[bocker]

i have built a 6 x 4 raised coop and was wondering how many birds i could keep in it with out over crowding them. at the moment i have 6 rhode island reds and 1 light sussex. thanks bocker

[joyfull]

It's not so much the size of the coup (although do allow 12 inches of perching space per bird and 1 nest box per 3 birds), it is the size of the run that you need to worry about. They need a minimum of 1 square meter per bird but if they are in the run all the time then they need alot more than this. This space does not include the space taken up by the coup, remember you have to have room for feeders, drinkers, dust bath, something to perch on, shaded area to protect from rain and sun, room to run and stretch etc.

[bocker]

It's not so much the size of the coup (although do allow 12 inches of perching space per bird and 1 nest box per 3 birds), it is the size of the run that you need to worry about. They need a minimum of 1 square meter per bird but if they are in the run all the time then they need alot more than this. This space does not include the space taken up by the coup, remember you have to have room for feeders, drinkers, dust bath, something to perch on, shaded area to protect from rain and sun, room to run and stretch etc.

thanks for the info  my internet was down sorry for the delay in my reply. my run is 13 mtrs x10 mtrs so i think i should be alrite there. i got 6 rhode island reds and 1 light sussex the reds seem to be bullying her and they attack her from time to time .do you think it would help if i got another 2 sussex to see would she settle down better thanks bocker

[joyfull]

do you have another coup and run to keep the sussex in together so that they can get to know each other first (after you have quarrenteened the new ones for a couple of weeks - you don't want to take the risk of introducing an illness into your original girls)? Ideally if they are slightly smaller and younger than the other light sussex she will be able to boss the new ones around and then carefully introduce them all to the RIR's. Make sure you have several feeders and drinkers plus plenty of places for them to hide as you will get the usual scuffles whilst the new pecking order is sorted. Having one odd coloured hen will often result in bullying problems as they are noticably different so it makes them a target.

[carolbriar]

When I introduced 2 new hens to my original 3 one of the newcomers was a light sussex the other a buff rock.  I think the light sussex was bullied and ostrasized a bit because of her very different colour.  I already had a buff sussex so the buff rock wasn't that different.  It took quite a while for her to integrate fully with the others.

[bocker]

THANK YOUS ALL FOR YOURE INFO I THINK I WILL GET HER A FEW FRIENDS OF HER OWN I PUT IN A PLASTIC 2FT X2FT MIRROR TODAY AND IT WAS VERY FUNNY I DIDENT THINK CHICKEN S COULD B SO VAIN HA HA THEY STOOD THERE IN A GROUP AND STARED AT THEM SELVES FOR AGES ONE OF THEM EVEN ATTACKED IT

[joyfull]

please could you not type in capitals as this is considered to be shouting in the computor world 

[tosca100]

Went to the Cheshire Show this morning and saw this, recommended for 6 hens. Don't know much about chooks but this seems awfully tight. They had 6 hens and 3 rabbits in it...gives a bad impression I thought.

[Casey76]

*shakes head*  by the time you add a feeder and a drinker, you have space for ONE hen in that run.  I couldnùt see you fitting more than three in the house either...


Looks fairly well made though (at a distance!) and could be useful for a quarantine/hospital coop.