I was going through some old pictures and ran across some shots of our first hen house. In 2005, we adopted 5 hens. My husband built a very cute little hen house for them out of lumber scraps. Our flock has grown over the years so now they have their own room inside the barn. But, this was a fun way to start.
The little ramp folds up and locks at night to keep the critters out. There is a large door on the front right so I could get in there to clean. The bottom has a wire floor covered with straw. There are two rails for roosting. They all liked to use the one up top so they could look out their "window" (the ventilation screen).
On the side, my husband hung their feeder under a little patio so the rain wouldn't soak it. Oh, and an old lawn tractor tire makes a perfect base for their waterer.
On the side, my husband hung their feeder under a little patio so the rain wouldn't soak it. Oh, and an old lawn tractor tire makes a perfect base for their waterer.
On the back of the hen house, my husband mounted a door for easily accessing the nesting boxes. There is a piece of plywood mounted at an angle, slanting away, above the nestboxes so any droppings from hens on the rails above will not contaminate their nests.
Here's a view into the interior through the door on the right. The girls are supervising my intrusion into their lair.
If you have considered raising hens, I heartily encourage you to do so. We absolutely love our chickens. They are funny and sweet. OK, yes, they are often quite daft. But, that is part of what makes them endearing. Chickens are good comedy.
Ours range free during the day. Not only does that make their eggs healthier, but it also keeps down the number of bugs in my garden. As long as you give them a place to live that is safe from predators, they are pretty easy keepers.
If you have considered raising hens, I heartily encourage you to do so. We absolutely love our chickens. They are funny and sweet. OK, yes, they are often quite daft. But, that is part of what makes them endearing. Chickens are good comedy.
Ours range free during the day. Not only does that make their eggs healthier, but it also keeps down the number of bugs in my garden. As long as you give them a place to live that is safe from predators, they are pretty easy keepers.
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