[Pepperpincushion]

Hello! I am new to chicken keeping and would really appreciate some help with a few questions 

I have a garden thats about 50 foot square (at a guess). I am thinking of keeping 3 chickens and having a coup with attached run but then letting them free-range when I'm at hone (which I am most of the time). So here are the questions!;

1) How tall does the attached run need to be if its enclosed?
2) If they free range during part of the day, is the lawn likely to be destroyed (more so than by the children and rabbits!)?
3) Is free-ranging hen poo a problem?!
4) Will they escape over a low fence? (Side fences to the neighbours are high but at the end of the garden there is a low fence separating us from the fields behind our garden)
5) How long is a chicken's lifespan?
6)Could a static coup/run be kept on a hard surface if the chooks got time out on the lawn at some point in the day or should they always be kept on earth/grass?

Think that's it for now! Thanks for your help.

[Jeanette]

You will need to be able to get  in to the run to clean it and it is much easier if you can stand up in it. Chickens like nothing better than doing a bit of gardening and it wont be long before they have got it just as they want it, but you wont have much left. If they cant eat it they wil andl make your garden full of craters where they dig.
Poo can be a problem if you dont clean it up but it does'nt take long to do a poo pick.
Chickens can fly over a low fence, the grass is always greener on the other side.
One of my girls has just gone to chooky heaven and she was 5 years old. I have heard of some getting to 8 years old.
 A static run can be kept on a hard surface but you could put some wood chip down for the girls to throw around.

[helens-hens]

Hi there, welcome to the addictive world of hens! I have only been keeping hens for just under a year but hopefully can answer some of your questions:

1) How tall does the attached run need to be if its enclosed?: I would say as tall as possible - chickens do like to stretch their wings

2) If they free range during part of the day, is the lawn likely to be destroyed (more so than by the children and rabbits!)?: They aren't kind to lawns or flower beds as they scratch around looking for food. If you want to keep a tidy garden you may want to restrict the area they are allowed to roam in.

3) Is free-ranging hen poo a problem?! I wouldn't say it is a problem but you want to keep on top of it. I have 2 and 'poo pick' about once a day.

4) Will they escape over a low fence? (Side fences to the neighbours are high but at the end of the garden there is a low fence separating us from the fields behind our garden): Depends on the hens as some, particularly the smaller bantams can fly quite well whereas the heavier breeds are less inclined. If it is a concern you can clip the flight feathers of 1 wing of the bird which will stop them flying any distance. If the wall is low it may be easier for foxes to get in so you will want to sure that their run/house is fox proof & if they are allowed to free range they are supervised.

5) How long is a chicken's lifespan?: Varies on the type of chicken. The purebreds tend to live longer than hybrids. I would say typically about 4 years to about 8 years, but there will always be exceptions!

6)Could a static coup/run be kept on a hard surface if the chooks got time out on the lawn at some point in the day or should they always be kept on earth/grass?: I have put my coop/run on paving slabs which I cover with horse bedding. They can still scratch about in this & it is easy to keep clean.

Hope this helps!

Helen

[joyfull]

If you want to minimise the damage of scratching on your lawn then take a look at sabelpoots of other feather legged/footed birds they do far less damage (although they do still pooh  ).

[evie2]

Hi Pepper, I'd definitely recommend Sablepoots loads of character, very pretty, not too loud and very, very friendly

[Pepperpincushion]

They sound good  Are they quite easy to find? I haven't even got to thinking yet about how or where to get actual chickens! Just trying to work out the logistics so far  :happy:

[Lindeggs]

Your questions seem to have been answered but I will also chime in here with my minimal experience.  I've only had my girls for a couple of weeks so have hardly any experience, but it's a steep learning curve and I've learned a lot already!

1) How tall does the attached run need to be if its enclosed?
I strongly agree that it needs to be high enough for you to stand up in.  Makes it so much easier to clean- and of course if it's easier, you're more likely to do it even when the weather is telling you to stay in bed instead. 

