[Ruby Red]

As Im not very good with working out Sq metres etc could someone help me out. I have 4 hens and a banty in a run measuring 9ft by 4ft. I let them out to free range mid afternoon so they arent in there all day. I would like to increase it as 1 hen died recently though she was only the size of a pigeon !! So given the size how many could it hold comfortably without being cramped.

[joyfull]

sorry but your run is already below the Defra minimum for 5 hens. According to the calculator site I use (a tiling site is good for converting) you only have 3.34 square meters of space available and Defra recommend at least 1 square meter per bird (although on here we recommend at least double this). I know that you say they are let out to free range mid afternoon but that still leaves all morning and part of the afternoon in the run. Before getting any more birds I would look at increasing the size of your run.

[Ruby Red]

Just out of interest how many hens do others keep and how big in feet and inches are theirs. I have never thought my hens to be cramped and they are very healthy and happy. I had advice of a friend when I first bought them as I wanted to do the right thing.

[carolbriar]

I have 5 hens and my run is not square but if you measure around the fence it is 35 metres which is approx 113ft (I think).  Because mine don't free range then I wouldn't like to add more than 1 or 2 to that space.  I think 5 are plenty.

[Fisherman]

I also have 5 hens and the pen is 4.8 Mts. long by 2.4 Mts. wide which is approximately 11.5 Sq. Mts. They look very comfortable and in my view the pen could hold at least 2 - 3 more hens especially in these dry conditions. I've only had them a month in which time we haven't had much rain so my view may change come summer when its lashing it down

[Casey76]

Last year I had 10 L/F hybrids running on almost 400mē and they compltely destroyed my garden!

This year they are going in a pen, or rather pens.  Once the table birds have gone on their merry way, I'll have about 140mē on which I'm planning having 16 L/F chooks.  That way, even if the ground in the pens is destroyed, the rest of my garden should look really nice lol!

[death of rats]

does this also apply to bantams or are they given less space being smaller?

[SUTTY1]

i've 6 ex-batts in a run 12foot by 8foot, even thuogh they free-range many hours every day, i think i wouldn't like any less space for them!