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All our products are crafted from high quality timbers sourced from Scandinavia. We only buy timber of a high-grade meaning that there are few flaws and knots in the timber. We select the most appropriate size of timber for each building, which depends on its size and use. You can find the exact timbers used for each building in the construction tab on each page.
Absolutely, all our buildings are made to order, offering flexibility for modifications like extra boarding, different pop hole locations, pitch adjustments, and more.
While nothing is entirely fox-proof, our well-built structures and premium wire quality make it highly unlikely for foxes to breach them. We can offer features like wire floors or skirts to deter foxes from digging.
You're welcome to visit; please contact us first to confirm product availability as we don’t have many buildings on display. We're open on weekdays from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm, and weekends by appointment.
The more space you can give your hens to roam, the happier your chickens will be and the more delicious their eggs will taste. Many of our houses have runs integrated into their design and whilst this gives them some space, ideally we like to see the hens run more freely when they can. An ideal amount of space is 2 metre square per standard sized chicken. If you are unable to give them as much space as this, then make sure you give them fresh greens and move their house regularly onto fresh pasture so that they have plenty of goodness.
We offer a variety of sizes, but the choice depends on your specific needs. Chickens do like to huddle together at night, so you can fit quite a few in a small area. However, we base of recommendations on free range housing requirements, which is 9 hens per square metre. These are for a standard hybrid sized chicken, so for bantams you would be able to accommodate a few more, and for large breeds less.
We would recommend getting no less than 3 hens, so that they have company. Things to consider are how many eggs can you use? Are you going to give any surplus eggs away or sell them? How much space can you give over to the chickens? Are you going to fence an area for them, let them free range, or keep them within a coop and run permanently. Everyone will have different circumstances, but it is important not to get too many hens for the coop and space that you have available.
Chickens typically begin laying eggs at around 18 weeks old, considered to be hens at that stage. They'll continue laying eggs as long as they're healthy and until a certain age or lifespan limit.
On average, chickens lay between 250 to 280 eggs annually. Hybrid bred chickens will generally produce more eggs per year than traditional breeds, this is because they are bred with egg production in mind. More traditional large and bantam breeds will lay less eggs and they are likely to become broody and want to sit on a clutch of eggs.
Chickens will lay eggs without a rooster present, but these eggs will be infertile. If you want to keep a rooster then there are a few things to consider. A rooster will crow, and whilst you may not mind awakening to the sound of your rooster telling his girls it’s time to get up, your neighbours might, so bear in mind the proximity of others. If you have a breed of chicken that is not hybrid they are more likely to go broody, and if you have a rooster the eggs will be fertile so you may end up with chicks.
We aim to deliver all the buildings on our own transport to ensure the buildings arrive in tip top condition and we have more control over the delivery. The buildings arrive in panel form so they can be lifted off the van easily. Our driver will unload and stack in an appropriate place close to the van. For larger deliveries our driver does need help to unload (if you are assembling the building yourself). If we are assembling the building for you we ask that you inform us of any access restrictions before delivery, ideally we need to be able to get our vehicle within 25m of the site.
While we don't stock buildings, you can order by phone and arrange collection. Ensure your vehicle is the right size and bring adequate straps for securing the load.
We strive to accommodate your preferred delivery day, but we do group deliveries for efficiency. We can deliver when you're not home if we are given clear instructions where we can leave your building.
We manufacture all the buildings to order, so there is no stock held. However you can order your building over the telephone and arrange to collect it from us. We ask that you ensure that the vehicle you intend to collect with is of a suitable size and that you bring sufficient straps to secure the load.
We do our utmost to deliver on a day that will suit you. We do group our deliveries together so it is more than likely that your building will be on a load with 2 - 3 others. Therefore we have to organise the deliveries so that it is convenient to all parties, sometimes this is not possible. We can deliver when you are not at home, however we do ask for balance payment prior to the delivery date.
Our delivery team has long drives from Shropshire, but we aim to provide a suitable delivery time. When confirming the date, we'll give you a 2-hour delivery slot.
Our delivery van is a 3.5-tonne flatbed, measuring 7.3m by 2.3m.
If you are quite good at D.I.Y. you should find the assembly relatively easy. We don't pre-drill the pilot holes whilst we are making them, this is all done on site so you would require a power drill and then the frames screw together. The roofing sheets are separate as well so it is a case of nailing these on the roof runners. All the screws etc. are provided and instructions as to how to assemble, and of course we are at the end of the telephone should you require any help.
We use a 3.5 tonne flat bed van to deliver the buildings on. It is 7.3m long by 2.3m wide.
We deliver all our buildings in flat sections for self-assembly on site. We pre-drill most of the pilot holes prior to delivery and email across instructions to assemble your building. We can send an assembly team if preferred. Many of our buildings have an option to add the assembly service on the product page, please enquire with the office if you need a price for assembly for our smaller units.
Assembly times vary depending on the size of building you order. To assemble our smaller coops and runs we would recommend allowing 3 hours for 2 people. For the larger houses up to 5 hours.
We send all the fixings and instructions required for assembling your building, and we are also at the end of the phone or email for guidance if needed. We recommend that you do need 2 people to put them together so that one person can hold the panels, whilst the other screws. If you don’t feel confident with assembly then we offer an assembly service.
Smiths Sectional are manufacturers of Chicken housing, Goat housing, Field Shelters and other animal houses. A family company, we are specialist British manufacturers of high quality chicken houses for gardens, free range chicken houses, duck houses, goat houses, mobile field shelters, horse stables and lots more.
We make the chicken houses and other buildings on our farm in Shropshire. Each building is made to order and can be tailored to a customer's specific requirements. We are well known in the trade and an established business for over 25 years.
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