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Chicken keepers

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Original poster

my crazy idea about keeping chickens under the decking...

75 replies

BabyDubsEverywhere · 16/04/2011 21:15

Okay, i need some perspective.

my new plan to encorporate chooks into new smaller backgarden is to have a raised decking area, about 3-4 foot above the ground, and have the chickens under it, so an area of about 9 meters x 3 meters. what do you think??

I need to put the wine down dont i :(

Grin
OP posts:
Original poster
BabyDubsEverywhere · 17/04/2011 20:06

Wonder if we could incorporate a slide coming off one end of the decking to placate the hobbits, a little play house a that end, the whole family and the pets all in one custom unit - my gosh this could work!

OP posts:
Original poster
BabyDubsEverywhere · 17/04/2011 20:08

I have put sunpipes on my list for Ken the chippy, they best be real things!

OP posts:
chickchickchicken · 17/04/2011 20:08

we have a krypton factor obstacle run in our run so dont see why not. ds designed it. obviously inherited my design flare Wink

chickchickchicken · 17/04/2011 20:09

yep seen sunpipes on grand designs. people had built an underground house.....makes us sound sensible dontcha think

Original poster
BabyDubsEverywhere · 17/04/2011 20:10

how about more of an open middle section, a bridge joining two ends of decking?

An end for seating,
Middle exposed for chooks daylight needs with bridge over,
An end end for kids play house slide swing climbing wall...

OP posts:
Original poster
BabyDubsEverywhere · 17/04/2011 20:13

AHHHHH

my first active convo!

Blush
OP posts:
MollieO · 17/04/2011 20:27

You could add a sun pipe for extra light...

MollieO · 17/04/2011 20:29

Sorry ignore that I see chick is there already Grin

Original poster
BabyDubsEverywhere · 17/04/2011 20:31

Just been looking up on sunpipes, could i do a blue peter job, they seem expensive,

How about a mirror system like they used in the pyramids??

OP posts:
KatyMac · 17/04/2011 20:39

OK how big is the garden?

KatyMac · 17/04/2011 20:40

I have several ideas............give me facts

Original poster
BabyDubsEverywhere · 17/04/2011 20:47

the available area for this plan is 3meters by 10 meters, havent measured the rest of the space, but with th dogs bit, the rabbits bit, the [piggies bit the raised sectioned tortoise bit, the kids bit, well you get the picture, not much left Grin

As a plus i have just found mirror roll on ebay, i could do the whole three sides - totaling 15ish meters for under 100. that would solve the light problem surely? then i could go with plan a total decking???

OP posts:
chickchickchicken · 17/04/2011 21:05

if you do have a bridge in the middle you could have a fishing rod dangling into their run. instead of a hook you could have one of those grab things and then the kids could fish for eggs. of course you would have to put foam over the metal grab things...would be just silly otherwise as the eggs will break

KatyMac · 17/04/2011 21:07

How many chickens do you want?

eg I have 2 in an eglu is this not enough?

I am thinking about a C shaped deck with a missing hole which leads on to the garden with the hutch below the deck, so the space is open to the air? This could be 1.5m by 3m? with deck 3m or either side and running 1.5m along the whole length (or you could offset the chickens to one side or the other

Original poster
BabyDubsEverywhere · 17/04/2011 21:28

C shaped is a bloomin good idea, Smile

L shape could also work for the shape of the garden...or maybe O, or H, with the middle of the H being a bridge...

I'm going to map it out in the garden tomorrow and see where the sun hits most, want as much light as poss to be filtering into the whole run.

think i might do rope netting instead of mesh on the top, that might blend in better with wood?

Watch this space guys Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
BabyDubsEverywhere · 17/04/2011 21:29

novelty fishing rods, with cabbages on the end to get the chooks moving, what kid wouldnt love that!

OP posts:
chickchickchicken · 17/04/2011 21:38

Grin come to think of it i have one of those ebay gadgets which i hang vegetables on. my girls love it

KatyMac · 17/04/2011 21:42

But with my idea the 'hole' in the c or the l would be open covered in mesh so they wouldn't be under the deck, only the hutch would be

Original poster
BabyDubsEverywhere · 17/04/2011 21:49

but what do i do with the rest of the space then? what else could i put under there?

As you can see i am quite taken with the idea of something living under my decking Grin

And no - not rats Grin

OP posts:
KatyMac · 17/04/2011 21:55

Well you might be, but storage may be more practical & at least then you aren't sitting over poo

chickchickchicken · 17/04/2011 21:56

fish Grin

Original poster
BabyDubsEverywhere · 17/04/2011 21:58

hehe, well yes that would be nice i supose, but Ive got storage to death in the house. Cant really get the height to make it ideal for the kids to use....

DH likes the H plan, well he will when i show him my doodles Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
BabyDubsEverywhere · 17/04/2011 21:58

Fish! now whos nuts! haha

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chickchickchicken · 17/04/2011 21:59

fish could work Grin at least cats or herons cant get through the gaps in the decking to eat them

Debs41 · 25/07/2011 11:34

Not sure about that one! Depends on how high above the ground the decking is! I dont think I would do it personally, as the chickens would leave alot of mess under there and if it isnt cleaned out under there, it would get probably get disease ridden after a while. Plus if they spilled any of their feed, you could get a mouse or rat problem under there too

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