4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[koo2cat]

How much space do 6 hens need to class them as free range? Does free range mean unlimited space or is it a space per bird thing

[MedusA]

I believe the rule of thumb is 1 square metre per hen as a minimum.

 

I have a 5 X 3 metre walk-in run for my 7 hens and there is loads of space there for them.

 

They do come out for limited foraging in the garden too, as long as I can be there to supervise them, but they are in their run for most of the time TBH.

[..lay a little egg for me]

According to the soil-association, the minimum is 4 sq m per bird outside and 12 birds per sq m inside the house, but birds kept to soil-association standards must have 10 sq m per bird outside and 6 birds per sq m inside.

See: http://www.foodforlife.org.uk/resources/documents/Food%20Quality%20and%20Provenance/Welfare_standards_for_organic_and_free_range_chicken_and_eggs.pdf

Edited February 18, 2009 by Guest

[Larkspurs]

Hi

 

I found a similar thread that may be helpful http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=38535

 

Dave

[koo2cat]

Thankyou for your replies. We have 3 hens and are getting 3 more in March. Their run is pretty large I would have thought but even my three seem to get restless in there. We do let them out for supervised free ranging but not as often as I would like due to garden wrecking and Mr Fox.

[Egluntyne]

From the Defra site.

 

Free range

In free-range systems, the birds are housed as described in the barn system above. In addition birds must have continuous daytime access to open runs which are mainly covered with vegetation and with a maximum stocking density of 2,500 birds per hectare.

 

In all systems the birds must be inspected at least once a day.

 

I'll leave you to do the maths! :D