2009 Omlet cube and run for sale

[Roobaloo]

My parent's have been hit with the hen keeper syndrome...it's all my fault as I took my chicks up there to give them more space and freedom from the Big girls. Now they want their own flock!!

 

My Dad is quite the handyman so is planning on building their own coop and run...and asked me what size they would want...however, I'm getting confused with the guidelines. I know the size of the run is the main thing and I thought I was told before that it was a minimum of 1 square metre per hen? However, the Domestic Fowl trust sell a coop/run that measures 6ft x 6ft x 5ft...and says it is suitable for "6 large chickens"...so less than 2m x 2m...for 6??

 

This isn't the only example, our local garden centres are selling coops with runs at similar ratios...!! None mention time spent free-ranging. Is this cruel or have I misunderstood?

 

Thanks!!

 

x

[The Dogmother]

They all like to sleep in a heap anyway, but the general rule given is to allow a foot of roosting bar per hen in the coop, and a metre squared of run space - these are minimum recommendations.

[Roobaloo]

They all like to sleep in a heap anyway, but the general rule given is to allow a foot of roosting bar per hen in the coop, and a metre squared of run space - these are minimum recommendations.

 

Thanks! At least I can go back to them now and give them exact sizes!

...and then they'll stop being swayed by "space-saver" hen houses!!

 

I think they were worried I was telling them to get a bigger run so I could sneak some more in! They're only 2 mins up the road, so it's kinda like having a second flock of my own!!

[Plum]

Lucky you. Trouble with packing them in is you get behaviour problems and harm.