[francais]

Right, the hen house in on order, says it will accomodate 4 large or 6 small. I only want 3 (one "belongs" to each of the kids), but do I look at standard size or bantams?

I first had bantams in mind off a suggestion by my dad who had bantams when he worked / lived on a farm, but a friend of his has said standard hens would be better.

What would you guys reccomend please?

Have attached a photo of my house (photo is supplier own, but not sure if I can mention the sites name on here? - but did not want to claim it as my own photo's )

[Timbo47]

From what I see of that Hen House it might only suit two or three normal size Hens.
My run is a similar design that I built myself , which is 12ft x 4ft . I have Three Ex-Battery Hens in mine.  Maybe yours is a bit smaller than my size? If so I'd say Two Normal size Hens at most.  Tim

[woodside farm]

This house and run is only big enough for three bantams.

Michelle xx

[francais]

Thanks. 3 bantams it is then

[themagicaltoad1]

Many of us have one of these and most of us have very quickly realised the run is nowhere near big enough and we've built extensions. I have 3 bantams in mine, they have plenty of room in the coop.

[dizzylizzie]

Never believe manufactors when they tell you how many chickens you can squeeze in...unless your planning on setting up your own battery farm!. its really hard because you cant get a good look at them when you order off the internet. I have seen this house before, and in fact one of our members has bought this house, but she has extended the run as the one on this coop  is very small. I wouldnt put 3 full sized chickens in this house. Im afraid i have no experiance with bantams, but someone will be along shortly im sure.

[trinacooke]

I have large Hybrids and a trio or Black Rosecomb bantams! my house and run for the bantams is a simlar set up although it is bigger and a different design, the bantams have lots of room.

Re Large vs Bantam ..... they are both lovely! one of my Rosecombs is now laying an egg every couple of days although they are smaller than the Hybrids eggs they taste yummy!!!

I dont think mine are prolific layers but I understand breeds like bantam Sussex, Wyandotte, Rhode Island Red (bantam) do lay very well and also make eggcellent ( ) layers and pets!

Although you wont stop at three! then there will be another or bigger coop and just another one, two three or maybe six ......

I started with JUST two now I have eleven!  :happy:

all the best Trina x

[joyfull]

I have two living in one of these (it is supposed to be my hospital isolation ward but these two have decided to take up residence in it) 1 is a cockerel and the other a very undersized copper black maran (she was the runt of the babies and is now bantam size, but perfectly healthy). However mine free range all day so are not cramped. Unless you have a run as well I would not recommend using one of these, remember some of the space would be taken up by their feeders/water containers and a dust bath area. My roof is also separating and will get replaced next year with onduline (and it is less than 2 years old). 

[redmolly]

I have one of these too! I have 4 big girls living in there at the mo!! There is plenty of room indoors....3 sleep on the front and 1 on the back perch. The run tho - is not a run!!! Ours had a massive extension built within a couple of days as it was nowhere big enough. They only use this for their sleeping and laying quarters now and free roam around the garden in the daytime. It's fine for sleeping and laying - but you can't keep them in there all day. We now have a shed on order......as it will be much easier to keep clean.....we currently have 6 more waiting to move in following one broody hen!!!

[Foxy]

The other thing to mention is that these houses are not robust. I have one only as a broody house used in the summer (an arc)  but the wood is the same. Compared to my usual houses it is cr,,p. Whilst power washing it down ready to flat pack, to my surprise the strength of the pressure of the water actually sliced through the wood! Imagine what a fox would do!

[redmolly]

No they are not really robust and it amazes me at what prices these are sold for!!! Mine most certainly wouldn't last another year and I only got it last March!!! I'll keep it for my broodies in the summer tho - or isolation if need be!! Am looking forward to my shed arriving tomorrow though!!! 

[death of rats]

I looked at these houses on the net and then designed and built my own. Then I saw one in a local country store and was amazed by the quality of the timber used. It is like matchboard panelling and is about 5 mm thick. I used 15 mm weatherboarding for mine and 18mm ply for a roof area.
The other thing that amazed me was the size of the thing. They really are tiny. In mine I have 4 silkie bantams and 3 silkie large fowl (not that they are very large) The run on mine in 3 metres long by 1 metre wide and is used as a shelter when it rains because the real run is 9 metres by 4 metres which is large enough.

[matilda duck]

We have one of these which we used as a quarenteen house, the banties are in it now .

Word of warning though.........our dog was in the garden the other day and decided he wanted the banties .  The mesh was no problem at all for him.  It just caved in .  Now we were on hand to put it all back together and re-inforce with thicker weld mesh.

Yes he is a big dog, but it is NO problem for a fox to get in!!!!
Please all be careful!!