Chickens.

Well spotted Scrungee all good info Rusty

 

I've edited my post above to add some info.


That grille is also ideal for checking up on what's happening in there, like when there's some bad behaviour or a hen is poorly, etc.

 

OH POOH!!! Didn't think of any of that Scrungee. I've boarded the inside today aswell.





Ran out of ply for the back though, but have decided to get another piece for the floor so I can have it all in one so I can use this for the back.

Ventilation was going to be a 2 inch gap on both sides of the roof permanently open. Do I need adjustable as well? If so I can put it on the back



The gap at the top of the boards is 3 inch so if I cut out the top board I can make one 9 inches square. As for a viewing door I have 2 options now:
1) make the roof opening so I can have a quick peek in.
2) remove the side panel and try and make it into a door.



Option 1 is easiest, but what are your thoughts?

Rusty

 

Had a rethink on the opening so I have now converted the right hand side to a fully opening door.



And I have cut a hole on the back for adjustable ventilation.


It's too hot to do anymore today so I have gone to bed to have a couple of hours sleep before my night shift tonight.

Rusty

 

Brilliant Rusty...that should make cleaning a lot easier for you

 

Too late for Rusty, but when I make anything using butt- jointed boards (usually from pallets, but sometimes with better quality, treated stuff for boards next to soil) I ensure they've dried out and use a couple of sash cramps to get each one really tight before fixing it to the to the framework.

They're well worth getting if you see them cheap at a boot sale, and I've even used them to cramp up butt- jointed floor boards when I replaced all of the ground floor suspended timber flooring in my Victorian house. For areas wider than the reach of the cramp you simply fix a temporary batten to the last board nailed/screwed down and cramp the next lot back using that, so the same technique could be used to construct a butt-jointed shed.

 

My initial plan was to run a router down each board so that they overlapped by 10 mm, but I have no router and my mate was supposed to be lending me his, but kept letting me down. I was speaking to someone about building the coop and rhey said I was being to fussy so I just went ahead and built it. I wish I had hired one for the day now.

Rusty

 

I saw this the other day and thought that might not actually be the right way to go about checking out how to build a henhouse on the internet:

 

Made some massive progress today.

The roof and the front are on the adjustable vent is finished and all the run panels are meshed and screwed together. Just got to put fence posts in and screw them too it. And need to creosote the front and back of the coop didn't do it today as there was a lot of rain forecast.





Rusty

 

Looks fit for a Queen - or three Rusty,
Jenny

 

Will your hens be expected to use that yellow (milk?) crate to gain access to the pop hole? I made a small ramp for mine so elderly hens will be able to gain access unassisted.

 

lookin' good Rusty

 

No that's my trusty pop crate that I use to stand in when I need to It's easier to kick into place than moving ladders. I needed it for fixing the roof. I still need to make the ramp.

Rusty

 

Finally started to put the run up on Saturday.



But the wife and the neighbours are saying its an eyesore. I really don't want to rub them all up the wrong way so I really need to do something. The problem is that the front of the coop is 5 foot high so it needs to be at least this height. I have a couple of ideas.

1) Cut it down to the height of the bamboo in the picture as this is low as I can go so that the coop will fit in. And plant something in front to break it up. There not really set on that I don't think.
2) Put feather edge board across that side (wife's idea) but then I think this will block out too much light.
3) Build off the front of the coop as the ground drops about 4 inches, but dig down another 8 inches so as I do not need to cut any of the panels and I will still be able to stand in it. Although I will lose about 10 foot off the run. Only trouble is the coop is not enclosed in wire, but I think 22mm boards will be sufficient to keep foxy out, will he chew through onduline roofing to get in?

I think that 3 is my best option as all the panels will go into the trees and they will not be able to see them as much.

Any ideas/advise greatly received. I'm really starting to get fed up with the set backs and am thinking of taking the sledge hammer to it all and having a bonfire.

Rusty

 

If it's less than 2m high - the max height of a garden fence without Planning Permission - then what are they complaining about? Just up the fence height and they wont see it/have anything to worry about. If the boundary fence is lower and is the neighbour's responsibility, then simply erect some 2m high posts tight up against it with infill screening between the top of their fence and 2m height.

Don't let your unreasonable neighbours dictate what you have in your garden just because their fence is low enough for them to nose into your garden and decide they don't like it!