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HENthusiastic

How many hens?

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Hi everybody.

My run is 12' x 8'. At the moment I've got three girls in it. Anybody got any ideas about how many hens this kind of size would comfortably suit? I am going to get some rescue girls. I guess I've got so used to seeing my three in there, that what did seem a huge space, now seems to fit them! They will have free range summer evenings and weekends.

I dont want to be crowding them.

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Its true what you say about the girls fitting the run!

 

We have a 12 x 6 foot run with 4 chooks in, I would maybe stretch to 5/6 hens if I were allowed anymore :( So i would say 6-7 in your run. I agree with you that its better to have more room for them. better uncrowded. :)

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I believe the EU regulations for free-range hens is 1sqm per bird for indoor housing (ie. their enclosed run) and 4sqm per bird of outdoor space.

 

There are also regulations for how much access they should have to the outdoor space, but of course we urban/suburban chicken owners have to fit our hens into our personal routines as well as the threat of Mr. Fox! Mine free-range a lot more in the summer than they do in the winter, since I work full-time.

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:D Love the idea of more hens, and great if you can give ex-batts a happy retirement.

 

But, I think the concensus is that the ex-batts generally need a separate home while they build up strength and get used to the real world. An immediate introduction could be very upsetting.

 

See what others say, I have only gleaned this info, not done it myself.

 

But, def. a few more hens. :lol:

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I have 3 ex batts and 4 bantams in a run almost the same as your (6 x 15) and I would say it's about right. If you say a bantam is about 1/2 a full size then you'd be looking at 5 maybe 6 chickens. If they aren't getting out of the run much it seems cruel to increase the density too much. Afterall we keep chickens because we love them and want to give them the best life we can.

 

As for keeping the ex batts seperate it's only a short term thing so make shift accomodation will do as long as it's secure.

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Thanks for your replys.

I think I am going to get three rescue girls. So that will bring my total to six. I've put up a new fence at the bottom of my garden, so their free ranging space is even bigger now. Like you, Eyren, I work full time, so my girls will have a lot more time to freerange summer evenings than they will in winter. So I have to think about this too. Ive had a great afternoon in the garden watching them explore spaces they've never been in before. Sheila; I have got a rabbit hutch with run underneath which I'm converting. This is for them to live in until they get theri strength up and are ready to mix with the established girls, so they will have as much time as they need to recover and build up their strength. Then, I'm planning on putting the whole thing into the main coop for a while so all the girls can see and smell each other for a while before they are finally intigrated.

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Henthusiastic - it's a great idea to have the hutch and run inside the big run while they get to know each other - I've done this when I've intro'd new chooks and it works well.

 

My run is about the same size as yours. I have 5 hybrids and 3 bantams and that's my limit!

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:D Love the idea of more hens, and great if you can give ex-batts a happy retirement.

 

But, I think the concensus is that the ex-batts generally need a separate home while they build up strength and get used to the real world. An immediate introduction could be very upsetting.

 

See what others say, I have only gleaned this info, not done it myself.

 

:lol:

 

I'm inclined to agree.

 

My ex-batts have been here a week, and already I can see a difference in them. They are bolder and more inquisitive, but they are still painfully thin and very bald in places. TBH they wouldn't stand a chance if the others were to start on them.

 

I also think the exbatts need a period of quarantine....you never know what they may be harbouring....and a period of re-adjustment and calm.

 

I'm very much an advocate of gradual intros. It worked well when I merged my two little flockettes and it is what I plan to do with the ex-batts.

 

Having them in their eyeline and being able to see and smell each other for a while, and share treats along a no-mans land worked well, and then being around when the barrier comes down with the minimum todo.....broom at the ready...is the way I plan to do it again.

 

Good luck HENthusiast.

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Do you know where that figure comes from? I look at a square metre and can't believe that for a chicken that gets little or no freeranging that 1 sq metre would be enough :? I don't want to sound as if I'm having a go because I'm not, I'm just genuinely confused :?

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