Chicken bald back

[acw295]

Hello, I have recently acquired 4 Pekin bantams – I know they aren’t great layers but we aren’t after many eggs. I love their characters already – really funny

 

Bit of relevant background - we have a large garden (at least 1/3 acre) but it has no fencing or proper boundary – we live in a rented cottage on a farm and are surrounded by fields and a wood. It is beautiful – no neighbours for 1 mile and no road. The farm raises pheasants and so they regularly patrol and shoot foxes, but I’m still wary of potential for fox attack so can’t leave the chickens out when we aren’t around we also have 3 cats but they are completely uninterested in the bantams now – they were curious for a few days but now take no notice.

 

I work full time and have a horse and so am out all day 7am-8pm, my other half is sometimes based at home but this really varies. Next year once we have lighter evenings I expect to be able to give them some free range time every day for at least a couple of hours, but now it is dark by the time I am home so their free range time will be limited to weekends and the odd hour Mon-Fri when he is home and able to supervise. it doesn't help that at the moment we can't catch them so once they are out, they are out until they decide to go to bed! Some taming work required.....

 

We have a traditional wooden coop with an attached run which can, apparently hold 6-9 bantams (I’m sure the house can but the ruin can’t!) but the attached run is only approx. 7ft x 2ft 5” (2.17m x 0.75m)

 

We have bought a run extension which takes it to 11ft 8” (3.57m x 0.75m) so approx 29qft or 2.7 square meters.

 

Is this going to be ok for the days they are confined to indoors, which at the worst case will be 5 days a week in winter? We can’t secure the garden or add any large structures (so no shed or WIR allowed), but I don’t want them to be miserable. We will move the run at least weekly so they will have new grass and are putting things in their run to entertain them (dustbath, treats, perches etc)

 

Thoughts please!

 

I’m sure I’ll have lots more questions as trying to get them tamer, sort out their food etc etc. I am addicted already

[sparkysmum]

Hi and welcome to the forum Pekins are great little characters and you are right they don't need vast amounts of space. However I think in your situation I would invest in some fencing which is easily moved ( Omlet is good) and create a little free range area in your garden. Perhaps you could site their fixed run within the fenced area. If foxes are a major concern electrifiable fencing is a good option but obviously more costly. If you aren't keen on these options then your extended run may be ok if you can give them perches and such like for added interest.

 

Thinking about the weather and muddy conditions underfoot it might be an idea, if they are going to be confined to a fixed run, for you to site it , not on the garden but in an area that you could fill with woodchips or other chicken friendly bedding/ flooring material. This would be much easier for you to manage and would protect the pekins feathery feet. Please see lots of good examples in the "eglus cubes and runs" section.

 

Finally, thinking again about the weather, try to cover your fixed run to keep the pekins dry. For a smallish run, corrugated plastic does the job well. For larger runs people often use clear tarpaulins.

 

Good luck and pics please. Ax