[squidgy]

me and my wife are new to chickens,so when the wife said she wanted them i had to make a chicken house and a run for them.so here it is let me know what you think please and if i need to change anything









the only thing i think i need to do now is extend the run as i am worried its not big enough.

and here are the girls living in it





cant remember what type they are so it you can help out that would be good.i was told they are 6 months old but have been told since they look younger

[nzdunn]

well done, it looks fab, lovely girls, im not sure wot breeds they are but im sure someone will be along to tell you,  they do look younger than six months only going by the size of their combs.   Can you let them free range in the garden.   nickyx

[squidgy]

i was wondering about that but not sure if my fences are high enough they are about 4ft,and also what they will be like to get back into the run

[agingchick]

Hi I shouldn't worry about getting them back in the run a few mealie worms will do it.  My fences are 3foot with a 11/2 foot trellis on top mine have never tried to fly over probably because they can't see the other side

[Chookiechook]

Looks nice

Would probably be better if the run was on its side so that they had more floor space and less head room

Unless you are a 7' giant that cant bend in the middle of course 

[Kate and her Ducks]

Do think they look like they could use a bit more space so think that is a good idea to extend the run. The minimum recommended is generally 1m² per bird but most here would recommend twice that. Not an ezpert but think that even with wing clipping they might get over a 4 foot fence, they jump and fly pretty well.
The other thing that your girls might like is some things of interest to climb around on like logs or branches.

[squidgy]

Do think they look like they could use a bit more space so think that is a good idea to extend the run. The minimum recommended is generally 1m² per bird but most here would recommend twice that. Not an ezpert but think that even with wing clipping they might get over a 4 foot fence, they jump and fly pretty well.
The other thing that your girls might like is some things of interest to climb around on like logs or branches.

that is hat worrys me is them jumping over but i would like to have them have the run of the garden

[dizzylizzie]

hi, welcome to the fab world of chicken keeping! i have ex-bats and posh chucks(they are not really posh, but they have at least got feathers...it makes my ex-bats look like chavs )mine have a run, but they also free range in the afternoon. they come when i shout girlies, cos they know they will get a treat. i have no problems getting them to bed as they take themselfs once it starts to get dark. i wouldnt be so worried about your girls getting out, but what can get in. one of my girls was killed by a neighbours dog that jumped into next doors garden , then over by my sheds. i knew she was a problem, and the bit she has always jumped over was fenced off with part of the run, and partly a mesh screen, we didnt know she could get in by the sheds....anyway, a very hard lesson learnt, at the expense of one of my beautiful girls.i also would make sure they are locked away safely at night as im afraid the chicken wire is not strong enough to keep out foxes, so dont leave your coop open, make sure it has bolts, rather than catches as a fox can master catches.if you can , i would give more room because those girls are going to get bigger!. they are beautiful girls, you will get some lovely eggs from them, hope you enjoys your girls as much as we all do, take care, lizzie x

[dizzylizzie]

sorry....me again, are you able to shut off that pop hole, cos, if something gets in the run they have no protection if you can lock them in securely....sorry, i seem to be picking holes, im not i promise ....i thought i had taken every precaution, and i was gutted when my girl was killed, i was ready to give them away because i thought id let them down, it heartbreaking if something happens, im not having a go honestly, take care, lizzie x

[nzdunn]

also if your worried about them and the fence you could just clip one wing on each bird, if you dont know how to do it though prehaps seek someone that does just incase.  nickyx

[mumsy]

My girls free range all winter in the garden, when they can do little damage, during the summer they have a huge run (to save the garden & veg patch).  The fence between them & the garden is 6 foot tall, between them & the neighbours is just a 4 foot picket fence..  They have never attempted to go over to next door because they don't realise whats there, they only know where their grass is & from what direction I come from with treats, hence the higher fence .................does this make sense??? Its perfectly clear to me

[dizzylizzie]

lol...it makes perfect sense ....i wasnt saying to be too worried about them getting out over a small fence, but what can get in over a small fence
im going to put a small fence around my paths and patio over winter , so its reasuring they dont attempt to jump it

[squidgy]

sorry....me again, are you able to shut off that pop hole, cos, if something gets in the run they have no protection if you can lock them in securely....sorry, i seem to be picking holes, im not i promise ....i thought i had taken every precaution, and i was gutted when my girl was killed, i was ready to give them away because i thought id let them down, it heartbreaking if something happens, im not having a go honestly, take care, lizzie x

Hi lizzie yes i can shut the pop hole i shut it when the girls go to bed at night which they go themselfs about 7 o'clock.I been thinking about extending the run to 8ft by 4ft do you think that would be big enough?.i think i will also try letting them free range and if i have problems i can always stop doing it.
and thanks everyone for yor help

[dizzylizzie]

im sorry , but im rubbish with dimensions . the run you have looks fab, but there seems to be a lot of wasted height ...is it possible to do what someone else suggested and turn it around so there is more length than height? mine love free ranging, and i love watching them, they are so funny, hopefully yours will too.  ..one thing...if you cant turn the run around, what about using some of the height by putting in perches etc?

[squidgy]

me and my wife need the hight to get in and cleanit as we both struggle bending. so was thinking about doubling the lengh that would then make it 8ft long by 4ft wide.