Feeding advice for bantams (one broody, one moulting)

[Xeno]

Hi all,

Have purchased the go up (although it's not arriving for a few weeks yet) to go inside or attached to a 3m x 3m run. We want to get four hybrid chickens such as ginger nut rangers. 

Even though the specs say that you can fit four chickens I am worried it won't be big enough and wondering if I should have got the cube instead. Can anyone advise?

Thanks

 

Edited June 17, 2021 by Xeno
Typo

[Cat tails]

I think four hybrids should fit. I have 5 bantams in mine. But it is stretching it. If you have the funds and space, you might want to consider the Cube instead.

[Luvachicken]

I went for the Cube in the first place as I like to give any of my animals the most amount of space possible if I can afford it.

Having a bigger house means you can change your mind at any time about the number of chickens you have.

If you start with a small house you might regret it later.

Ah, sorry, have just realised you have already bought the Go Up.......

 

[Xeno]

Thanks for your replies, I am thinking of cancelling the order and then ordering the cube. Thing is once I have set it up if it does seem too small it would not be easy to return. I guess the sensible option would be to get three chickens instead but I really have my heart set on four...

[Cat tails]

19 minutes ago, Xeno said:

Thanks for your replies, I am thinking of cancelling the order and then ordering the cube. Thing is once I have set it up if it does seem too small it would not be easy to return. I guess the sensible option would be to get three chickens instead but I really have my heart set on four...

Four is a nice number to start out with.

[Luvachicken]

45 minutes ago, Xeno said:

Thanks for your replies, I am thinking of cancelling the order and then ordering the cube. Thing is once I have set it up if it does seem too small it would not be easy to return. I guess the sensible option would be to get three chickens instead but I really have my heart set on four...

 

25 minutes ago, Cat tails said:

Four is a nice number to start out with.

But once you start, you will always want more 

[Cat tails]

19 minutes ago, Luvachicken said:

 

But once you start, you will always want more 

That’s why I know have 5 😂

[Xeno]

Ahh I would love a whole flock but we live in the suburbs and I am a bit worried about noise/smell and neighbours. Also I am limited by our run size as they will be spending most of the time in there.

It's my absolute dream to move rurally and have a collection of various animals, including of course a flock of chickens, one day maybe!

[Cat tails]

I think we all have that dream. But I keep 5 bantams in a 25 m2 garden and I even have upstairs neighbours. 😉

[Luvachicken]

1 hour ago, Xeno said:

Ahh I would love a whole flock but we live in the suburbs and I am a bit worried about noise/smell and neighbours. Also I am limited by our run size as they will be spending most of the time in there.

It's my absolute dream to move rurally and have a collection of various animals, including of course a flock of chickens, one day maybe!

This is me exactly 😊 (oh, DS told me we live in a town 🙄)

I started off with 3 hybrid chickens 12 years ago. 

I moved on to Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes and some others I can't remember the breed name of.

I've had Pekins for the last 9 years.

They are fab little cuties.

Their numbers have increased and I now have 7 altogether. This is the most I have had - sometimes they are noisy - but they don't smell. All of the neighbours I have spoken to say they don't mind the noise - I think the noise annoys us more than anyone else.

 

[mullethunter]

If there’s any way you can afford it, definitely get a Cube rather than the Go Up. Unlike some I do t think the Go is a bad house - I started with one (low level not up) for 4 bantams and 7 years later it’s still in use as a spare house for youngsters / quarantines / holidays! 

I agree with Cattails - 4 hybrids would just about fit but it’d be pretty snug - especially if they’re larger hybrids.

[Girly]

I have 4 hens in a go up inside a walk- in run.  The run is 3 x 4 metres.  But I also have a 12 x 6 ‘ walk-in ‘ run for them.  I bought the Omlet WIR earlier this year because the other one slopes down at the sides and is really awkward for a human!  l think my girls are quite happy in the go-up but at the moment only one is sleeping in it.  The other three sit on top of it or on the perch.  They seemed happy enough in the winter inside the coop. They also free range when I’m in the garden.  But be warned, you will always be raiding the bank for them!  Old run, cover now removed and replaced with shade netting.  New WIR in specially dug out area.  
Nice and sheltered! 

