Chicken housing ideas

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The boys have been living in a converted rabbit run since they were two months old, but - although it was useful when locked down over H1N5 - it's really too small now, so I am planning on converting my old tree house into a hen house. But I'm not sure how to fence it/contain it; my budget is about £300 for this, so I was thinking of digging shallow trenches and putting heras fencing panels into them, then a layer of cement so it is solid, with heavy duty pond mesh attached to the top of the panels and over the roof of the tree/bird house. Does this sound feasible and realistic - and most importantly safe for the birds? A proper aviary would be amazing, but I don't have the DIY skills or finances for one, and wouldn't want to buy anything wooden second hand and risk bringing any diseases in.

 

[julesjoy]

I have nothing useful to add, but they look very handsome!

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Your cockerel is beautiful, very similar to my Stuart. My birds are in a field shelter which I’ve converted using chicken wire. It’s about 14ft x 12ft and was a godsend during flockdown but they now get to potter around the orchard on a daily basis. Heras fencing sounds fine and with the cement blocks you shouldn’t need to concrete it in. Depending on how large the area plastic mesh over the top will protect them from predators.

 

[KittenInTheTree]

I use walk in sized polytunnel frames, covered with chicken wire, for our chickens. The covers that come with the frames are handy to use as a roof for keeping the rain off - just roll up the side and end panels to whatever height is preferred. You can then roll them down again in bad weather, or in case of bird flu restrictions.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01MSVMD7C

A picture of our run with tith the sides down: