Fencing

After placing the posts into the ground we dug down (atleast 12 inches) so that the wire could be placed into the soil and then bent back (outwards) so that if a fox does dig down he will hit wire.

The wire will be done in three sections - the first into the ground and upto waist height.Then upto head height and then the last wire will be bent outwards (onto the pieces of wood attached to the posts) so that if a fox does climb up the wire he will fall back onto himself. You attach the sections of wire together with tying wire pulled taught and secured at one end.

We planted excess raspberry and blackberry plants near to the wire..Great for the hens to eat the bugs and the prickles should help to deter predators.

Nearly finished!!!  But its time to go home :)

Re-erecting A Foodstore

We decided that we needed a foodstore/general hut for our medicine cabinet, egg laying count book,bedding etc.. A shed was donated and rebuilt onto our site...

The coop is on the left (with the ladder leaning against it)..Foodstore on the right.

Making a Chicken Coop :>

We got our idea for our chicken coop from this wonderful site - It allows you to look at the plans as long as they are only for your use. We have amended it to suit our needs and send a big squeezy hug of thanks to them for their wonderful information. Here is their link;-

http://www.buildeazy.com/chicken_coop_metric_1.html

Side view of the coop with the window on the left..

Finished coop with the egg box (where the hens will lay their eggs).

Waterproofed laying box

From the side...We still have to sort out our two exits (one that goes into our Winter pasture and one that goes into our Summer pasture).

Chicken Course

We have booked our chicken course for the 27th February (Sunday) in the afternoon 1 - 4 ...Our hosts are Ann and Ben - Here is their website;-

http://www.gardenandchicken.co.uk/

It's funny how we are so nervous yet excited - our building work is about to begin again after the Christmas break..Not long until we have our chickens : >

Internal Fencing

Dividing the Summer and Winter Pastures..

Catch up :>

Our rules are in place and everyone is in the process of signing the memberships..We have now voted in a Committee and are in the process of finishing off the building work...

The chicken coop leaked after heavy rainfall..So it was decided to paint the roof in black bitumin paint... All is fine now :) 

The foodstore .....Footings were finished off and it has been moved over from an allotment plot (it was a shed) and re-erected in its new place.

Raspberry canes were planted around the fencing...To help deter foxes and let the chooks munch on the bugs.

We contacted a local company who are in the process of arranging a course one Saturday/ Sunday morning for us..They will cover everything that we need to know about having chickens. More details later..

Things still to do..

Finish off the fencing.

Cement the coop area.

Build the internal gates.

Build the Isolation Coop.

Make the perches and internal shutter system for the chicken coop.

Lots to do...But we'll get it done ;)

Chooktopia project