AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

Hello everyone,
I am going to build a completly new run etc that needs to be dog /fox proof. Just looking for ideas that people know work well in regards to brodies, nesting, night lock away etc. Also anything else you know is handy. At the moment I am thinking like an old garden shed type of thing as the basic hutch with a mesh run but no idea about good nesting boxes etc. Was thinking just a basic type of wood box with shredded newspaper? Will a hen be happy to nest on this also? Yeah well there are my very basic ideas... Anbody have any ideas for me?

Ta,
Maree

I use an old aluminium garden shed as their coop.
you can make a nest out of almost anything. many people use lawn mower catches, i have used computer screens, like i said anything, just has to be secluded.

Hi Maree the best pen i think is a shed with a 6 -7 foot high chicken wire fence going around it also dig it into into the ground about 1 foot deep(to keep out digging dogs and foxes) and if theres problems with birds of prey just put some bird mesh over the top.

or an avairy would work well also

as for the nesting boxes they will be happy with just about anything like peter said,i use wooden boxs and plastic containers.

and perches are important too you will need some under cover but make sure they arnt under concrete or any thing to hard as when they jump off the will hurt themselfs

stuart

I use avairies as pens, they are fully enclosed and either concrete or paving on the floor makes them secure, nothing can dig or climb in.

I use tree branches as perches they are readily available here and I just replace them when I do a spring (or whatever season) clean

For nest boxes, some people use old grass catchers, drums or boxes, chooks will use anything, they need to feel secluded and prefer darkness----I use old chorine drums and have also reused old chests of drawrs, by removing alternate draws, the hens like this and can also roost on top of it, hens often will teach the chicks to perch by first huddling onto the top of the drawersr

For broodies, hens with chicks I use rabbit hutches, most of which I have bought cheaply off ebay, they serve a couple of purposes, they keep the chicks safe from predation, they reduce the chicks exposure to adult birds until they have built up some resistance
I recycle what I can, you will be surprised what comes in useful

good luck, cheers pam

Thanks everyone. I am still in the process of getting it sorted but will let you know what I settle on. Ta

Hello Maree you can use any sort of shed or shed building material to build a hen house. I'm building at the moment with all recycled items like corri iron from the tip cost me $4 for more than enough, pine poles and 6ft chicken wire from the same place, 150mmx45mm timber for beams from a friend , the only new bits are nails, screws and some 3ft wire netting. Some important things are dig your wire or corri iron about 1ft or more into the ground and face the open end/side to the East I have some pics of mine in the gallery

I think the weather patterns may be different in WA. Here in Qld one is best to face the opening to the North as that is where we get the least rain and bad weather. East for us get all the rain from the coast coming in.

Just another thing, at this time of year tin sheds are nice & warm but don't forget to take in to account how hot our weather is up here & a garden shed or enclosed shed needs shade or an escape from the heat. Last week I saw stables that had been modified for chook pens, they where brilliant. They had actually taken out 1/2 the sides & front & wired it all up & left a section of tin off just below the roof, about 2 foot or so at the back & sides so the air can circulate under the roof.

yes CL i think they must be different we get most of our weather blowing N/NW then it goes West and finally S/SW never from the East just the morning summer breeze

It is amazing the differences from WA to the east coast. You guys never get to see the sun come up over the ocean and we never get to see it set over the ocean. Lucky our chooks are all pretty similar.