Thank you wegotchickens, its nice to have a group to bounce things off, share experiences with and see what others have in their back yards!
This hutch set up began as a broiler house, held 6 great, then I was given the gift of bantams, that places another stress on my honey...it became a hutch for bantam cochins. Now the D's are in it and the bantam Cochins are in the "turkey tractor" as it is stationary due to the excessive weight and around 300 lbs....Fort Knox. Great job, over kill, but he is learning! LOL! Its a good thing he loves me and I can cook well! ha ha.
But the reason its 3' off the ground is due to arthritis and the constant need to clean broilers, or any other birds, I can bring the wheel barrow right up, use a hoe as the door that one small door opens down, so does the whole front, with the house part it has 2 doors that open, on wide for cleaning and the smaller door is for the winter so we don't lose all the heat they have aquired. Also it had ply wood on the cross pieces to hold shavings and other things we needed for which ever birds.
Its a nice roomy set up yet we have had a major issue with mice! I was unaware that they were residing over the ceiling. So, if I may recommend, don't insulate, your walls can become infested with mites, fleas, ticks and what ever else, then mice move in... So we set traps on the pen part and close the window we certainly do not want to catch a D'!
This is a place in progress! (as with everyone else's farms)
