BHC Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Just being really nosey here, but wondering what people's set-ups are with their chooks? We have three chickens and an eglu, but they are free-ranging around the garden unless the window cleaner is here and he insists they be confined to the run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 I have a cube and a walk in run, but my girls also get a few hours of supervised free ranging every day too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katieD Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 ive got 7 girls all in a 12x9 WIR with on the outside freerange probably on average an hour a day i love nosy threads! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 I'm like you BHC, three chickens in an eglu. They do have supervised free ranging in the (fairly tiny) garden each day though. Just trying to work out what is best surface in the run. what is this Auboise stuff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Five girls in a small (but perfectly formed ) walk in run with Omlet netting confining them to the flowerbeds. (See link in my signature .) I have a lawn and a poop free patio . ChickenNutter, Aubiose is a horse bedding. Other types include Easibed, Hemcore (UK version of Aubiose, I think), NedzBedz. Brilliant at absorbing poos - they magically disappear . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Its a type of horse bedding, although is only suitable for covered runs Oops cross posted with ANH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BHC Posted September 20, 2009 Author Share Posted September 20, 2009 Am I being irresponsible to let the free-range (the garden is enclosed) unsupervised all day? I don't think I could cope with all that poo in the enclosed space of an eglu! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Do not underestimate how easily foxes can get into enclosed gardens, sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Yes I only let my girls out when I am home and keeping an eye out. I learned that from reading other posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 It's really up to you. If you aren't aware of a fox problem in your area, you can take a calculated risk and let them freerange but be aware that some people have had chickens taken by foxes after letting them freerange safely for months or even years. Some people feel that a life of freeranging is worth the risk, others won't take any chances. Personally, I let my girls freerange in our fairly enclosed garden but only when I'm at home. I don't watch them constantly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alih Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 5 chickens in a WIR 12 x 8 feet with a cube inside. They free-range when I let them but are perfectly happy in their run. Woodchip plus a dustbath, perches and an upturned bucket give them something to do.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggregiousness Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 New owner of two Cochins - they free-range all day but are locked up when they go to bed at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Where to start? I have five bantams in an extended Eglu run and four chickens in a 9 x 6 walk in run with Eglu - neither set get any free range time I have six chickens in a 5 x 10 stable and they get at least two to thee hours free ranging a day I also have one chicken in a hospital wing its a large transport crate but she also gets out at least an hour a day None of the rest get free ranging time because of their age or they are in isolation having been bought recently If the run is big enough then while free range time is nice its not essential and sometimes the group of chickens cannot be trusted to free range without event Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurmurf Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 I've got the big girls (11 of them) in a cube with two extensions who free range within Omlet netting in a third of the garden all day, every day - whether I'm here or not. The big babies (6 three month olds) are in another cube with one extension with a quarter of the garden which is 'Omlet netted' and they free range all day every day (but usually outside their netting 'cause I haven't clipped their wings yet ) The Ponyos (3 boys destined to be dinners) live in an eglu within another section of the garden netted off for them, with the option of free ranging in it - although they are so lazy they tend to just sit in their run even with the door open . We let them free range together across the garden and all 3 runs every afternoon/evening to aid introductions - all very smooth so far! They all take themselves to their own beds every night and we shut them in. We have no lawn in the centre, we have dirt with some brown grass-like vegetation holding it together (ShaunW visited at the weekend and wondered at the scorching hot summer we must have had in our very own microclimate ). The chooks have rapasorb in their runs. Needless to say, the chooks have turned their free range areas into blasted earth. I know that I take a risk free ranging, we've discussed it repeatedly as a family and have decided to keep going.... ask us again if/when we lose some/all of our chooks. Mostin and I went to a poultry auction on Saturday and didn't buy a single chook my garden has reached (temporarily? ) saturation point.... mind you..... bantams are quite small, aren't they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 my garden has reached (temporarily? ) saturation point.... mind you..... bantams are quite small, aren't they? Nonsense! Until the chickens are living in the house there is no such thing as a saturation point! