Chicken Play ground

[Stiggy]

Hi all, I am in the planning stages of a new coop ( a winter one to replace the I lost since moving house) and I am also planning on building a playground of sorts for my girls.

Other than the usual perches/ ladders I am also thinking of semi buried tyres ( they love sitting on the tyres in winter as they heat up and warm the chicken fluffy bottoms and feetsies)
I am also thinking of a platform on which they can sit, this would be about a ft high and one at about a metre ( I have Silkies so it can't be to high) which would have ladders up and down. there would also be some sort of real wood/ branch aspect in there as well.
If I get extra time then there will be an outside dust bath which will be roofed over in poly carb. This will go well with the one that will be inside the new winter/ year round coop.

The coop itself is being planned at 6 m by 2 m and will be full height so that you can walk in it. It will be made mostly out of poly carb roofing to let in the light and heat, to trap the heat and it will work ( hopefully) like a tunnel house. the house end will be tin and kept dark by some horrendously hideous floral curtains which I have recycled and kept for this. They will have perches and play things in here also but not to the same standard or size. Due to the fact that they will spend most of their winter in there it will have to be built well and they will need plenty of things to do. Currently they have taken over the front yard, deck and porch and their dust bath area in a baby bath is in the sun on the porch, this is a temporary solution and I will be getting a large plastic sandpit/ sea shell to take over the bath once the new house is sorted. I would love to hear from anyone who has suggestions or comments about my idea/ plan and any pictures of your chicken playgrounds/ winter houses would be much appreciated

 

[Michael OShay]

Wow! It sounds great! If I was a chicken, I would want to live in your coop. Your chickens should certainly have enough to interest and stimulate them. Just be sure in the midst of all the frills you predator proof it well (hardware cloth instead of chicken wire for example). Good luck with your new coop.

 

[Stiggy]

Thanks if I was a chicken then I would want to live here as well. They are so spoilt rotten . It will be made well as my father doesn't do buildings that don't last, so I look forward to it being built hopefully starting in the next fornight if the weather permits and the garage goes up . We are very luck here and the only predators here are dogs, cats and hedgehogs so making it Fort Knox style isn't so badly needed, that being said the security on it will be beefed up due to last winters hedgehog infestation. I have been thinking hardwire mesh but finding some has proven difficult however there is still time. I've got plenty of time to think playground because its too wet and muddy ( 6 inches deep) to build just yet but the planning is in motion haha.

Thanks very much I hope to update this with pictures when the build starts. And good luck with your chickens and family also

 

[Michael OShay]

Thanks

if I was a chicken then I would want to live here as well. They are so spoilt rotten . It will be made well as my father doesn't do buildings that don't last, so I look forward to it being built hopefully starting in the next fornight if the weather permits and the garage goes up . We are very luck here and the only predators here are dogs, cats and hedgehogs so making it Fort Knox style isn't so badly needed, that being said the security on it will be beefed up due to last winters hedgehog infestation. I have been thinking hardwire mesh but finding some has proven difficult however there is still time. I've got plenty of time to think playground because its too wet and muddy ( 6 inches deep) to build just yet but the planning is in motion haha.

Thanks very much I hope to update this with pictures when the build starts. And good luck with your chickens and family also

Thanks. I'll look forward to seeing the pictures.

 

[Stiggy]

Well there has been problems getting the garage up due to the flooding and weather ( they couldn't even get in to do the concrete it was so muddy/wet) so everything has stalled, however I've been planning and discussing the house and I've had to re-do the floor plan which is this.
I've made it wider in the house area and added a shed end on the back where I will keep the food and where my brooder boxes will be once the chicks hatch before they can go outside. Due to the fact that it will be a lean to from the garage the shed end will have running power for the lights and heat for the babies. The floor in the house and shed will also be concrete with deep litter rather than dirt due to the flooding risk, also it will be easier to clean. What do you guys think?

 

[Michael OShay]

It sounds like you have some good practical plans. Go for it!

 

[amywhite8530]

very well designed!