholes in them, added some ventilation and raised them about 18 inches off the floor so my little Jack Russell can get under and deter Ratty from making his home there.  I think with an annual coat of creosote and a bit of maintainance they'll last a few years.

[Sandy]

Took a photo today of ours, when/if the hens go then we will use it!!

[egglady]

pop them in it at night sandy and they'll know it's their home by the morning

[Sandy]

THey do go in at night, we don't shut the door as fingers crossed, the garden is walled!!!!!! Mr Fox may not like the idea of getting stuck on the job!!!! I just meant, if we get rid of the chickens and move etc, we will take the shed as its very strong!!!!!

[ellied]

Well the stress was too much so I went and bought one online   and given prices and build quality were probably similar, I went for a chicken coop which will be delivered in a couple of days all being well, then I will get a friend to see if we can put it together and erect the electric poultry netting, see if I can hook it up to the mains along the fenceline, and then it's shopping time for bits, bobs, bags and birds

Expect many photos, questions, worry sharing, jubilation at any egg or sign of doing it right, tantrums tears etc when I inevitably get it wrong, and hopefully eventually I'll settle down to it all being normal to have home baked meringues, home made mayo, cakes in the freezer and "girls" doing my weeding for me  

[northfifeduckling]

well done, Ellie