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurmurf Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 thank you Tasha! I already feel like my garden is lots bigger..... and emptier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Wooden house and a 7 X 12ish WIR - they free-range most days with a chick in it and a small run next to it 2 new bantams in it being integrated with Purkinje in the . Eventually they'll all live together and free-range in the garden (Reading the above - I think I need more chickens ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 I'm not as bad as Redwing but I do have a problem . I have a WIR 5mtrs x 7mtrs with three cubes in and a small quail run. I have 23 monsters living in there. I also have three duckiquacks in a rablu and a mini Vorwerk, a blue bearded silkie, two frizzle pekins (one looks like a turkey) and a LF Australorp (all babies) living in an eglu. I also have to take this opportunity to confess to two more arrivals. Next weekend, I am collecting two brahmas that Griffin has heroically saved from being culled. Never being one to resist a chicken sob story or a brahma, I have offered them a home with my lot. I may need more of the garden at this rate but don't tell hubby...he's just agreed to us getting another pre-loved eglu. It is a red one though...son has always fancied red (he wants to put a 'This is Anfield' sign on it). That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 I have a trio of Polands, Phillip, Phillipa and Teddie who live in a cube without a run these days. I also have two of their offspring, Babs and Joy, who live, at night, in an eglu with a run. The garden (which basically is a recovering building site) is surrounded by 6ft fences and walls and is in a suburban area which, to date, has had no reported sightings of foxes. But I know that means nothing really. There is always a first time. It is divided into 3 - one section is chook free - but consequently infested with weeds. The second part of the garden is for the big ones and the third smaller section is for the little ones. Both these are weed free! The chickens' sections are created from 50 metres of Omlet netting ( which can be electrified but is not ) ingeniously interwoven to create the 2 sections so I haven't had to cut it! Yet! They all free range all day every day even when there is no-one in. I do work from home quite a bit, but I'm also out a lot too. They are let out anytime from 7.30 onwards (including the babies who are let out of their eglu run into their free ranging bit). Whoever is home locks them into their respective cube and eglu at about 8ish. This is a decision we made 18 months ago when we first got them. We know the risks but decided that the benefits in terms of their quality of life outweighed them. In the longer term plans for the garden is a WIR, and an intention to make a smaller chook free ranging area - but mainly to allow us to have more of the garden back, not to reduce the amount of free ranging. Tricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Two extra large wooden coops. In one there are 11 ladies, in the other there two Brahmas, three ex-batts, Penelope Silkie and five young lads who'll be dinner. All of the above free range all day every day in their bit of the garden. I did have Omlet netting but replaced it last week with netting that has smaller holes. The other side of the netting I have another wooden coop containing eight growers and little Olive. She's got the hump though, she prefers to be with the grown ups, not the babies, and wants to sleep squished up next to the boys. I worry about her so have insisted she stays with the little ones. They free range too over their side. In their enclosure is my broody coop & run with Tiger Lily, a Brahma chick and four Poland chicks. In the garage there are two Gold Brahma ladies lodging! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Cube with one extension, and currently 3 hens in although I have had as many as five in there. They free-range for an hour or so every evening, and three or four hours on Saturday and Sundays, less of course if I am away or out, and the evening free-ranging will be curtailed as the days get shorter. In midwinter they only get out at weekends. I am making plans for a 2m x 3m walk-in run, with the Cube on the outside, and I will add another couple of hens then. Why is the free-ranging so limited? Chiefly because I work all day, often go out in the evenings, and I am certain they would be 'foxed' within the first day if I let them out unsupervised - I've had a couple of close escapes. However it suits me as well because I love my garden, and if they free-ranged all day they would do a lot of damage - in these limited periods, nothing gets destroyed. They seem perfectly happy, there is no feather-pulling or pecking and two of them lay most days (Sieglinde has retired) so I don't feel at all guilty about this arrangement. I will be much happier when they have a bigger run, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozboz Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 I let my 3 hens free range most of the time with access to their run and coop, this is where i keep their food and water. The run can be locked up if i need them to stay in there and they dont grumble at that anymore since i extended it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurmurf Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 (Reading the above - I think I need more chickens ) well of course you do, Lewis! do the chicken maths.... add how many you have and subtract how many you want and clearly you'll have a negative number. That's the yawning 'chicken gap' that always needs fillin' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 (Reading the above - I think I need more chickens ) well of course you do, Lewis! do the chicken maths.... add how many you have and subtract how many you want and clearly you'll have a negative number. That's the yawning 'chicken gap' that always needs fillin' If only my parentals could do chicken maths - maybe theres a course they could go on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 (Reading the above - I think I need more chickens ) well of course you do, Lewis! do the chicken maths.... add how many you have and subtract how many you want and clearly you'll have a negative number. That's the yawning 'chicken gap' that always needs fillin' Do you do Maths lessons for long suffering husbands, so far he is resisting my yearning for some silkies or houdins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
