Meet Roger

[Tarrel]

I custom-built a coop on wheels (see pic). The hens are in a movable compound of electric netting. We re-locate them roughly once a month, to give them fresh ground and to extend the benefit of their scratching and poo to a wider area. Hence the need for the wheels. We've had the hens a year and so far - touch wood - no molestation from predators, even though there are foxes and pine martens present in the woodland.

I'm expecting the rooster to go in the coop with the hens (if they'll let him!). To be honest, some of them often roost in the trees overnight. I know this because I've had a trail camera set up in there on time-lapse.

The coop door has an automatic opener / closer which works on a timer (not shown in the pic as I hadn't fitted it at that stage).

We have 19 hens plus the rooster. They make us a profit of around £300 per year, after feed costs, etc, plus they supply our own egg needs, which saves on the food bill.

---

Edit to add; the roofs of the main coop and the nesting boxes are removable for access to the eggs and cleaning. There is also a big drop-down flap on the other end (out of view) to facilitate easy cleaning.