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hen houses
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Cathryn



Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion
PostPosted: Fri May 29, 15 7:40 am    Post subject: hen houses Reply with quote
    

We went away for one night, just one. Had a lovely time with a group of friends, came back feeling great but came back to one hen. She was the one who had decided not to roost in the clearly dangerous henhouse. She was right. Friends and neighbours had forgotten to fasten them in so the badger took all but her.

I like keeping hens but I like being able to go away and not think about them. I like keeping flighty bantams. I'm starting to consider designs of houses that are inaccessible to slightly clumsy creatures like badgers. A not very strong branch to access the house that is high up off the ground for example.

There are other predators but i want to lower the risk.

Has anyone got any design suggestions?

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism
PostPosted: Fri May 29, 15 9:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

How do you know it's a badger? If it's just badgers then a sturdy fence designed for wild boar should keep them out but foxes would just leap over.

I would have thought the simplest design would be a pen made from weldmesh, or at least weldmesh around the sides and good chicken wire on the top. The hens can free range during the day but you'd round them up into the pen before going out.

Cathryn



Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion
PostPosted: Fri May 29, 15 11:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

A pen isn't free range. I don't want a pen, they are relatively safe during the day. That's relative though as I lost four new ones during the day when I was in the house. I'd just pulled the run away to get them used to wandering the garden.

Pretty sure it's a badger because the dogs would chase off a fox but not an adult badger. Foxes are sensibly wary of the dogs but the dogs were shut in that night. I have seen a badger trying to break in, had to go right up to it before it moved off.

I'd rather not have the hundreds of badgers we have on the farm but that's not an option. There is around six setts. Mixed woodland, unimproved fields, ready supply of hens and honey, perfect habitat.

Woodburner



Joined: 28 Apr 2006
Posts: 2904
Location: Essex
PostPosted: Fri May 29, 15 11:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

My (best) coops are on legs, so the bottom of the pophole is 3ft off the ground. Higher would be even safer, but then I'd have to fix them the ground to stop them blowing over in high winds, and I'd need a ladder to collect eggs.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45374
Location: yes
PostPosted: Fri May 29, 15 11:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

barrel on top of a post is supposed to be good

perhaps a bit fancy

cut end off barrel,fit a couple of perches,nail to post,add ladder simples

Cathryn



Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion
PostPosted: Fri May 29, 15 11:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We're working on this kind of idea. Adapting one of the arks. It's an old Forsham, wish they were still going. They made such high quality hen houses.

chez



Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset
PostPosted: Fri May 29, 15 11:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I think there's a River Cottage design floating round with a ladder for them to get up in to it. I will have a look. Internet connection is running at Mochyn-speed currently though

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism
PostPosted: Fri May 29, 15 12:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Cathryn wrote:
A pen isn't free range. I don't want a pen, they are relatively safe during the day. That's relative though as I lost four new ones during the day when I was in the house. I'd just pulled the run away to get them used to wandering the garden.


They can't free range if they've been munched. I only meant pen them up when you go out, so most of the time they free range.

Foxes are very clever so even if you put something on stilts you may still get losses due to them.

NorthernMonkeyGirl



Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4584
Location: Peeping over your shoulder
PostPosted: Fri May 29, 15 1:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Chez wrote:
I think there's a River Cottage design floating round with a ladder for them to get up in to it. I will have a look. Internet connection is running at Mochyn-speed currently though




Wobbly ladder for birds, sturdy human ladder only used for egg collecting.

chez



Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset
PostPosted: Fri May 29, 15 2:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Yup, that's the one!

sean
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42207
Location: North Devon
PostPosted: Fri May 29, 15 2:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Jack would be delighted with a load of those on his lawn I reckon.

chez



Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset
PostPosted: Fri May 29, 15 2:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Especially if he was asked to put them up. Can we watch?

Cathryn



Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion
PostPosted: Fri May 29, 15 3:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Chez wrote:
Especially if he was asked to put them up. Can we watch?


I want the hens to be safe! I believe he is currently coffee housing as he knows I have A Plan that will have to involve him and a saw.


T - yes I see what you mean and yes I feel bad at continuing to want to have hens despite their at times limited life expectancy. It went so smoothly for so many years.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45374
Location: yes
PostPosted: Fri May 29, 15 3:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

if the ladder pegs are all on one side and the pole can turn if used by something bigger than a chook ......

vegplot



Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd
PostPosted: Fri May 29, 15 3:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

A woman with a plan. That can be terrifying.

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