Chook dome questions

[KingLillis]

Hi everyone,

Would anyone have any suggestions on building a chook dome? I have Linda
Woodrow's book "Permaculture Home Garden" which outlines using one in a
mandala garden, however I have since read (from other sources) that the
design is not stable enough in high winds and doesn't offer enough
protection in the weather for the chooks. Also, PVC piping apparently is
not a great choice of material as it breaks down quickly? (Damm, I was
going to use it to create makeshift gazebo's etc!)

Someone has suggested using a yurt design or teepee - however the structure
needs to be moved every fortnight.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Tracey

[Fran Higham]

"KingLillis" > wrote in message

> Would anyone have any suggestions on building a chook dome? I have Linda
> Woodrow's book "Permaculture Home Garden" which outlines using one in a
> mandala garden, however I have since read (from other sources) that the
> design is not stable enough in high winds and doesn't offer enough
> protection in the weather for the chooks.

I've never built one as I have a house for them, but I do have a friend who
made many of them. She always had at least 3 on the go and was constanatly
moving them around the village on the back of her ute. (Don't ask why -it's
one of those really complicated life stories that make one shake ones head
in wonder at how others live!) She built them from all sorts of materials
usually found at the tip.

The materials list included PVC pipe, electrical conduit, old curved bits of
metal that fitted and all sorts of tying, binding, holding together agents.
She covered the outsides with everything and anything including old sheets,
polytarps, chicken wire and bird wire, old feed bags and anything else that
could be tied to the surface.

I always viewed then as being both and eyesore and so flimsy that they'd
fall apart at the drop of a hat. I was wrong as they were surprisingly
sturdy (given the rattyness of the building technique and the makeshift look
of them). She did lose some choks to a fox but then not as many as I have
over the years when I've forgotten to lock the night house.

The one thing I never liked about them though was that they don't give good
shelter in our cold climate. In a warmer climate (or if only used in
summer) they may be OK, but here where it is so cold in winter, I think it
is rather cruel and especially given the nutritional needs of layers who
also need to keep warm.



Also, PVC piping apparently is
> not a great choice of material as it breaks down quickly?

?????? I think this is an odd statement and have never had any polypipe
break down quickly. Even in the stock yard where it is left leaning up
against a fence in the full sun for years on end.


(Damm, I was
> going to use it to create makeshift gazebo's etc!)
>
> Someone has suggested using a yurt design or teepee - however the
structure
> needs to be moved every fortnight.

Sound like a lot of hard work.

>
> Any feedback would be appreciated.
>
> Tracey
>
>

[KingLillis]

Thankyou for your reply.

I guess I will give the dome a try with the polypipe and try and cover it
over with some tarps. I live in Brisbane so our winters are not that cold.

I really want to try this design as it utilises the chooks as tractors for
the mandala garden. I do have another book that uses strawbale as housing -
but you can't make a round chookhouse out of strawbale! <grin>

Tracy

"Fran Higham" > wrote in message
...
> "KingLillis" > wrote in message
>
> > Would anyone have any suggestions on building a chook dome? I have
Linda
> > Woodrow's book "Permaculture Home Garden" which outlines using one in a
> > mandala garden, however I have since read (from other sources) that the
> > design is not stable enough in high winds and doesn't offer enough
> > protection in the weather for the chooks.
>
> I've never built one as I have a house for them, but I do have a friend
who
> made many of them. She always had at least 3 on the go and was
constanatly
> moving them around the village on the back of her ute. (Don't ask
why -it's
> one of those really complicated life stories that make one shake ones head
> in wonder at how others live!) She built them from all sorts of materials
> usually found at the tip.
>
> The materials list included PVC pipe, electrical conduit, old curved bits
of
> metal that fitted and all sorts of tying, binding, holding together
agents.
> She covered the outsides with everything and anything including old
sheets,
> polytarps, chicken wire and bird wire, old feed bags and anything else
that
> could be tied to the surface.
>
> I always viewed then as being both and eyesore and so flimsy that they'd
> fall apart at the drop of a hat. I was wrong as they were surprisingly
> sturdy (given the rattyness of the building technique and the makeshift
look
> of them). She did lose some choks to a fox but then not as many as I have
> over the years when I've forgotten to lock the night house.
>
> The one thing I never liked about them though was that they don't give
good
> shelter in our cold climate. In a warmer climate (or if only used in
> summer) they may be OK, but here where it is so cold in winter, I think it
> is rather cruel and especially given the nutritional needs of layers who
> also need to keep warm.
>
>
>
> Also, PVC piping apparently is
> > not a great choice of material as it breaks down quickly?
>
> ?????? I think this is an odd statement and have never had any polypipe
> break down quickly. Even in the stock yard where it is left leaning up
> against a fence in the full sun for years on end.
>
>
> (Damm, I was
> > going to use it to create makeshift gazebo's etc!)
> >
> > Someone has suggested using a yurt design or teepee - however the
> structure
> > needs to be moved every fortnight.
>
> Sound like a lot of hard work.
>
> >
> > Any feedback would be appreciated.
> >
> > Tracey
> >
> >
>
>

[Fran Higham]

"KingLillis" > wrote in message
> Thankyou for your reply.
>
> I guess I will give the dome a try with the polypipe and try and cover it
> over with some tarps. I live in Brisbane so our winters are not that
cold.
>
> I really want to try this design as it utilises the chooks as tractors for
> the mandala garden. I do have another book that uses strawbale as
housing -
> but you can't make a round chookhouse out of strawbale! <grin>

I'd like to hear how you go with the construction as I'd really like to get
some geese and would like to have them out in a paddock rather than in the
chook orchard. I've thought that a dome would be a good idea for geese but
have always been a bit too idle to bother to build one and then it's the
usual catch -22: can't get geese till I have accommodation, don't have accom
so can't get geese.

I've just spent the last day building chook nests made out of lawn mower
grass catchers which sit up on a stand. A lot of fiddlefaddling about for
such a simple thing but hopefully it will work. Because of the drought I
have rats around the chook pen and the chooks ill only use the high nest box
and the pressure on that has been too much.

I must go back out there now and install the unit into one of the sheds (an
old half tank on its side- this MUST go when I get out of hospital as I'm
sick of the sight of it).

Report back please on the success of the chook dome and how effective they
are at clearing the beds.