2) If they free range during part of the day, is the lawn likely to be destroyed (more so than by the children and rabbits!)?
They do like to eat grass and greenery, and to scratch in the lawn.  Whether this 'destroys' it is a matter of opinion.  My lawn wasn't great to start with so I think long term having the chickens aerating and fertilising it will actually do it some good.  If you have a vegetable garden, consider fencing it off with some bamboo stakes and bird netting, as they will definitely get in there and destroy it!

3) Is free-ranging hen poo a problem?!
Again, depends what you consider a problem.  They do poo a lot and their poo can be quite stinky (although this may depend on what they're eating).  I used to wander around the lawn in bare feet but don't do that any more!  And all shoes now have to be taken off at the back door before anyone steps on the carpet!  I'm considering dividing the lawn up into areas that I can fence off in rotation so the mess is more confined (I have 6 pullets who are currently free-ranging all day).

4) Will they escape over a low fence? (Side fences to the neighbours are high but at the end of the garden there is a low fence separating us from the fields behind our garden)
Depends what you consider 'high' and 'low'.  My chickens haven't gone over the 6-ft boundary fence (yet!) but would easily get over a 4-ft fence and I'm sure they could do the 6-ft one if they had an incentive.  I've had more trouble with them squeezing out through small gaps, and using other objects as steps to get on top of the shed.

5) How long is a chicken's lifespan?
Others can answer this better than me.  I chose heritage breed chooks with the intention that they may live for 10 years.  A woman I know had a bantam who lived for 15 years.

6)Could a static coup/run be kept on a hard surface if the chooks got time out on the lawn at some point in the day or should they always be kept on earth/grass?
A hard surface covered in bedding will be fine.  My local council regulations specify that the coop must be kept on a washable surface (eg concrete) so technically I'm in breach.  Don't tell them!

[Pepperpincushion]

Some helpful answers, thanks!

So, my main issues really are that we live in a privately rented house so we need to leave it (eventually) as we found it so I'm trying to work out how to best do things so that can happen!

The lawn isn't great so pecking and scratching probably won't matter too much, I just don't want it to end up completely barren! It sounds like it might do OK with just 3 hens?

The fence at the end I can't do too much about and its only about 4 foot high. If they DID get over, would they come back again? Being over the fence in itself wouldn't necessarily be a huge problem unless they just kept running!

[Lindeggs]

Yes, once they are settled in and know where 'home' is they will come back.  But do beware of predators while they're out!

We're also in a privately rented house and have the same issues - I will need to do a big clean-up of the yard when we move.  My exit strategy involves confining the chickens to their run for the last few weeks of our tenancy while I madly try to fix any holes in the lawn!

Before I got the chickens I went around with my camera and photographed the current state of the lawn - especially the bare patches under the trees, the areas where wild birds had created dust baths, the compacted/mossy/wet patches etc.  These are the things that can't be blamed on my girls so I'll be prepared if anyone tries!

[Pepperpincushion]

That's a really good tip!

[Helenaj]

As a precaution, I'd also check with your landlord if they are willing for you to keep chickens. If for some reason your chooks annoy the neighbours (e.g. escaping and digging up their plants), they may report you to your landlord and it would be heartbreaking to have to get rid of them if your landlord objects.
If your landlord is then concerned about the future state of the lawn, do as Lindeggs says and photograph the lawn and give a copy of the photos to your landlord, so that they cannot accuse your chooks of wrecking the garden.

One good thing about hens is you never have to weed again. The little blighters don't even get to see the sunlight before a chook rips its head off!

[Pepperpincushion]

The landlord seems pretty easy going about outdoor pets (in fact they said" You can have as many as you want in the garden" when we moved in with 10 rabbits!  ) but I will double check first and definitely take photos  The garden is pretty basic and scruffy anyway so we have that on our side!

[Lindeggs]

The basic, scruffy garden was one of the best features of this place when I chose to rent it - it has meant I can dig up areas to plant veges, and of course get my darling chickens!

I agree about the girls being great weed control.  Just yesterday all 7 of us (6 chooks and me) were out clearing an area ready for planting.  I just dumped a heap of compost on the patch and the girls dug it in, while ridding it of every ant, slater, slug and stray seed.

Of course it took all afternoon to do that, because I had to stop and watch them and help them by digging with a stick.