# Chicken coops



## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

I am here in sunny Spain, just outside Alicante and today we have been out trying to find chicken coops and runs to buy and we have had no luck, can anyone point us in the right direction please?

A free egg to the person who tells me where I can buy these lol 
Thanks
Maiden


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## dunmovin (Dec 19, 2008)

Why in the name of God do you want to keep chickens? They are far more bother than they are worth. Mites (on the birds) rats (after the food and eggs) feathers everywhere, vets bills disposing of the crap, getting the feed balance correct....etc. etc.etc.

For a summer job many years ago I worked on a poultry farm for a few weeks..... and chickens are not easy work.

but if you are really set on the idea go to the local agro co-operative they'll have everything you need including the birds


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## etril (May 26, 2010)

If you don't find anything local, you could always order an Eglu online. 

Everywhere I've lived, though, the most reasonable and economical way to go about it has been to build your own coop and run.

Good luck! A small flock of backyard chickens is a joy.

-E


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## littleredrooster (Aug 3, 2008)

MaidenScotland said:


> I am here in sunny Spain, just outside Alicante and today we have been out trying to find chicken coops and runs to buy and we have had no luck, can anyone point us in the right direction please?
> 
> A free egg to the person who tells me where I can buy these lol
> Thanks
> Maiden


Best of luck with your enterprise Maiden.
Apart from fresh eggs you will find they make excellent company and are always happy to have a friendly chat,especially when your OH is in a rage about the football.
Maybe better to knock one together yourself as most Spanish do,..not difficult,..just be sure its foxproof cos they'll come sniffing around for sure.
By the way it's hens that lay eggs, once they have outgrown the chicken stage.


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## mr pinks (Jun 8, 2010)

littleredrooster said:


> Best of luck with your enterprise Maiden.
> Apart from fresh eggs you will find they make excellent company and are always happy to have a friendly chat,especially when your OH is in a rage about the football.
> Maybe better to knock one together yourself as most Spanish do,..not difficult,..just be sure its foxproof cos they'll come sniffing around for sure.
> By the way it's hens that lay eggs, once they have outgrown the chicken stage.


which came first(the OH OR FOOTBALL


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## JBODEN (Jul 10, 2009)

mr pinks said:


> which came first(the OH OR FOOTBALL


Easy!


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## Tallulah (Feb 16, 2009)

etril said:


> If you don't find anything local, you could always order an Eglu online.
> 
> Everywhere I've lived, though, the most reasonable and economical way to go about it has been to build your own coop and run.
> 
> ...



Yeah - build your own - but just make sure you put a cement base down (and leave a little bit of earth for scratching around ) because believe me they don't half pen and ink sometimes and the floor needs a good hose down from time to time.


Hey!! Maiden - you're in Spain!!!:clap2:


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## Merseybob (Mar 4, 2010)

Is this a "Yoke/Yolk"?
Couldn't resist that old joke.
Sorry I'll let you grown ups get on with serious things now!!!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Look what I just came across Maiden!
Chicken Manual - The Complete Step-by-step Guide to Keeping Chickens by Laurence Beeken - Lovereading UK


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## Nignoy (Jun 4, 2010)

Happiness is a stuffed chicken jan!!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

I don't know why, but I keep finding chicken things...
For anyone out there who wants to keep chickens

Build a Backyard Chicken Coop | Care2 Healthy & Green Living


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

We now have 6 chickens who are leading a lovely life in the olive grove.
An old wooden children's play house was made into a coop and placed under an olive tree for shade and then tend to go up the tree to roost.
We also had to build a big pen that takes in 3 trees so it is a good size, this is not to keep the chickens in but to keep the goats out as they love chicken feed. The hens just fly over the fence and forage all day around the olive grove and go home to lay an egg and sleep.
I loved going to buy the chickens/hens.... went to the local pet shop and bought them there and they were handed to me in a big brown paper bag lol .
We have 7 double yolkers a day.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

MaidenScotland said:


> We have 7 double yolkers a day.


Yumm!


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Yumm!




When the hens first arrived we were only getting one egg a day and my granddaughter would take me down to the olive grove every hour to look for more.
I was busy when she went down and I heard her shouting "Annie Annie there are hundreds of eggs and I can't carry them all"

I went rushing down and sure enough there were a dozen eggs there, luckily she didn't see the date stamp .. a guest at the casita had gone out and bought a dozen and planted them for Emma to find :clap2:


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

MaidenScotland said:


> When the hens first arrived we were only getting one egg a day and my granddaughter would take me down to the olive grove every hour to look for more.
> I was busy when she went down and I heard her shouting "Annie Annie there are hundreds of eggs and I can't carry them all"
> 
> I went rushing down and sure enough there were a dozen eggs there, luckily she didn't see the date stamp .. a guest at the casita had gone out and bought a dozen and planted them for Emma to find :clap2:


Ohh, bless her


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

I would LOVE some hens - but we don't have a garden, just a large roof terrace. Some people here do keep hens on the roof (not to mention fighting cocks) but I don't think I could cope with the mess.

Fortunately we are surrounded by _huertos_ and _corrales_ with hens and cockerels, goats too, and there is no shortage of nice free range eggs in the local shop.


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