Written by Chrissie, a regular visitor to PekinBantams.com.....

The overall dimensions of my house and run are approximately 172 cm high at the highest point (excluding roof) and a maximum of 248 cm in length, including run. The beauty of this design is you can make it as large or as small, as short or as tall as you choose. I chose these particular dimensions because I wanted a house for just two hens that would be high enough for me to be able to walk into, (I’m 5’2”) would be easy to move around the garden and would be incredibly easy to keep clean. Therefore I built the floor of the house itself at the ideal height for me to be able to lean in and clean!

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Materials:
I used some bits and pieces of 6 mm exterior ply that I had around the garage. I live in a sheltered spot and this was adequate. If you are in a colder area, go for 9 or 12 mm ply, but remember to take this into account with your measurements. For the underneath of the house I used very heavy-weight 1” square wire, but this could be replaced by ply to provide a sheltered area/feeding/dust bath for the hens. For the run I used the very lightest weight 1” square wire I could find, so the whole run can be lifted easily. For all the battening I used tannelised 3.75 cm x 2.5 cm (1 1/2” x 1”) timber, which I originally bought from Wickes. If you prefer, replace this with a heavier and more substantial timber – the choice is yours! Garden/shed paint or preservative – the choice of type and colour are yours, just remember to buy pet-safe products. I prefer to paint the wood as I go along, and certainly before I attach wire, etc.
Onduline roof – available from most DIY stores - enough to give a generous overlap on each side and a substantial overlap front and back. (More of this later). Exterior quality screws, fittings, hinges, hasps, etc. I found the best screws to use are decking screws as these are treated for long life and seem to be smoother and easier to use.

To Start Firstly work out the required dimensions of your henhouse according to number of hens, height of run, etc., and sketch out these requirements roughly. Cut two pieces of battening the same length as the highest point of the henhouse. Then cut two pieces 20 cm shorter than the first two. These four pieces form the front and back ‘legs’ of the henhouse. The back of the house is the shorter side, the front is the higher. In my henhouse these measurements were 152 cm and 172 cm. Measure out your required floor onto a sheet of exterior ply. Mark the areas to be cut out for the supporting legs as shown. Cut ply with a jigsaw and sand down all edges carefully. The floor of my house is approximately 89 cm x 59 cm.

Cut battening to fit along all four sides, attached to underneath of floor. Ensure all screw heads are well recessed.

Hold one of the legs upright and mark where you want the floor to be. In my case this was 83cm up the leg, as shown. Mark all four legs. Remember if you change these dimensions, the henhouse must still be deep enough for the hens! Cut ten more pieces of battening (6 of A and 4 of B) and drill/screw some of them as shown. You might need two pairs of hands here. Rest the floor onto these supports and screw together securely as shown.

Sides.
These will have to be measured out carefully with a set square onto a sheet of ply. The idea is to cover the battening and the edges of the floor. My measurements are approximately 61 cm wide x 92 cm, dropping to 72 cm (with the back being 20 cm lower than the front). Once the sides are cut out, cut two pieces to fit along the angled top side, and between the uprights, to strengthen the roof – as shown marked as A in the diagram below. Once you are happy with your measurements, drill and screw the sides in place. If required, cut another two battens the width of the ply, and attach them as I have. I drilled from the inside of the house and out into the battening to make it stronger. They make useful carrying handles, and attachment points for the pop-hole door opening cord.

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