What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[chickenlicken85]

Just purchased my coop its this one ebay link if anyone wants a nosy was the best I could afford right now hoping my 3 hens will be happy with it:)

[Redwing]

Its very small, perhaps go for just two hens or extend the run a bit maybe?

 

Dont forget to give it a good coat of wood preserver

[jackian]

That is great ,it is very similar to one of mine and like you the best I could afford .We have had ours 2 years plus and it is still fine.

As Redwing has said the run is not big enough (they never are)you need to extend the amount of room they will be in .We have made a Walk in run which is covered so nothing gets to wet .

I am sure your chickens will love it ..and you will love them.

[PoachedPlease]

My friend has that one, it is smaller than it looks. There's no space fr the hens to perch or dust bath. She uses it within a Large WIR. To say it would house 5 chickens is rather cheeky!

 

Xx

[chickenlicken85]

I cant really get a bigget one as we dont have the space:/ will this not be ok for 3 small hens considering they will get free run of the garden in the afternoon? Plus I wasnt going to give them a dust bath as I figured they would make their own in the flower beds!

[PoachedPlease]

You need to think how long they might be kept in the run without free ranging. Going on holidays for example? The minimum is supposed to be 1metere square per chicken if they aren't going out. But that's just guidelines.

 

Xx

[chickenlicken85]

I wish I could get a huge run and had a big sprawling garden for them to explore but I only have a tidy little yard:( I only work part time till the afternoon so they could be free in the garden every afternoon till evening and all weekend etc. Luckily we dont go away often a couple of days once a year and my sister has said she will come over for a few hours and let them out.

 

I do want my chickens to be happy though and not miserable I thought by going for a 5 bird one but just getting 3 would give them ample space and most for sale were a similar size so I thought it was standard. Was so excited but feel sad now:(

[good_egg]

Awww. Don't be sad. Its amazing how many people sell chicken houses with a completely different capacity size from sensible. We had less than omlet recommended in cube plus extension but they took up so much of it we ended up changing to a walk in run. Perhaps you could have some bantams which would take up less room and depending on your space rig up a run extension (still fox proof) to give them more room when they aren't free ranging?