[bevwar]

I'm seriously thinking of keeping a couple of chickens in my average size urban garden. I have an old Anderson bomb shelter at the bottom which I would like to convert and cordon off about 3metres square of ground for them.  Can any members advise me if this sounds like suitable accomodation, and can I get away with just two hens?

[Dominic]

I would have thought a bomb shelter would, if anything, be too big.
3sqms is enough for 1 chicken, barely
I have 11.5 for 4, and they free range evenings and weekends.

Two hens should be fine.

[kegs]

Go for 3 hens to be on the safe side.  We got three in April and lost one to a prolapse in the first couple of weeks.  At least that way if you have three the two that might be left will have company.

[Shop Keep]

When you say 3 metres square, do you mean 3m x 3m or 3 square metres?
 
Can you put their coop inside the bomb shelter and give them an indoor run aswell?

[bevwar]

Thanks for your replies

The shelter is is approx 2m deep by 1.5 m wide.  The pen attached could be 3m by 3m with walls on 3 sides and a smallish plum tree for a bit of shade

Three hens you say?

[joyfull]

yes three hens is far better than 2 

[themagicaltoad1]

Is the anderson one of those corrigated iron thingy's? they would be too cold in winter and too hot in summer.

[bevwar]

Yes it is a corrugated thingy, its pretty cool in there now but could be cold in the winter too

[NovaStar]

Hi bevwar

I'm new here too - been lurking for a while but just had to join when I saw your thread!
OH and I are also looking to start keeping chickens and are also looking at the options to convert the old bomb shelter in our garden! Ours isn't an Anderson one though - it's brick-built with a reinforced concrete roof. The walls and ceiling are over a foot thick so the internal dimensions are roughly 4' x 5' (1.3 x 1.5m)!

I've done a LOT of reading so far, so hope the plans sound about right!


We plan to:

 - Grind a pop-hole through from one end (fortunately OH has an angle grinder!)

 - Paint the inside with whitewash and industrial floor paint for easy cleaning (the ceiling is smooth, reinforced concrete, so no rafters or hiding places for mites), and use Hemcore (or similar) inside the coop

 - Build a couple of nest boxes inside with a small hinged 'roof' so they're a bit darker

 - Attach a few branches from an old apple tree we cut down for perches, with a large, old litter tray underneath.

 - Replace the door with a home-made one that has a high mesh 'window' for light/ventilation.

 - Build an adjoining, fully-covered run on an existing flowerbed, extending to about 5'x7' (1.5 x 2.1m), with multiple perches etc.

 - The base will be slightly sloping (drainage) concrete covered with wood chippings, with a 'sandpit'

 - The roof will be Onduline and the run panels/door will be made using 1"x0.5" weld mesh.(we have a big fox and rat problem, so I want it to be as proofed as possible!)

Will this set-up be big enough for 3 chooks if they are also let out into the garden for a bit when I'm back from work?

[GrannieAnnie]

Can you make the run any bigger? 5' x 7' will be tight for 3 hens, really they need at least 2sm each, although the DEFRA guidelines say 1sm, but that is the bare minimum.

I couldn't see my chickens running around in such a small space.  Of course, you can maximise space if you can give them different levels to fly onto like the perches or platforms.