General coop advice needed please

[boybabies]

Newbie question here - planning on getting 3 chickens soon, still overhauling garden at present.
I would prefer a plastic coop for ease, it seems solway, greenfrog and omlet are the only possibles?
I like the Up version by eglu as I suffer from back issues and all the others appear very low.
Does anyone know of an alternative?
Also has anyone managed to install an automatic door on an eglu?
Has anyone constructed their own run to attach to a plastic coop? The ones provided seem a little small, albeit I plan to free range when I'm home to supervise.

[dobby2001]

Hiya
We have a green frog design with a run made from wood panels bought and put together by DH. Perches are broom handles and it works a treat. Soil base which is kept clean but poo picking and biodri weekly . It works well for us. Been keeping hens about 4 years now.

[Sadieatthebridge]

Interested in the replies as we're on our way to getting a few chickens

We've decided on plastic too, boy. We're leaning towards the Solway at the moment - we're thinking of just building a frame to raise it up a bit. Do you think that would work? Any experienced chicken-keepers?

I love your run dobby. We'd do similar, but we're trying to fit the run around an existing shed. Just to use the space up really.

[Saz12]

I've a wooden coop which is about 9 years old now, and is fine. Is perfectly easy to clean, no awkward wee nooks, never had red mite, etc. I'm lazy about wood preserver, but despite that it's still perfectly sound. There are some great wooden houses, and some terrible ones, of course!
It's on tall-ish legs, which is great because they can get extra shelter underneath the house in wet weather, and is v accessible for egg collection/cleaning/etc.
Fine to raise coop up on a stand, but you'd need to be careful of how secure it was. It might be difficult to keep the coop accessible but have enough of a "lip" on the platform to make it secure.

[Ditsy4]

Oh my! I didn't know there was a chicken keepers thread.

Can you lend DH out! Brilliant run.
I have a wooden one with run under and to the side. I have been letting them out in the garden but they sat in my daffodils and then cut a whole lot down. I want to section off some garden for them. I was going to use picket fencing which you can move but we live near farm land and there are probably foxes about. Now trying to decide between panels- how high? Or fencing. Locally I have only seen rolls of chicken wire but I saw a pen the other day where the wire was rigid and think that might be better. Your views welcome. I had four ex battery but one pecked one and she died.

[Saz12]

Ditsy - depends on if you're trying to keep chickens in (easy) or foxes out (difficult!). If only to keep chickens separate from plants, then a chicken wire fence of about 4ft would be enough (assuming chooks are full grown...when they are "teenagers" they are more inclined to fly).

[Ditsy4]

Well both really. I'm out at work all day so they stay in the run. I let them out for a while before work and when I get home. Run is supposed to be big enough to house them in. One can fly over into next door, the other two don't bother. So I would like to keep them out of next door and I don't really want to come home to find them slaughtered. I'm really fond of them already. I suppose it is just the risk you have to take but there has been a fox sighted, in the field behind our house, by a neighbour a few doors away.
The house and run are a funny shape so difficult to make a run to fit. I didn't buy the coop/run there is a story behind it. I don't know how to make links but it is a house with run under and extended in sections with a slanted roof. I can't move it as it is too heavy and won't take it. I would like to extend their pen so they have a few metres extra but can't decide what to buy for the best.
They love being in the garden but are wreaking it and I am a keen gardener.

OP Sorry to hi jack your thread but hope this is helpful to you too.

[Leopard12]

Hi would definitely recommend trying to build something like dobbys that looks great! My garden is much longer than it is wide so we simply put a fence across the bottom part, made of chicken wire with a wooden frame and gate, ours wasn't high but as they were rescued ex battery hens (recommend) they'd already had wings clipped and couldn't get very high. We got a hutch with run so we could lock them away if we wouldn't be able to lock up the house at dusk and was useful for letting them settle in, as ex bats they'd never been outside before and were terrified of even going down the ramp for the first two days but they were out all day every day in their section of garden after that (I'm rubbish at measurements but it was big enough for a 12ft trampoline in the middle, probably 4 trampolines if all the bushes and shed was removed). Another thing mine really enjoyed digging, we had one plant bedding box in their area and we often turned over the soil in there and they would go mad getting in the way of the spade trying to get the worms first and they really like bushes to shelter under. If you do let them out even for a few hours they will enjoy ripping up your grass and nice plants so be warned!

[Leopard12]

To be totally fox proof a extended run with roof would be the best option like a rabbit run or nice and tall like dobbys, mine was never raided by fixes during the day, I think the loud jack Russell's who were always out on one side and the Alsatian on the other probably helped! the quite small fence had chicken wire higher than the wood and some plant toughs on top to deter things from getting over and a 6ft fence on the other side but neither fox proof and unfortunately one night a fox managed to get in through lifting the nesting box lid and killed 2/3 chickens.

[Ditsy4]

I did think it wasn't so secure and I keep a brick on mine. Off to look at dobbys. Thanks.

[Ditsy4]

We have a coop with a run but I think they need more room. Discovered loads of chicken runs on Pinterest. Do go and have a look ...some posh palaces!

Decided on the stronger mesh and think I will ask friend's son to build it. He is good at that and they had chickens. The panels are quite expensive so will see if he can do it for cheaper plus his wage. Then I will get something that fits.
Found a piece of plastic mesh to stop them getting in veg patch. Don't know where it came from but perfect size and now nailed to shed and fence.