What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[poachedegg]

Can't remember how to work out ideal space for chickens, so I'll ask you lot!

 

A WIR measuring 12 x 6 x 6 - how many chickens please and the same for 15 x 6 x 6?

 

Thank you very kindly.

 

The miminum requirement is 1m squared per chook so you could fit max 8 in the 1st and 10 in the 2nd.

 

Personally, I have found, if you want to minimise fighting and maximise freedom of movement, I work on 2m square per chook which would give you 4 in the 1st run and 5 in the 2nd.

 

I hope that helps .

 

At the moment we have 5 in a cube with 1 extension ie 3 metres (3.3 m sq) which provides 0.66 m sq each and they have enough space, so our thinking was providing them (+ 3 ex batts) with a 12 x 6 x 6 WIR would provide 0.83 m sq each, plus added height - therefore more room than we are providing now.

 

On your calculations, for our 5 in the cube alone we would need 7 extensions!

 

I am now very confused as seemingly we are under providing for them even before we contemplate a WIR!!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Don't despair . I don't think the floor space of a WIR is the be all and end all. A WIR of whatever size gives you the opportunity to enrich their environment which you just can't do so well in a cube run (and is very difficult in an eglu run). My eglu is up high on a table, they have branches, logs and a garden bench which all increase the "floor" space.

 

My girls seem very content in their (pretty small) WIR and often spend time in there even though their freerange door is open

[atsw]

Don't despair . My girls seem very content in their (pretty small) WIR and often spend time in there even though their freerange door is open.

That's an interesting observation ANH. Our girls also show a preference for being in their WIR when given the opportunity to exit through the free-range port to the garden. They do come out, of course, but often return to the WIR, because they like to play on the wood stumps and the garden bench. The bench has become a particular favourite because it allows them to get higher up and overlook what's going on in the garden .

 

I take this new behaviour as solid evidence that they really like their new WIR environment.

 

Andrew

[shaunw]

After the strong winds we had here recently (our garden is on a bif of a hill and so somewhat exposed), we knew that despite being on a budget we had to put a proper roof on our walk in run.

 

So i found some roofing going cheap on ebay for £30.

 

With some timber i had in the garden and more bought for £16 i have added a solid roof (with Mostin's help of course).

 

Its much better now.

 

The roofing is not perfect as its cement fibre board and very heavy (as you can see).

 

But i am going to get another couple of lengths of wood (£ to help with that.

 

So far our 3.5m x 7m WIR has cost £109 for side panels and £54 for roof = £163.

 

luckily i dont throw much away (i am sure you all have OH's like me) so i have managed to find all kinds of bits in the garage and around the garden to use and so make it cheaper), i call it recycling, Mostin calls it hoarding

[RosemarysBaby]

Don't despair . I don't think the floor space of a WIR is the be all and end all. A WIR of whatever size gives you the opportunity to enrich their environment which you just can't do so well in a cube run (and is very difficult in an eglu run). My eglu is up high on a table, they have branches, logs and a garden bench which all increase the "floor" space.

 

My girls seem very content in their (pretty small) WIR and often spend time in there even though their freerange door is open

 

 

I let my girls out this morning and they have all gone back into their WIR and i think it's the same size as your one. also lol I am scared of my girls i got pecked and chased lol my chickens aren't chickens they are cows lol

[Falkor]

Looks great Shaunw ......there is nothing wrong with a bit of hoarding. A lot of my walk in run was lurking in the garage roof and if it wasn`t raining I would be out there now making some perches with a pallet that I relieved a neightbour of!

[mostin]

Can't remember how to work out ideal space for chickens, so I'll ask you lot!

 

A WIR measuring 12 x 6 x 6 - how many chickens please and the same for 15 x 6 x 6?

 

Thank you very kindly.

 

The miminum requirement is 1m squared per chook so you could fit max 8 in the 1st and 10 in the 2nd.

 

Personally, I have found, if you want to minimise fighting and maximise freedom of movement, I work on 2m square per chook which would give you 4 in the 1st run and 5 in the 2nd.

 

I hope that helps .

 

At the moment we have 5 in a cube with 1 extension ie 3 metres (3.3 m sq) which provides 0.66 m sq each and they have enough space, so our thinking was providing them (+ 3 ex batts) with a 12 x 6 x 6 WIR would provide 0.83 m sq each, plus added height - therefore more room than we are providing now.

 

On your calculations, for our 5 in the cube alone we would need 7 extensions!

 

I am now very confused as seemingly we are under providing for them even before we contemplate a WIR!!

 

Hi, sorry for causing confusion. I was watching TV as I was posting so I wasn't concentrating on whatI was writing . When I said the "minimum requirement", I was referring to the legal free amount for when they are classed as free range. This doesn't really aplly to the runs attached the cubes as omlet say it always depends on how much free-range time your girls get outside the cube run.

 

I think the same goes for WIR's. If your girls will be in the WIR 24/7 then you need to allow a lot of space for each hen, but if they are still going to be let out to play around the garden for a bit of each day then you can reduce that amount.

