. . . about my henhouse

 

     My henhouse (chicken & guinea coop) is in the rear of a shed.  The shed is big, (16'X16') overall, and is multi-purpose.   Inside the shed are 3 doors.  To the right, is a walk-in door that I enter from the inside of the building to open and close the hen-sized door each night to keep out any mink, mice, or predators that may try to dig under the 6' fencing surrounding the hen house.  The door to the left is the entrance to the greenhouse.  Straight back is the human entrance to the chicken coop, the one we enter to gather eggs, carry the waterer in through, and to fill the hanging feeder with egg maker crumbles forthe rflock. The wall dividing the coop from the potting shed is solid plywood with a window that holds an exhaust fan. To the right of the entance, the wall is fencing on the upper half.  There I have a special perch and a feeder for millet. Although they will jump up there when I give them a treat, they do not choose to roost there.  They roost in the back with the chickens.
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    Then hen house itself is 16' long and only 7'; wide.  ON the left a metal nesting box with 15 openings hangs 1 1/2 feet off the ground in 3 rows of 5 each.  Wood perches are attached for them to jump to and from.  The chicken hens lay their eggs in these boxes, usually preferring to  lay where another egg is laying if they can find one.  If several lay at the same time, of course they will find their own little cubbie.   Occasionally I will find a guinea egg in one.... guinea hen have made nests in one cubbie and hatched nearly 40 keets in there!  But the norm is that the guinea hen will lay in the field if given the chance to.  :- (
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Greenhouse/Potting Shed/Chicken Coop Combo.
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Rhode Island Red inside a nesting box.
Guinea hens will sometimes use the boxes, more enticing when stuffed full to the very top with loose, broken straw.		 Attached poultry yard, 6' high strong woven wire. The guineas fly up to the landing board then out to range daily, while the chickens are kept in, away from my flower beds.
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Pictured is the barn door to the shed.  I did this oil painting about 10 years ago, and it is holding up well under the weather.
Hard to photograph, the roost is 6 perches high, and nearly 5' wide.  The top hangs on hinges, and the bottom front legs fold under so it folds against the wall for easy cleaning.  The guineas and chickens roost together, side by side.
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In the following pictures of the nursery area, you can see young guineas near the end of their 6 weeks confinement period. I will  simply slide the screen partition UP and hook it open (where it is stored until needed again), and all birds will have        access to the entire henhouse, including the nursery, area for more floorspace during winter use.  The door you see open     below  will be closed and airtight over the winter months when the nursery area open for all to use. 

 
 
 
The space UNDER the nesting boxes can be utilized as a holding area for a few keets or an adult bird or two as necessary.  This space is  about 1.5' high and the chicken wire removable wall allows the entire flock to see       each other and learn that the newbie belongs".                                          .
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Allow room so that adult birds confined to the henhouse, whether it be during
training or bad weather, each adult guinea fowl should have 3-4 sq' of  floor
        space per bird  to prevent fighting, feather picking and possible cannabilism.
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