It's been ten plus years since I've built one of these, but I managed to dredge up enough memories to whack some plans out. My stepfather and I knocked most of the house out before we ran out of screws and the staple gun decided to not work. It's pouring today but I built it in the garage until I move it outside so I may see if I can get it finished up after I get home from work, change, and drive out to the new house.
I attached the plans that I drew up if anyone is interested in duplicating it. I know I've built them before in four, six, eight, and I think twelve feet (for the turkeys). It's designed to have a hanging feeder inside. I didn't have quite enough corrugated steel to cover the area on the side in front of the hardware cloth window. But I've got enough to mostly cover it. So I'll just extend the wire and there will be a tiny bit more ventilation up top than I'd planned. It's so cold now, I'll probably cover the top half of the door as well as the windows so the heat is trapped in the top of the house where they roost.
Which speaking of, I still haven't decided what I want to build/offer them for roosts. Any suggestions? I used to use the square dowel rods you can purchase from Lowe's but the chickens I'll be keeping are English imported Silver-laced Orpingtons. They are not the most confident when it comes to climbing at the friend's house where they are currently staying until I'm moved into the new place. There is a nice ladder up to 2x4 perches and unless you pick them up they just lay on the ground in the wet and sleep. So I'm not sure exactly what to do for them in the roosting department.
I don't imagine raised nest boxes are going to be very easy for the hen to get into, so I think I'll use milk crates resting on the floor of the house.
I attached the plans that I drew up if anyone is interested in duplicating it. I know I've built them before in four, six, eight, and I think twelve feet (for the turkeys). It's designed to have a hanging feeder inside. I didn't have quite enough corrugated steel to cover the area on the side in front of the hardware cloth window. But I've got enough to mostly cover it. So I'll just extend the wire and there will be a tiny bit more ventilation up top than I'd planned. It's so cold now, I'll probably cover the top half of the door as well as the windows so the heat is trapped in the top of the house where they roost.
Which speaking of, I still haven't decided what I want to build/offer them for roosts. Any suggestions? I used to use the square dowel rods you can purchase from Lowe's but the chickens I'll be keeping are English imported Silver-laced Orpingtons. They are not the most confident when it comes to climbing at the friend's house where they are currently staying until I'm moved into the new place. There is a nice ladder up to 2x4 perches and unless you pick them up they just lay on the ground in the wet and sleep. So I'm not sure exactly what to do for them in the roosting department.
I don't imagine raised nest boxes are going to be very easy for the hen to get into, so I think I'll use milk crates resting on the floor of the house.
