Raffles Chicken House

Having kept fowl for nearly 20 years in various inherited coups and sheds. I have never been entirely happy with their build. Knowing the problems encountered with keeping chickens and having designed and built over 150 garden buildings, I designed this chicken house.

Cleaning and Maintenance
The nesting boxes are positioned so when collecting the eggs a view of the interior is provided, food, water and the general state of hygiene is seen daily. Double doors open in one gable end, roosting bars and dropping trays can be removed then four planks lifted to enable man and barrow access for easy maintenance. Clearing the dropping trays takes less than one minute. A Complete strip and hose down within an hour.

Vermin
Rats and mice are attracted by the food and shelter. The building is raised on concrete blocks forming a small store and stanchions support the front walls.

Parasites
I once had an infection of mites in an old tongue + Grove constructed commercial shed. I was horrified to see how many of these creatures merged from cracks and joints. I have built from plywood and sealed joints in this construction.

Ventilation Control
The walls and door are insulated and the window is positioned to face south, four points of ventilation enable control of the atmosphere within.

Decoration
The function of the building dictated its shape and with a minimum of stick work a single colour to the exterior was all that was needed to make an attractive structure. All that was required inside was a bitumastic paint applied to the floors and lower walls, then white emulsion paint to the upper walls and ceiling.

The Run
An octagonal area of 90 square meters in enclosed with polythene net 2 meters high, concrete anchors it to the ground. While having a healthy fox population I have had no signs of entry in the last three years. Six birds have run on this turf in that period without becoming stale. If more birds were to be introduced or a less area available, a section would be netted and gravelled to condition of the grass could be maintained.

The cost of this building inclusive of foundations,
Delivery and 17.5 % VAT               £ 4,500.00