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chicken arks

 
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crackapple



Joined: 19 Jun 2005
Posts: 204
Location: teeside
PostPosted: Mon Jul 18, 05 7:13 pm    Post subject: chicken arks Reply with quote
    

Does anyone have plans/drawings for a chicken ark? it needs to be small enough for 2 chooks.

monkey1973



Joined: 17 Jan 2005
Posts: 683
Location: Bonnie scotland
PostPosted: Mon Jul 18, 05 7:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

'Fraid not. I would recommend looking in the classifieds of country smallhoder for example and taking inspiration from the various designs in there. Or you could always try the eglu! See link below
https://www.omlet.co.uk/products_services/products_services.php
onsiderations I would give to a small ark would be a hinged or removable roof to allow easy cleaning along with externally mounted nest boxes. The more you can make the ark segmental the easier to clean and move the thing. Oh, and put a couple of long handles along either side so that you and a friend can shift the thing easily.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism
PostPosted: Mon Jul 18, 05 7:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I posted this in an earlier thread, if you can spare a few pounds it's a good book for designs.

Quote:
A good book to give you some ideas on methods, sizes etc is:

Poultry House Construction by Michael Roberts ISBN 0947870 210

It has plans for arks, fold units, houses etc from 1 to 10 hens. It's a small book but I found it a good beginners guide.

It's published by: www.goldcockerelbooks.co.uk and they have other useful books. (The books may be cheaper elsewhere)

I'll add to the web links when my other PC comes back to life.

After reading Alisons comments about foxes I'd recommed always using screws rather than nails when attaching the outside boards of a coop.


The old thread may also be helpfull so here it is:

https://forum.downsizer.net/about1830.html

crackapple



Joined: 19 Jun 2005
Posts: 204
Location: teeside
PostPosted: Tue Jul 19, 05 9:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

thanks for your help. i would also appreciate information on welsummers as i may be inheriting a pair.

Bugs



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

PostPosted: Tue Jul 19, 05 9:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Welsummers are the lady from the Wernlas Collection's favourite, she devoted half an article to them recently. Very pretty and not fussy, I would consider them in future.

I am sure that I saw somewhere once a list of sites having chicken house plans on but I can only find this one - too big for your needs I fear, but perhaps you can adapt it, and if might be useful to someone else in the future:

https://www.airflow.net/chukkies/diy.htm (click pic on right hand side for plans)

Stacey



Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow
PostPosted: Tue Jul 19, 05 10:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We have welsummers (along with cornish game, black rocks and a soggy old dorking rooster) The welsummers definitely give the best quality eggs. Black rocks are fab for going right through the winter but the welsumer eggs are creamy bright yellow yolks and quite large. They're not much of a problem and although the black rocks are supposed to be hardier the welsummers haven't had many problems at all.
We feed them GM free corn in the afternoon and free range layers pellets in the morning (both Allen & Paige, smallholder range) and all the grass, bugs and slugs they can eat.

BTW - we built our arks from huge pallets that we got from the local company who sell conservatories and the like. They sell the pallets that the conservatories are deliverd on for about £2.50 each. Loads and loads of wood for teeny amounts of money.

Last edited by Stacey on Tue Jul 19, 05 10:09 am; edited 1 time in total

Bugs



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

PostPosted: Tue Jul 19, 05 10:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Have you got any pictures handy, Stacey?

Stacey



Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow
PostPosted: Tue Jul 19, 05 10:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Of the arks or the chickens?
I'm charging up the camera as we speak to post some pics to another site. I'll nip out and take some when it's charged.

Bugs



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

PostPosted: Tue Jul 19, 05 10:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Well, originally for the Welsummers, because I'm interested, but now I read what your arks are made of would love to see one of those as well, if you have time (and don't mind!).

Stacey



Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow
PostPosted: Tue Jul 19, 05 2:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    



Hiding in the goat shelter (made from pallets)



Chicken house made from pallets






Obviously you'd want a much smaller house for only 2 chooks. So maybe those pics aren't much help after all

Bugs



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

PostPosted: Tue Jul 19, 05 2:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Ooh thanks Stacey - the birds are just as beautiful as I thought, they're going on my list (above or below Indian runner ducks?!).

The house is amazing, too, looks really professional (actually it looks better than *our* house let alone the thing we keep chickens in!) and totally unlike pallets. That's a really helpful tip to look in to for the future.

crackapple



Joined: 19 Jun 2005
Posts: 204
Location: teeside
PostPosted: Tue Jul 19, 05 4:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

thanx stacey, actually they have helped a lot. all i have to do is reduce the size a little, or buy more chooks!!

judith



Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire
PostPosted: Tue Jul 19, 05 4:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Definitely don't reduce the size. Give it a couple of weeks and you will have half a dozen birds in there

footprints



Joined: 26 May 2005
Posts: 234
Location: North Wales
PostPosted: Tue Jul 19, 05 6:31 pm    Post subject: Re: chicken arks Reply with quote
    

crackapple wrote:
Does anyone have plans/drawings for a chicken ark? it needs to be small enough for 2 chooks.

I have a home made "chook ark" sleeps six. Whats your budget?

crackapple



Joined: 19 Jun 2005
Posts: 204
Location: teeside
PostPosted: Wed Jul 20, 05 11:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

dont really have a budget as i already have access to enough wood. any ideas will be most welcome.

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