My Hen House and Run

[CATRAY44]

We decided to redo our old dog house and run. My husband made a window with a plexiglass slider, vents ( all covered with hardware cloth- thanks to the great ideas on BYC) and a ramp. We covered the entire run with hardware cloth and chicken wire. It is an old dog house, but sound and dry. The people who originally built our house had already lined the inside of the run with railroad ties (buried in the ground) and the chain link was buried as well. The house is on the outside of the run with the chain link anchored to it and a whole for the door cut out. it is up off the ground, on cement. Someone gave me the hardware cloth ( I about fell over) and so chicken wire, a hog ringer and pig rings were my only expense. It isn't fancy (how I love to see the beautiful pictures some you have posted), but it works for my 3 hens.

Hope I posted the pictures correctly....

I am so thankful for this site and all the advice and information- what a huge blessing you all have been for me (and my chickens!)

 

[Yanna]

It looks like you've put plenty of nice roosting places in your run there!

Congratulations on your coop & run - they look like a good, solid safe place for your chooks! Pretty fortuitous that the run is already secure at ground level. That's a really nice feature.

Do you have any pics of the inside of your doghouse coop?

 

[tnkinhunting]

That's a very nice coop!

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Great little coop you got there! Looks nice and roomy.

 

[CATRAY44]

I don't, but will take some tomorrow. It is pretty basic.

I have a 3 inch wide square shaped roost running across the inside. I placed a long narrow (rectangular) flower pot filled with bedding underneath the roost.

There is one nest box made from a milk crate.

I covered the floor with pine bedding.

I placed cement pavers in the threshold to set the water on and keep the bedding in.

Of course the chickens roost in the rafters more often than not, lol. My lone hen (other 2 are 6 week old) pullets) a very sweet EE lays her eggs NEXT to the nesting box, lol. It is kind of a pain reaching in to the back for the eggs, but works for now.

I had several pallets given to me, so using one for a roost. I also put a thick branch across one of the corners. Good sized rocks on placed here and there for them too- they seem to like laying on those for some reason. The table gives me a place to work off of and they, of course like to be on it or under it! I move the feeder in at night and out in the day.

Any suggestions would be welcome!!

 

[CATRAY44]

Thank you! It seemed like God was saying "Duh!!! Get some chickens, dummy"

 

[AtRendeAcres]

that is GREAT!

 

[Jolyn]

Very nice!! I like that you have some potted plants around it. I want to do some planting and pots around my run. Also looks like they have plenty of shade to stay cool in.

 

[CATRAY44]

We are surrounded by woods, thankfully. Helps with noise, since we are only on 1 acre. The plants are cucumbers- someone on BYC mentioned that raccoons hate the way they feel, lol

My labrador keeps tipping one of the pots- she is not a racoon, lol.