3.6m Omlet Chicken Run for sale, Brand New in Boxes, Milton Keynes (MK19)

[Bramble]

OK, now I realise you lot are probably the LAST people I should be asking this question (this forum also being known as Morehens anonymous) but I'm going to reserve some ex-batts for september shortly and am wondering how many to get?

I will (by then, hopefully) have a Cube with standard 2metre run plus a 1 metre extension and have three chucks already (two are last year's ex-batts and one, incredibly vocal pied suffolk). I'm thinking two, but should it be three? What are the odds on me losing one shortly after release?

Big decision (I know you lot will all say, "oh, get 10", but I'm trying to be sensible!!!!! )

[scarlettohara]

I've had both mine in twos and apart from a bit of pecking from the first ones they've been fine

 

Should add BHWT say 3 is the minimum but my last girls were poorlies from Em, the first 2 should have been 3 but they didn't have any boxes and I only had one carrier

Edited August 12, 2011 by Guest

[Egluntyne]

I usually get 4 at a time. First time round I just got 3.

[Mercedes55]

We got 4 last year and they all got along fine with each other from day one. We lost 1 of them just after Easter and we now have only 1 of them laying every day, the other 2 are pets now

[Griffin]

I've always collected mine in threes. I just think that when they're potentially going to be ill or need extra care it's better to have a number that you can easily cope with.

[Purplemaniacs]

I got three and they get on very well, except for eating eggs, see other post in egg section!

 

I thought three was a good number as if you lose one you are not left with one lonely girl.

 

Chrissie

[Bramble]

Thanks, I had three last year, which I think is an ideal number to have to start, but as I'm extending my flock, rather than starting from scratch, i wondered if six might be too many to cope with (not to mention whether the run is big enough?)

[Purplemaniacs]

Six would be ok but I think it depends on the size of the run

 

Chrissie

[sparkysmum]

Hi Bramble. I would say that the number of hens you have needs to be determined by the amount of space you have & not by the house, and also by the amount of free range time you can give them. Therefore although you have a cube and could therefore house up to 10 hens, you could really only do this if they were going to have a large area to peck around in all day. I just re read your post You have 3 just now, I would go for three more so long as you let them out to play.

Lucky ex batts, they will think they're in paradise

[counturchickens]

3, we have a cube with standard 2m run and 1m ext. I know it's 'officially' too small, but 5 are happy in there, and I would go up to 6, but not any more. They do get fr time every day too.

[emmastar]

I carnt wait till i pass my driving test i want to rescue 2 ex bats to add to my lot i allready have ,

Im not to sure how to work out how many i can have in the space i have ,

cube in a 12ft , 6ft walk in run and i also have another wooden house in there just incase one feels like quiet time , they also free range 2hrs a day