This project is pretty special. The client’s (Martin & Susan’s) property abuts a lovely stretch of bush along Lovers Jump Creek in Wahroonga. As such there is a varied community of Australian native wildlife that considers this back (and front) garden ‘home’. You name it, it is a frequent visitor and fruit and vegetable plunderer. On top of that, their previous chicken keeping experiences involved daily Brush Turkey harassment.
There is a high-quality, double car port sized concrete slab in the bottom of the garden in a sunny spot that is no longer used, and so was crying out for some creative usage. The old posts for the car port roof were too short to be useful, so after some agonizing we decided to remove them and recycle elsewhere. Martin got the inspiration from Pardana Community Garden (Kangaroo Island) to create a mouse proof wire meshed enclosure for growing veggie’s and keeping chickens.
After making a plan in Sketchup, I set to work!
We have used four IBC’s (Intermediate Bulk Containers) to make eight wicking beds for the backbone of the family produce growing. The chicken coop is about 2.8m x 1m which is plenty for four chickens. Because it is on concrete, we have given it a 300mm corrugated iron skirt around the bottom to create a deep litter system. The coop is roofed with plywood on the inside of the enclosure. Outside the enclosure is the main, weatherproof corrugated iron roof. The gap between the two rooves means constant airflow, which will greatly assist keeping the coop cooler. Martin plans to increase the coop shade with trees. There is a metal sliding door next to the nesting boxes which will allow the chickens out into their future run where the current raised beds are.
There is also room for a potting bench and space to keep gardening tools.
What used to be a barren piece of the backyard is now a hub of productivity. It has also given me a great dose of job satisfaction! One of the beautiful things about this line of work is that everything you do is filled with future promise. Good for the soul.
Mike, many thanks for creating us such a productive space. The veggies are growing, the chickens are settling into their new homes and we couldn’t be happier. You’ve created us a real asset that will see us through many seasons.
Martin and Susan
