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

[angeluk69]

Hi all, just a quick question...

 

I'm getting some chooks in the next few weeks, just got to wait for my coop and run to be ready for pick up (my friend is very kindly donating me hers as she is upgrading ). I have an area in my garden which is roughly 12ft x 24ft approx, and has a 3ft fence around 3 sides.

This is/was my veg patch and am going to section off an area just for the girls, as I've been doing my research and found out the big rhubarb plant I have is poisonous

 

What I am wondering is do I need to make the fence taller for the chooks or will they be ok? They would only FR when I am out in the garden as we do back out onto fields.

 

I know there used to be a thread purely of people's setups, but I can't for the life of me find it

 

Thanks in advance

[dance in the dark]

Depending on breed, 3ft can be easily scaled by most chickens, however, I have found that as long as they are content with their space they would always chose to not bother hopping over a fence. I have an araucana and an orpington who have enough trouble with the ladder into my cube, which is maybe an 8" jump, but I also have a hen who is more than capable of doing a standing jump to the top of my coal bunker, which is about four feet.

 

Also, in terms of chickens escaping, it is not worth worrying about too much, they aren't like the birds in chicken run. Wherever I have had an escapee she has always been running up and down the other side of the fence wondering how she got there and trying to get back to her friends

 

As for Rhubarb, everywhere says it is poisonous, but my girls broke into mine and annihilated it, and they are fine, and I have also heard stories of other people having the same thing. I am not saying feed them rhubarb leaves, I am just saying if they eat them, they will most likely be fine.

[Chortle Chook]

I have a 3ft fence separating my patio from the rest of my garden which is given up to my chickens. None of them have ever tried to get over it, even though the Poland has a lovely pair of wings and can fly perfectly well onto the top of the hen house (significantly higher than 3ft). The Silkies however do try to squeeze under neath

 

3ft would, however, be no problem for a fox to hurdle so your chooks would really only be safe let out there when you can keep a good eye out.