size of runs, beware!

Hello all, i'm new on here but just wanted to share about any other newbies looking to get chickens and going on some sites looking at all-in-solutions (ie house, run etc all built in one unit)  they can be pricey is my first point but that aside i'd say to ignore the 'suitable for x number of chickens' comments on their sites as you may be hugely shocked and disappointed when you get the item.  i bought one that cost almost £300 and said up to 6-8hens,  we assembled it and thought the run area beside and under it looked abit small so got 2 bantams and swiftly realised that we needed add on run so built one, now have four bantams but with benefit of hindsight i'd say buy the house as one peice but buy extra or make your own add on run, they're called 'runs' for a reason and the birds need to have space to 'run', most all inclusive solutions i've come across on sites selling them do not allow for such running but merely a light few steps-potter!  now my birds are hugely happy with their add on run attached.  i took lots of pics but is hard to do it justice.  i'll see how i get on attaching them to this post.   we filed down the clipped wire bit from old to new run first of course so its super smooth for them to hop through.

I found the same.  I altered the sleeping area and doubled the size just by changing where the walls went and adding more flooring.  The area below the coop is far too small for a run for even one chicken so I made a large run to add to it.  So I would buy a coop and run again as I know I can make it larger if need be.  But mine was only £100 at the time.  Still going strong after four years though, so not a bad purchase.

We noticed though wryly, that a lot of the coops were made in China where they aren't known for animal welfare. Perhaps a chinese chicken would be in paradise in such a run. . .

We noticed though wryly, that a lot of the coops were made in China where they aren't known for animal welfare. Perhaps a chinese chicken would be in paradise in such a run. . .

The Chinese will build them to whatever specifications they were given. Plus they're not the ones doing the advertising.