 

Does that makes any sense? Or am I still rambling . I totally agree with ANH that it doesn't matter what size you end up with they will love it. We have a huge garden, but after an hour or so's free-ranging the girls will take themselves back inside their run and play on the apparatus we have put in there for them .

 

In a WIR you can build up as well, some of my girls always stay on the ground, but others are real climbers and we will gradually be building more things for them to move up on to different layers as the summer goes on. This can give you more space, in a smaller area.

 

I hope you understand what I really meant now and that I haven't caused offence.

[Redwing]

I just realised I didnt congratulate Hillfamily on the new run - it looks ace, how are you finding it?

 

Shaun and Mostin - thats some good work with the roof, I don't think that will blow away anytime soon

 

Run number two is set to get underway in the Redwing household, this one will be in sections, one for the meat birds and a spare run area, maybe a tiny 'hospital' run too depending on how much of the garden I can nab for the build discussion get underway tomorrow and the measuring tape is ready

[Guest]

After the strong winds we had here recently (our garden is on a bif of a hill and so somewhat exposed), we knew that despite being on a budget we had to put a proper roof on our walk in run.

 

So i found some roofing going cheap on ebay for £30.

 

With some timber i had in the garden and more bought for £16 i have added a solid roof (with Mostin's help of course).

 

Its much better now.

 

The roofing is not perfect as its cement fibre board and very heavy (as you can see).

 

But i am going to get another couple of lengths of wood (£ to help with that.

 

So far our 3.5m x 7m WIR has cost £109 for side panels and £54 for roof = £163.

 

luckily i dont throw much away (i am sure you all have OH's like me) so i have managed to find all kinds of bits in the garage and around the garden to use and so make it cheaper), i call it recycling, Mostin calls it hoarding

That looks nice and big and am sure the roof will keep them nice & dry, I have done the same..used bits of wood to save on cost ..the chickens are dry..but can go out..good luck

[mostin]

Run number two is set to get underway in the Redwing household, this one will be in sections, one for the meat birds and a spare run area, maybe a tiny 'hospital' run too depending on how much of the garden I can nab for the build discussion get underway tomorrow and the measuring tape is ready

 

Fantastic news . A really good idea to have a sick bay too. See how much garden you can get away with, then add a bit more on .

[Ain't Nobody Here]

OK, so I think we're finished . I'm sure there will be some fine tuning but I'm really happy with the end result .

 

Here's a slideshow (if you're interested ). "Show Info" will display photo labels.

 

My walk in run slideshow .

[Redwing]

Good slideshow ANH, love the roll up blinds, they are

[Falkor]

Great slideshow! Your WIR is great.....I can see why you love it so much!

 

The blinds are and I love your great use of bungees!!

Edited April 12, 2009 by Guest

[Blackrocksrock]

Fantastic run and grass too and so quickly done after you had decided to do it - I am so

[Plum]

No wonder you are proud of it. Lucky chickens. Good slide show too.

[atsw]

OK, so I think we're finished . I'm sure there will be some fine tuning but I'm really happy with the end result .

 

Here's a slideshow (if you're interested ). "Show Info" will display photo labels.

 

My walk in run slideshow .

Well done ANH. I've decided you never really 'finish' this type of project. I keep finding little things to adjust and 'tweak' on mine, either inside or outside. The girls keeping looking at me as if to say 'what are you doing to it now'?

 

 

Like you, I'm very pleased with my run too. Oh, did I ever mention I did a sideshow as well ?

 

Andrew

[Puffin]

My OH has just finished our walk-in run - although I think we are going to have let it dry out a bit before we move the chickens from their pink eglu into the new lilac cube.... Then I just need to clean up the eglu for some new chickens to go into next week!

[Falkor]

My OH has just finished our walk-in run - although I think we are going to have let it dry out a bit before we move the chickens from their pink eglu into the new lilac cube.... Then I just need to clean up the eglu for some new chickens to go into next week!

 

and where are the pics!

 

oooh new lilac cube....pretty!

 

And new chooks.......what are you getting?

[Puffin]

Hmm I was afraid someone was going to ask that... i will have to read the bit that says how to load pictures!

 

I was hoping to go to merrydale poultry to get a few different hybrids, we have three brown warrens at the moment - who are all lovely and friendly I just want some different colours. I am not too bothered about breed really.

The three we have are real pets, my four year old son spends lots of time carrying them around!

The lilac cube was a birthday present from OH as well.

My contribution will be planting the potatoes tomorrow while he has a rest!

[Seagazer]

Lovely slideshows ANH and Andrew

[Moonie]

My new run .......

 

 

 

Courtesy of aviaries4u!

 

Gorgeous run, the girls love it and Tony and Tyler were lovely!

 

Highly recommended.

[Jules.]

wow!

[Cooks]

thats a gorgeous run!

[Moonie]

Thanks! You prob remember my last one cookie?! It got really boggy and horrible down there, it was also inundated with pigeons eating their food so made the decison to have a wir, and it's fab, bit like your lovely one.

[poachedegg]

Gosh that's a big 'un!!