Our existing hen house is was a (not by us) shed made from old 3/4″ thick doors. It is was very heavy. It was also old. It had been repaired that many times it was boarded over in hundreds of places and the roofing felt had been overlaid with new felt several times. Our option was to try to repair it or replace it. To repair it would have meant trying to dismantle it but because it had been repaired so many times there were nails, screws and extra pieces of wood everywhere/ Plus the paint was thick in places but the wood was spongy or non-existent in others. We were also concerened that the rats had chewed through the floor in several places too – more boarding. It wasn’t that easy to dismatle but we, well DFS, pretty much did it today. Neither one of us wanted to lift the floor, fearing the hordes of rats that would pile out as soon as we broke a board. As it happened we didn’t see one. We did find plenty of evidence of their activities under there though as there are holes and tunnels.
We are going to try to adapt the playhouse we were given off my Bro S. I’m not sure whether to have it on “stilts” so it is off the floor away from the rats. I’m can’t think yet how to make it easy to clean. I think I’ll line it with thick but pliable plastic sheets my dad gets from work which steel rolls are wrapped in. It’s another way of recylcling isn’t it?!
Twinsane's Weblog 