New Poultry Hut Arrives
I ordered a new poultry house recently and it arrived on Thursday afternoon. Last night (Friday) was the first time that all my poultry have been in the same hut and they survived the night together!
The new hut is fabulous. It has a nest box and enclosed area for sleeping, a large covered run and a door that allows me full access to the run.
Front View Side View Enclosed Sleeping Area With Pop Hole
Open Pop Hole & Ladder Closed Pop Hole & Ladder
Nest Boxes Sleeping Area With Perches & Nest Boxes
My daily routine will be so much easier with this hut.
- I only have 1 feeder and drinker to change and refill instead of 6.
- I will only have 1 hut to clean out instead of 3.
- I only have one hut to let the poultry out of and get them back into, which is a great relief, since trying to distinguish one guinea fowl from another (so that they go into the correct hut) is not the easiest job in the world!
- I can actually stand inside the hut which will make cleaning out easier.
- The hut has an outside latch for egg collecting, if any hens decide to lay in the nest boxes that is!!
Let’s just hope that the poultry can all get along in their new home and that they enjoy it as much as I do!
Congratulations & good luck with the new hut. It looks fabulous.
How do you get guinea fowl to go in? Ours roost in the trees (very high up)
Sally
Comment by Sally — February 24, 2007 @ 10:04 am
Hi Sally,
Thanks for the comment.
I guide the guinea fowl towards the hut with either my arms out-stretched or I use two large sticks that help to guide them where I want them to go. I have to keep myself and the sticks at a distance that the guinea fowl feel ok with, otherwise they will get frightened and fly off!
If I leave it til dusk to get them in, then they would roost in the trees but at this time of year they head towards the hut about 3.30-4pm and then all I need to do is guide them in. (Sounds easy!) I have found that they are creatures of habit and they like a routine, although when I move the huts it is a little confusing for them and I then spend sometime running round after them. Great exercise though!
Sara @ Farming Friends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — February 24, 2007 @ 11:08 am
Where is the access to the sleeping-area for cleaning? Our chicken house is sorely in need of some modification to make cleaning easier, so I’m on the lookout for ideas!
Is there anything that stops the birds from roosting on top of the nesting boxes at night? I had that situation with the result that any broody-hens sitting in the nesting boxes tended to get mite-infested towards the end of their confinement. On a couple of occasions we even lost newborn chicks to mites. Now I’ve put a mesh in the way so they can’t roost there at night, but its caused quite a bit of upset, I can tell you! They really don’t like me at the moment
Comment by Mike — February 26, 2007 @ 7:25 am
Hi Mike,
The enclosed sleeping area has 2 large doors (see picture above with pop hole on it). These doors open out into the run area allowing easy access to clean the sleeping area out.
Thanks for the advice about the nest boxes. Currently there is nothing on top of the nest boxes, so they could roost on top.
At the moment only Hatty, my White Leghorn, is sleeping upstairs, the guinea fowl have all decided to sleep downstairs!
Thanks for your comments.
Sara @ Farming Friends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — February 26, 2007 @ 7:41 am
Hi Sara,
Your new poultry hut looks good. Have the guinea fowl and Hatty settled into the new hut ok?
Comment by alan — March 11, 2007 @ 8:50 am
Hi Alan,
Yes I think the new hut looks great and there is plenty of room for the poultry.
Hatty and the guinea fowl have settled in well, although they do like to be let out regularly and when it gets light in the morning I can hear them calling to be let out!
Thanks for your comment.
Sara @ Farming Friends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — March 11, 2007 @ 1:57 pm