Which hen house should I buy?

[Yurtgirl]

I Am really keen to get some chooks - probably in the spring, but I am trying to settle on a hen house now

So these are my faves what do you think?

this one is £139 plus delivery £50

Cube mega £££

I am keen but otherwise a complete novice!

[Yurtgirl]

Or this one which might be easier to move about?

here

[SmileandWave]

Ooh chicken house porn. Do you know how big the actual house is in the first one? Eglu looks fab but lots of dosh.

Mine live in a converted dog kennel. You could always buy a cheap shed from B&Q and attach a run (avoid felt roof because of red mite). A shed would give you the option of having more chooks if you like keeping them. My DH stuck a perch in the dog kennel for them and they have a washing up bowl with straw in for a nesting box! They are happy as larry (whoever he is).

[ScaryHalloweenSquonkRAAR]

the first thing you have to think about is what type of chickens you are going to get.

If you're only planning on getting little bantams then you won't need as much space and your pop holes and doors can be smaller.

But if you're going to go for huge brahmas or orpingtons, you will need way more space.

Out of those three, I prefer the first one, but loads of people rave about the omlets, but I don't like them personally... I prefer something a little more rustic looking.

If you want to see my chickens, check out the profile (excited because we only got them yesterday )

[SmileandWave]

Hmmn, scratch that, shed idea not so hot if you want to move the house about. Not sure about Arks, they always look a bit cramped to me cos of the sloping sides?

[Yurtgirl]

Im not keen on arks either - which is why I like the £139 one. It is 2ft by 6ft

I was thinking about 3/4 smallish chickens or possibly bantums. I think I need to do some more reasearch about breeds!

I also prefer the 'rustic look' but also like the fact that an eglu looks really easy to clean - appallingly expensive though!

[SmileandWave]

I found this forumhere a great source of info when I was thinking about keeping hens. Loads of good advice on threads about housing etc

[ScaryHalloweenSquonkRAAR]

oh, if we're talking forums... they all seem quite friendly on here

[Yurtgirl]

Ooooh thanks Ill have a look at those forum links

I am really keen to go for it but it seems like quite a lot to spend on something that we might not like

Im loving the idea of fresh eggs though!

[SmileandWave]

Like that one too Sqounk. Will save myself and have a good nose on there tomorrow night

[ScaryHalloweenSquonkRAAR]

well, my vast experience (that would be about 34 hours so far ) tells me that you'll love it

[SmileandWave]

Top tip alert Yurtgirl! Don't google 'hen house' like I did with children near the computer. Comes up with brothels and prostitutes

[ScaryHalloweenSquonkRAAR]

[thesockmonsterofdoom]

I have a cube and I love it, takes about 5mins a day to clean out and is totally fox proof. is however very expensive. And the fresh eggs are worth every penny, this week I have no money, so I am selling eggs to pay for playgroup and things.

[Yurtgirl]

I am lusting after a cube...........

[TheDuchessOfNorksDied]

Are you going to let the hens out to free-range? Because houses with attached runs are always horribly small. Even the wretched cubes 'extended run' looks full with 4 hens in it.

If the hens are staying in, have a look at Smiths Sectional (sorry, it's too late to do links). You can buy houses from there with 9 or 12ft runs with outdoor perches. Lovely quality stuff.

[handlemecarefully]

I have an Eglu cube and a Forsham arks Broughton one (9 chooks). I do really like the Eglu cube for ease of cleaning but, there is no way of closing off the nesting area at night; consequently one of my chickens always sleeps in there (and shits in there)..thus crappy covered straw needs to be removed from that area every morning unless I want my eggs to be streaked with sh*t.

[Cadelaide]

The eglu cube blurb says the 2m run is "suitable for up to 6 chickens".

I disagree. Too small.

[handlemecarefully]

I have 4 in mine and wouldn't countenance any more

[Lauriefairycake]

I have a normal eglu - had it 4 years, still looks as good as the day I got it. (when I can be arsed to clean it).

It looks lonely with one chicken in it, the other died last week (RIP Henrietta - had 4 happy years)

Must get another.