Build a mobile hen house

The proposed project

A 1.80 × 1.20 m night shelter, giving 2.16 m² of gross floor area, illustrated for two medium-sized hens with a separate daytime run. This is not the outdoor area. Include two external nest boxes, a large cleaning door and high-level ventilation. Adapt the layout to your birds and climate.

This is an original concept, not built or tested by Permah. All dimensions are in millimetres. Have a competent builder check the joints and chassis before construction. Weight, ground conditions and running gear determine whether it can be moved comfortably.

Choose the place first

Plan a firm, level route without steps. Provide shade, drainage and sheltered resting space. Allow sections of the outdoor run to recover when muddy or bare. Move the house without animals inside. For slopes or soft ground, a fixed house with a movable run may suit better.

Prepare materials

Use timber with known treatments and origin; remove protruding nails and splinters. The cutting list covers the main frame. Door and nest-box framing, braces, handles and axle supports require site measurements after a dry assembly. Cut panels to the actual frame. Mesh and wheels alone cannot make the design safe.

Daily care

Keep housing dry and ventilated. Fit an accessible removable perch with rounded edges, clean litter and easy access to both nests. Protect openings without obstructing ventilation. Keep food and drinking water in a sheltered location away from droppings under the perch.

Check closures, predator access and stability every evening. Clean and inspect joints regularly. Remove damp litter after rain, and keep vents clear in winter. Rotate the run before the ground deteriorates; respond to weather, soil and bird condition rather than following a fixed date.

Assembly, step by step

Six original drawings; enlarge to read dimensions. Concept views: size joints and running gear for the actual load.

1. Assemble the base

Two 1,800 mm side rails and four 1,110 mm cross members give an outer 1,800 × 1,200 mm base with 45 mm wide timber. Fit cross members between the rails, with intermediate supports near 600 and 1,200 mm. Check diagonals: about 2,163 mm each. Predrill and use joints suitable for this frame; a box of screws is not a structural design.

2. Fit the floor and uprights

Dry-fit an 18 mm exterior floor, 1,800 × 1,200 mm. Protect edges and allow removal. Fit two 1,300 mm and two 950 mm uprights measured above the floor. The height difference slopes the roof across the 1,200 mm width. Add top rails and diagonal braces before releasing clamps.

3. Clad and keep wide access

Measure before cutting 9–12 mm exterior panels. Leave a roughly 800 × 800 mm cleaning door in the long side. Start with a 300 × 400 mm pop hole, enlarging it if birds cannot pass easily. Frame each opening. Protect two high vents with welded mesh sandwiched between framing and battens, with no exposed sharp edges.

4. Roof and furnish

An indicative 2,000 × 1,500 mm roof panel gives about a 16° pitch. Select roofing rated for that pitch and follow overlap and fixing instructions; pond liner is not a roofing specification. Add overhangs and direct runoff away from doors. Fit a 1,000 mm removable perch, 40–50 mm wide with rounded edges, around 350–400 mm above the litter, and two external nests with a useful internal size of 350 × 350 × 350 mm each.

5. Install the running gear

Weigh, or conservatively estimate, the complete equipped house. Have the axle, mounts, fasteners, wheels and handles sized for the actual load and small ground irregularities. The linked Amazon wheel is a possible component, not a guaranteed compatible axle kit. Do not substitute an unchecked threaded rod for an axle. Provide stable feet and wheel restraint when parked.

6. Test before housing hens

Test empty with two adults over a short level route. Check lifting effort, tipping, flex and movement in fixings. Correct problems before use. Fit a secure low-angle non-slip ramp. Protect the daytime run and every night opening. Never leave the house supported by a lifting jack or move it with hens inside.