[Xeno]

Girly- I think that may be a smiliar run to the one I have bought, was it from ebay? Although mine has a curved roof and is 3x3m. The Omlet walk in run is really nice looking, wish I could stretch my budget to that but I have already spent so much, these will be the worlds most expensive eggs, but then it's not really just about the eggs is it! 😄

[Girly]

I agree with you, it’s not about the eggs, although they are a bonus.  I had to get the old run because of the avian flu regulations, the Omlet WIR would have taken too long to arrive. I had a small slope at the side of the patio dug out and levelled and the two sides shored up with sleepers, they are waist high.  So nicely sheltered.   There is a small gap all round so that I can add shading etc.  As a bonus I have been able to make a small raised garden at the side of the run chicken proof ( almost) which is now planted with lavender and various other plants. But it has cost me all of my holiday savings and more! Expensive eggs??……but worth it! Good luck with yours, your run sounds great.  Don’t forget to get a tarpaulin or something to cover the top ready for avian flu regulations in the autumn. 

[Luvachicken]

@Girly that run looks fab, but now I realise there is something missing on my run, a chicken sign.

Think I might need to make them one.

Our rabbits had wooden name labels that my dad made but the chickens have never had one.

Time to get making !!

[Girly]

12 minutes ago, Luvachicken said:

@Girly that run looks fab, but now I realise there is something missing on my run, a chicken sign.

Think I might need to make them one.

Our rabbits had wooden name labels that my dad made but the chickens have never had one.

Time to get making !!

Brilliant idea! I sometimes forget the name of one of my girls and just look at the sign with their names on. DD bought it for a Christmas present for me.  

[Luvachicken]

2 hours ago, Girly said:

DD bought it for a Christmas present for me.  

Do you know where from ? It would save me making one 

[Girly]

Hi Luvachicken, it was from WeeChalkyDesigns on Etsy uk.  My daughter Heather told the artist the names and breeds.  Very cleverly Liz Hardy, the artist designed and painted my sign. Check the website out.  Very reasonable prices and excellent quality.   

[Luvachicken]

Thanks @Girly 

I have been left to my own devices again so who knows what might fall into my basket 

[Cat tails]

8 minutes ago, Luvachicken said:

Thanks @Girly 

I have been left to my own devices again so who knows what might fall into my basket 

Hahaha you are a dangerous woman tonight!

[Xeno]

Well I ended up getting the cube instead 😆 I justified it by telling myself that if we ever move to anywhere with more space, I can get some more chickens. My husband thinks I have completely lost the plot now!

The run is starting to take shape, still lots to do and perches etc to assemble. Hoping to make it as interesting as possible in there for them.

My run is about 9 square metres in total, I was hoping to get four chickens but I have been reading another forum where people say you need 10 square metres per chicken? I mean obviously in an ideal world I would love to provide that much space but does the average person really do this? This particular poster said that giving them much less than that is only one step above battery farming. So now I am starting to doubt the space I will be giving them, they would be allowed in the garden sometimes but this won't be every day for various reasons? Any thoughts?

[Cat tails]

Bare minimum is 1 square meter per chicken. 2 per chicken is plenty. 
I have a little more than 1 per bantam.

[Luvachicken]

10 hours ago, Xeno said:

Well I ended up getting the cube instead 😆 I justified it by telling myself that if we ever move to anywhere with more space, I can get some more chickens. My husband thinks I have completely lost the plot now!

So pleased you ordered a Cube instead.

Your chickens will love you for it.

Can't wait to see all the pictures 😊

[Xeno]

Thanks, I will definitely post pictures once it's all sorted . The cube arrived yesterday and we set it up, really impressed with the look, quality and functionality of it, although you would hope so for that price 😆