Emma&lewie Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Hi all, well I think I may have persuaded my dear hubby that our wooden coop and run may not last too long and that a cube would be an execllent idea!! I just wondered if there was enough room in the 6m run for 6 chooks - we currently have 3 girlies but would love more.... think im addicted! I know it says in the product description it was ,but the girls would be in the run full time as our garden isnt huge and when they free ranged they trashed it, and also wasnt too great for my little ones as ended up caped in chook poo!!!!!!!! I would plan to wood chip half and put turf down on half- thought that was a fab idea, saw it in the photo gallery! thats if I had enough room to do it!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve. Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Hi all,well I think I may have persuaded my dear hubby that our wooden coop and run may not last too long and that a cube would be an execllent idea!! I just wondered if there was enough room in the 6m run for 6 chooks - we currently have 3 girlies but would love more.... think im addicted! I know it says in the product description it was ,but the girls would be in the run full time as our garden isnt huge and when they free ranged they trashed it, and also wasnt too great for my little ones as ended up caped in chook poo!!!!!!!! I would plan to wood chip half and put turf down on half- thought that was a fab idea, saw it in the photo gallery! thats if I had enough room to do it!? I have 8 chooks and a 4 metre cube run - I think it's now got a good balance. Any grass will be eaten in a matter of minutes ... especially with 6 chooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma&lewie Posted November 10, 2008 Author Share Posted November 10, 2008 DOH!! I ment 2 meter run for 6 chooks, not 6 meter run.... that would take up most of the garden!!! my math never was good!! very good point about the grass Steve, should have thought of that seeing my grass now!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve. Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 DOH!! I ment 2 meter run for 6 chooks, not 6 meter run.... that would take up most of the garden!!!my math never was good!! very good point about the grass Steve, should have thought of that seeing my grass now!! We felt 2 metre run was squashed for 5 chooks - and so went up to 3 metre. When we got the three extras that looked okayish ... had a few problems with feather eating that may have happened anyway ... and after two months of umm and arring went up to the 4 metre run with 8 chooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alih Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 I have a cube with 3 metres and the space underneath. I have only 3 chooks in there at the moment and was planning on adding 2 more but to be honest think I could only fit one more in to be comfortable as like you mine don't range much these days. I personally wouldn't put as many as 6 in 2 metres if they are to be there all day long but others do I'm sure with no problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egg Lou Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 I have a cube with 3 metres and the space underneath. I have only 3 chooks in there at the moment and was planning on adding 2 more but to be honest think I could only fit one more in to be comfortable as like you mine don't range much these days. I personally wouldn't put as many as 6 in 2 metres if they are to be there all day long but others do I'm sure with no problems. Sorry to say I really do agree with alih.. I had 4 hens in my 3m run as wasn't happy with even putting them in 2m and when I added the 3 pekins babies I added an extra 2 extensions so I have 7 in 5 meters... with these dark days mine get out very rarely so I am happier with them having this space.. I do think a lot depends on your hens but with any intros the more space the better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma&lewie Posted November 13, 2008 Author Share Posted November 13, 2008 I have noticed that a lot of people have amazing walk in runs, ours is a bit doggy mad from trellis, chicken wire and a cooagated plastic lid that is to hevey to lift!! just wondeed if I went for a cube whether a walk in run would be better, if so where can I get them from or our you guys just really good a wood work!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperman Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 We started out with six chooks in a standard cube run. All was well when they could free range a lot in the summer. But in the winter when we couldn't let them out as much we had major trouble. In fact it was an out an out blood bath. We had a hen in A&E almost every other day and I was starting to dread venturing into the garden. I hastily built a large walk in run and the feather pecking and generally trying to kill each other stopped. We are now down to four hens and two have retired so not many eggs but at least they are happy again and have their frilly knickers back I think the number of hens quoted by Omlet is based on the Cube being moved to fresh grass every other day. If it is on a permanent site like ours then I wouldn't risk more than 3. I think 1m^2 pre hen is a general guide for run space which means we can now have 10 yay Kev. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma&lewie Posted January 10, 2009 Author Share Posted January 10, 2009 Oh Couperman, that sounds awful!! glad all is harmonius now!! Im still debating what to do so unhappy with set up we have at the moment, our wooden coop (that we only got in july) is starting to go mouldy although we treated it when we got it!! it is so drafty with all the cold weather we have had I have resorted to put thermal blanket on the top as sure my chooks were going to be frozen to the spot! and dont even talk to me about red mite!!!!!! should have listend to my instinct not my wallet and get a cube from the start!! but hey ho!! the run which my beloved and his dad built isnt much better.... lets just say its three bits of garden trellis covered in chook wire, staked in to the ground with a trellis gate at on end and a hinged coragated plastic roof which is far to hevey for me to lift so have to squat like walk under it twice a day to see to them..... I must look helarious, good job im only a shortie!!!lol so really hoping to sort somthing this year, but as gardens quite small not too surewhat!?? hope I dont sound ungrateful. just dont like the thought of my girls suffering and what I thought would be a cheap and easy solution has turned out not so cheap and easy!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
