Author Topic: Static Position for Hen House and Run  (Read 4049 times)

BockingBill

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Static Position for Hen House and Run
« on: June 11, 2008, 13:05:08 »
We have just purchased 2 chickens and 2 quails + an ark so that we can move them around the garden. However, space is limited and we we would like to give them a bigger run. To achieve this we were wondering if we could build a "static" henhouse and run but are wondering is this an advisable course of action?

Any advice greatly received

Poet

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Re: Static Position for Hen House and Run
« Reply #1 on: June 11, 2008, 13:29:38 »
we have a static run on soil with aubiose on top.  Once a month the pooey aubiose gets raked out and put on the compost heap, Garden lime is dug into the soil, stalosan f is sprinkled over the top and then fresh aubiose goes down.

if you have your run on concrete slabs then you could just rake out the dirty bedding and jet wash the flags and then put fresh bedding in.

here's our run



« Last Edit: June 11, 2008, 13:32:37 by Poet »

GodfreyRob

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Re: Static Position for Hen House and Run
« Reply #2 on: June 11, 2008, 13:54:24 »
We have just purchased 2 chickens and 2 quails + an ark so that we can move them around the garden. However, space is limited and we we would like to give them a bigger run. To achieve this we were wondering if we could build a "static" henhouse and run but are wondering is this an advisable course of action?

Any advice greatly received

Trouble with small static runs is that any grass get stripped and it becomes a smelly swamp with any rain. I have had just 6 hens in a run 12'x20' and they stripped it in a matter of weeks!

If you can arrange to have two runs, you could alternate between them to rest one side while the hens scratch on the other.
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Poet

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Re: Static Position for Hen House and Run
« Reply #3 on: June 11, 2008, 16:35:58 »
our run has a roof and is against the fence so is protected from one side.  Other people I know attach shower curtains to the sides of their runs in particularly bad weather.

We let the girls free range round the garden when we're there to supervise them and when the weather is clement.

Works for us!

Patrick King

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Re: Static Position for Hen House and Run
« Reply #4 on: June 11, 2008, 18:40:31 »
I have a static run up the allotment.
if on soil, make sure you put 12-18inches of mesh into the ground to stop foxes etc digging in.
If you can cover the top and 1 or 2 sides that will keep most of the soil dry.

if on concret, make sure you have a thick slab as rats/mice will dig a hole up into it. so i have been told.
My plot - http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,40512.0.html
Foxes don't burrow, they only dig

 

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