Building a new run

[Castara]

Thanks Marigold , a font of wisdom as usual , The familly want a Brown one , a White one and I like a dark one :-? So..... the 'Colombian Black tails' Look great , Deffinatly one of those girls , love the little black tails and nice darker plumage round the neck and possibly the 'Amber star' Although I like the pure white of the 'White star' . , but their flightiness concerns me. So maybe not . But I really do like the darker birds like 'Black rock ' and the 'Black star' and Copper blacks but they are listed as good for free ranging etc....sigh :roll: would one, be un happy in my little run ???? With the addition of frequent accompanied strolls around the garden and I have 3, 6 x 4 sheets of 1" steel cage ( from a pond job ) . I was gonna make a Moble little run to move about the garden as well for fresh grass n bugs , might even set it up in the flower beds as well , I could do with digging out some of the herbacious plants :lol: . It would be nice to find a breeder that stocks what we want i.e. 3 different / suitable breeds in one stop I've been looking at widgits farm http://widgits.co.uk/index.html
and Golden valley poultry http://www.billstrudwick.com/gvp/thebreed.htm
Any thoughts?

 

[Marigold]

I got my first hybrids from Golden Valley (and every now and then I return to the link to hear the chickens singing!) that was a few years ago but my birds were fine and they had been kept in good conditions. When I went there was plenty of choice, the ones for sale were all in together in a straw-covered indoor barn run and as you say it will be very much better to buy them all from one place because then you won't have problems quarantining them or integrating an odd one out of the three. Mine were about 22 -23 weeks old I think, in lay but with the stress of the move they all stopped for a week or two, not uncommon. But since then I get new pullets 16-18 weeks and let them grow on and settle in before they start to lay, then the first eggs are a wonderful pleasure and it's better for the birds and they get tamer by 22 weeks than if bought as unhandled adults from a bigger flock. Swings and roundabouts!
A good white one is a Silver Star- mine has lovely soft feathers, lays really well, quite small and isn't flighty. In any case they all calm down once in lay and settled.
The place I would really recommend is Chalk Hill Poultry, between Blandford and Wiltshire, but this may be a bit far for you as I don't know where you are, but worth the trip see www.chalkhillpoultry.co.uk I think. Nick has hybrids all out to grass and exceptionally high standards of care, lovely birds, (including my Marigold, see avatar!) features in last months and next months Prictical Poultry magazine if you get it.

 

[Chuck]

I wouldn't be put off by White Leghorn type by the 'flighty' label. They are great characters and the very large pure white eggs are something special. Not only is it best to get them from the same place, it's best if they come from the same pen or house, so they have lived together which will cut down on any settling in fighting. It's unlikely that you will get Black Rocks and Black Stars in the same place as the Black Rocks are sold through agents. The Black Rocks were bred for their hardiness which made them very suitable for free range but it doesn't mean they can't be confined to a reasonable space, though some owners say they do not live well with other types. Don't get too hung up on the names either as the same types are sold under different names depending on where they were bred or reared. Therefore Amber Star, Amber Link, Amber Ranger are all the same way bred. So if you fancy a Black Star (RIR x Barred Plymouth Rock) I'd go for one.

 

[Castara]

Cheers Chuck

 

[Castara]

Thanks Marigold Might have to pay golden valley a visit. Chalk hills a bit far for me

 

[Marigold]

There was a good choice of breeds at Golden Valley when I went so you should be able to come away with 3 different-looking girls. One of mine was a Blacktail and she was a super little girl. You could ring beforehand to ask what they've got in stock.
So is the coop and run ready, then?
I put my hens out on various areas of lawn using a length of chicken netting and poles. More adaptable than wood framed panels, fits the curves and goes into whatever spaces I've got, also easy to move and takes up little storage space if not in use. But I know you like making things!

 

[Marigold]

Have just looked at the website for Widgets Farm as well and it looks OK. Good that they have their hybrids out to grass. But with any breeder new to you, you just have to go along and have a look and if you're not happy with what you find, be prepared to come home without any birds. Better moaning children in the back of the car than sickly chickens once you get there!

 

[Castara]

True, Moaning children are bad , sick moaning children are worse, And I don't even wont to think about sick moaning chickens.

 

[Castara]

Marigold ..... It aint ready .. Almost, honest

 

[Castara]

Cutting the nest box hole and the rest of the framing

 

[Castara]

get some Primer on

 

[Castara]

There is a plan

 

[Castara]

Pop hole time

 

[Castara]

Pop hole time, a piece a 2"x2" goes on the bottom . Rounded the top corners of the door for smother movement . Two holes in the top corners (take care to make them even so the door hangs balanced), Off for painting now

 

[Castara]

Nest boxes taking shape Still some more work on them (Top, Lid, Back ) to do

 

[Castara]

Primer done Cheers Dad 08

 

[Castara]

The Girls been busy on some decorations , Looks like its " Chicks in space "

 

[chrismahon]

Quick tip Castara, although it may be too late. Allow 3 mm sliding clearance for your pop-hole. The ply will distort when the outer surface absorbs moisture, so the door curves slightly and sticks.

'The Devil is in the detail' is an appropriate description of the build process. I find that once the main panels are built it takes as long to get it assembled, painted and put all the theft 'resistant' hinges and bolts on (not screwed but headless bolted). It takes nearly as long to build the nest box as the coop.

 

[Castara]

Sound advice. The runners have gone off to the 'Old Man' painting dept. So theirs still time for 3mm . On the subject of sliding doors . I have to tackle the venting in the coop . I want a line of 30-40mm holes Set about every 100mm along the top of the front and back of the coop , ( the roof slopes so it should carry the airflow up and out ) In front of these I would like to construct a horizontal sliding door system with holes in it so that by sliding the horizontal door you could line up the two sets of holes for full air flow or close the gap down by sliding the door and decrease the air flow .. Originally I was going to do something like the pop hole system turned on its side, but the ply has turned out to be rubbish, and I don't trust it not to warp all over the place if not secured with framing. So I'm thinking of different things Got a lot of scrap tongue and grove laying about but again its prone to warping if not fixed down I could go buy a bit a decent timber , but I got a 6' x4' sheet of 1mm galvenised sheet , thought of trying to cut a strip of that and put holes in it , but it would be tricky to cut, However tonight while shifting things about in the garden tryin to make space for all the seasonal bedding plants we sell I found a piece of metal bar we use for kid proofing ponds. It has a grove set in it to take panels across a pond (I'll get a pic tomorrow) , but I could use it as runners for a piece of TnG or somink ???. It would only stick out a couple of cm (nice and tidy) and being metal wont warp in the damp/ sun (if we ever see that again )

 

[Castara]

Your right about the fixings got a box of bits I;ve been collecting , might invest in some new specks when it comes to fitting it all , You use headless bolts? I'm probably being thick but why ???