Thankfully, the company we bought the flat pack coop from were as good as their word, and delivered 4 large boxes late on Friday. We spent this afternoon constructing two of them to create what you see above.
It come complete with 3 internal perches, and 3 nesting spaces, and a metal floor that removes completely to that its easier to clean. There's a good sized pop hole at the front, and a hinged back door too, as well as a door that lifts and can be fixed open over the nest box area. It was remarkably simple to construct, so the iGit did the technical bit, and screwed it all together, and I worked as the human equivalent of a work bench and held everything together whilst he worked to secure it.
There are two runs as well, which can go adjacent to each other, to make one long run, or either side of the coop to create two separate runs. It started to drizzle, so we stopped whilst we were ahead, and will construct those another day.
I still haven't decided whether to paint it pretty colours. It is pressure treated, and the legs all have adjustable rubber feet to help prevent water ingress and rotting, so it doesn't need to be painted, but I am not sure I can live with the colour it is ; it pokes you in the eye. I will think about it this week, so watch this space. If you have any suggestions for beautifying it, do share, always open to new ideas.
Comments
Thing is, I looked at Sheds with a view to perhaps converting, but this complete with runs worked out better price wise, delivered and will be easier to clean!
I'll get the knitting pattern in the post to you tonight, just have to scan it.
Not being a lover of 'brown' wood painted might be nicer. It may actually mellow to a slightly less vivid hue anyway.
Happy hen-keeping!
Painting or not - do you remember the painted chicken houses at the Chelsea Flower Show the year before last, blended in with a surrounding lavender hedge?
I suppose it matters much where you want them to be set - whether you want them noticed or camouflaged.
Esther
yes I do - wasnt it on the Hillier Stand? Also recall some fabulous bee hives that year I think too in the garden that won best in show, although its name escapes me at the moment. Think it might have been Christopher Bradley-Hole's meadowy offering.
I cant decide whether I want it to be a 'feature' or whether I want it to recede and be less obvious. I generally go with the latter for utility buildings in the garden, and they get painted Old English Green, which is the same colour you find at cricket pavilions. It simply disappears into the landscape. I even painted all the fences this colour, because I cant stand all the muddy browns they usually are, and they do seem less obvious to my eye in this colour. I'd have hedges all round if I could.
Only exception to this is an aged WBC Hive and that is in the ubiquitous white, and despite it not having bees in ( I use it to store my hand tools etc), it does look pretty set amongst the roses.
The wood colour will mellow with age, which is worth considering before you get the paint brushes out.
Yes, true, one less job to do on a regular basis to keep it looking good, although I quite like the faded glory of shabby chic too. ( that's lazy lady speak for tatty around the edges - not unlike me, in fact! *sniggers*)
hmmm - I had visions of 'The Prisoner' reading that, with my hens running around clucking, 'I am not a number, I am a free hen'.
I am still toying with the idea - cream and a soft green appeals - I may have to take myself off to one of those DIY warehouses and check if the colour wood treatments are suitable use on animal housing.