Keeping other birds with chickens

[poppy ben grace 1]

Hi all, sadly I sold my cube a couple of years ago and long story short I missed keeping hens so have just purchased a second hand go up completel with 3 meter run and 3 lovely hens .

I was slightly disappointed as i don’t think the go is as good as the cube but it was such a bargain .

My dilemma is I’d like them to have more space and was going to get some omlet netting to fence a small area of the garden off for them and get another extension for the run to make it 4 meters in total. The go won’t be moved so it’s not a problem moving it.

I can’t  afford to buy both now , should I get the run extension first ? It would mean they are confined to the coup for a month or so until I can save up more pennies!! 

Also I know there is a fox in the village as my neighbors down the road lost their girls  a couple of weeks ago so would need supervision anyway....

I just want them to have more space really, what does everyone else do? A walk in run is not an option unfortunately. Many thanks ! 

 

 

[Cat tails 182]

I would save up for a run extension or invest in a walk in run. In these months they don’t really need the space, with the cold and the wet and the short days. And three hens should be perfectly happy in a 3 metre run. I currently have 3 bantams in a standard run with a make shift pen attached. It totals to less than a 3 metre extension.

[mullethunter 152]

For me it depends how often you’d be able to let them out into their fenced area. If you work full time and so the girls would only be able to come out at the weekend, I’d agree with Cattails and say go for the extra metre in their run now, then save up and get the netting when the days are longer and you can let them out in the evenings. If, however, you’d be able to let them out every day, I would go for the netting now.

Do keep in mind as well that the last couple of years  it’s flu has meant that they need to be kept in a run for a few months over winter anyway - if that was to happen again then your new netting would stand unused.

[Patricia W 85]

I’d go for the run extension.  My experience with the netting is that determined chickens can escape if they have a mind too.  We had the Omlet run you could electrify and all that happened was that when a chicken tried to pop through (these were rescue hens) they got a shock which helped them get through faster!  Another simply flew over from a standing start.  

 

[AndyRoo 61]

Regardless of what you do, I wouldn't go with Omlet netting. Foxes chew through it like it's butter. Get an electrified fence instead, they soon learn their lesson then.

[Patricia W 85]

Not much good when the chickens escape through it!  Or did I have ninja chickens? 

[poppy ben grace 1]

Thanks everyone, I’ve ordered the extension and will possibly get the netting for when I can keep an eye on them .

I saw a fox in my neighbors garden tonight at 6.30 so definitely need to be vigilant. I feel bad for them but at least they will be safe in the go . 

[Purplemaniacs 11]

I think the run extension is a good plan. I bought some Omlet netting some years ago and it sits unused as I always worry about chooks  escaping or foxes getting to the chooks. 

As others have said it is quite likely they will need to be confined to a covered run soon.