Henhouse.

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

Our hens were in the mews which was for raptor rescue, but because it was built around trees, it was leaky and generally a pain in the neck.
After much cajolling, I have a new henhouse built by my husband, to custom specifications dictated to me by the hens :giggle::rolleyes:

Needless to say, it's superb, I love it, and the hens are so happy they are all laying every day. (crosses fingers and toes) The coca cola bottle you see, is filled with heavy iron sand and water, and is the counterbalance which automatically shuts one of the gates. The back yard is divded into three mini paddocks, so there is rotational grazing :D

So here it is:

Front from the outside mews. The coca cola bottle is filled with heavy iron sand, and water, hanging from a sash cord, and is the counterweight to automatically close the gate behind me...

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/Angladrion/henhouse/1.jpg



Back from outside mews: Note the little hatch doors which enable me to have paddock one, which is this one above..., and their scratch area, shut, the main mews door shut, and their only grass the paddock to the left, open....



http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/Angladrion/henhouse/2a.jpg




Front close up:



http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/Angladrion/henhouse/2.jpg




Back close up: Note the guttering. That was added when I discovered that even condensation (never mind rain) dripped onto my back while doing chook chores.




http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/Angladrion/henhouse/3.jpg



Egg boxes and food shelf from inside:




http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/Angladrion/henhouse/5.jpg




Egg boxes from outside: The wooden eggs were also turned and made by my husband when we first got the hens... each nest has a cardboard under piece, because I've learned from experience that a broken egg makes a mess...




http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/Angladrion/henhouse/7.jpg

Food shelf from outside:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/Angladrion/henhouse/8.jpg



Nicole goes to lay:



http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/Angladrion/henhouse/6.jpg



The perch extends right along, and the tray under the perch can slide out outside, but in practice, it's easier to drop the side, and just poop scoop every morning by leaning inside.


http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/Angladrion/henhouse/4.jpg

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

Apart from hinges, and some specific timber, most of this was made from pallets the books came on, stuff already put aside, because "it might have a use one day.. or materials bought from the recycle centre. We also used the semi-clear stuff which had been used to enclose the old henhouse.

I leave the side down on fine days, and the hens sometimes sit on the side looking out, and preening....

[Wonder-Full]

Wow! That's super duper flash! Love the grape vines hanging down outside too.

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

Here was the old henhouse, which literally ran with water in the winter, and got damp, and was just revolting in heavy rain. The hens didn't like it, and neither did I.

I sufficed until I'd gone through a winter, and decided it was just not on...

Looking in the door. My husband had enclosed it, to stop the wind, but nothing stopped water sieving down the tree trunks...

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/Angladrion/henhouse/9.jpg

The lower perch. There is a higher one, but it's to the left. Also, the hens used to try to get up on the higher bends of the tree trunks. http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/Angladrion/henhouse/10.jpg

One of the nesting boxes:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/Angladrion/henhouse/11.jpg

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

Wow! That's super duper flash! Love the grape vines hanging down outside too.

The roof also lifts up if I need it to.. .. the whole thing can be taken apart in sections in order to get it out of the mews, and it all goes back together again. it's not light though. I nearly bust a boiler getting it up the back with my husband and was covered in bruises the next day...

Flash? I think it's simple and practical. It's dry and relatively draft free, and easy to clean. The perch lifts out to be scraped down if need be.... There are corner vents as well as the corrugated roof humps provide ventilation....

A huge amount of thought went into this :D

We have huge quantities of grapes all trained in various directions. Which means just loads of wasps at the moment.

I have to be really careful in the garden, because the wasps are semi drunk on over ripe grapes and seem to be more prepared to sting... At least, Peter, anyway...

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

the grapevine wends its way around and through my vegetable garden, and can be a real menace, as it sags under the weight of fruit. This was taken in December 2009 as part of my tomato photo record...

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/Angladrion/henhouse/12.jpg

[Wonder-Full]

One of the nesting boxes:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/Angladrion/henhouse/11.jpg






what fantastically trained chickens to lay directly into trays for you...:p:giggle:

Your garden looks really lovely. Wasps - urgh, ds got stung a couple of times when he accidentally annoyed a nest about a month ago, poor wee fella wasn't too impressed about that (nor dh who also got attacked even after leaving the scene!).

[magical1]

Seriously jealous... this is a such a great set up.

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

It is, and every day I love it more and more... :D

[3monkeys]

I have hen house envy too :D

[Seaweed]

I'm a very nice shade of bright chartreuse at the moment. The person who built my hen houses was not very good at ergonomics!

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

My husband spent quite a bit of time watching how the hens did things, looking at what I asked for, and what their movements were, so he was able to work it out very well...

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

betach, is this what you wanted?

[Tici]

What lucky hens! Its a palace!

Im going to show my parents i reckon their hens are miserable in their little shack.

I love it :)