[WhippetMaster]

After a year reading all the wonderful stories on this site I have decided to take the leap and get 3 chickens.I have looked at the following coop on e bay and it seems to be good value. I have a 60 x 60 foot rear garden that has been turned into an allotment so I don't want the little blighters to have the full area as their take away!!!!
As well as the coop I want to build a sort of portable run to fix to the coop to give them a bit more room. What do I need to use??

And is this coop ok??


LINK

[mumsy]

Thats a fantastic coop for 3, but be prepared to catch the bug, it won't be three
for long

Most on here recommend weld mesh for the fencing to extend, at leat 6 foot high & 6 inches  into the ground.  Some would say with a roof, but there is shelter under the coop.

Good luck, how eggciting

Sorry, didn't see the portable bit :blink:

[WhippetMaster]

I was hoping to get some chicken wire and staple it to 2 inch posts that can be driven into the ground but pulled up again to be moved. Was thinking of using Met posts of similar. I have an enclosed garden and no chance of foxes.

[Foxy]

It is very small, both  house and the run. You might be better off buying a sturdy henhouse from a local supplier and building a good size run -would doubt if it would cost much more if you are planning to extend the run anyway.

[raeburg]

I keep 2 small silkies in a similar size house.  They have the free run of the garden during the day.  If you are going to have additional run space it would be fine for 3 medium birds.  1sq foot of house space per bird and 1 sq metre of run per bird is the minimum space.

[karlooben]

those houses with runs do look good , i have seen one at my local bird avaiary centre  the run part though is very tiny u really would have to build an extension .
i was looking at getting something similar but it would only be used as a quaratine run for when any of my girls were ill. but building your own run an ho :tongue2:use it more fun .i have built one i am now working towards building the second one .

[too many girls]

someone else on here bought that coop and was devastated at how small it was when it arrived (i think they ended up buying another hen house as well) i think it's a lot of money for not much wood, the general idea on here is to buy a hen house twice as big as you think you need, you'll still fill it!

[Jane-M]

Yes you must plan for expansion at all costs. I started with 3 last August, added a couple of legbars in November for fun, then a couple of white stars in February for white eggs, then another white star this month as they are good layers and a couple of baby blue egg hybrids - and three more planned for May. Fortunately for my OH's peace of mind I will have filled both the coops by then. Of course he can't see into my mind and the planned conversion of a 4'x6' shed  Anyone got a shed they don't want 

Oh that comes to 10 at present and 13 by May. I was only EVER going to have three or at the VERY MOST five.

[HENrietta]

I dont know how you all manage to intergrate your hens, we are in the process of intergrating two newbies to our two oldies and it has been so stressful. The two oldies continually attack the newbies when given the chance. It has been six weeks now and they are still separated. WE are putting them all together at easter what ever happens!
I will never do this again! Ever!

HENrietta

[LittleRedHen]

We have two of those integrated house/runs that we connected, cut the mesh between in the runs and then discovered that once we put the plank to get up to the house in, there isn't much room left.  So I am going to make a long but narrow additional run for them.  With all the fox horrors we are having right now, I have to keep it all on concrete.  So narrow it is!  Oh!  I'm planning on three chickens too.

[EggBound]

We have one of these coops and it is far too small to use as a run.  After our 3 hens destroyed the garden, we have now moved the coop into a 8' x 6' shed, and added a 8' x 4' run to it.

[mad mark]

I have just changed my 6 x 4 shed into a house for four and added a 6 x 12 foot run with a trellis on top and then put chicken wire over that to make it secure from wild birds. They need as much space as you can give them so they dont get bored and start getting at each other for something to do. Its kinder to give them space than a fancy run, those on ebay are not that good and wont last the kind of rain and weather we get here in the UK as most are made in China out of cheapish wood. Go for it yourself its more fun and you aren't lining the pockets of some dealer.

[matilda duck]

We started of with that house when we had our ducks.  Its ok for 3 chickens as their living quarters but they will need a run.  Again we di this when our ducks were small, we extended a run we had built and fixed it to the house itself.  We converted our shed and made a large run in September whan we had chickens.    When we had our x-batt they went in there for a couple of days but to be honest it really wasn't ideal.

 It's ok and please don't be offended by all this but you are better converting a shed or using something else as once the bug gets you that house wont last long!!!!!

[WhippetMaster]

Im taking your advice and buying a hen hut suitable for up to 4-6 birds but am only keeping 4. I will then build a separate run 20 x 8 feet.

This one!
http://www.henhouseworld.co.uk/ch103.htm

[nicchick]

Good move! We had a very similiar one, made in china but easy to put together and was fine through the winter for 4 birds. Ours is right in the middle of a 20'x10' run too. I would make your run tall enough for you to get in and if you can, raise the house a little. We had ours on a pallet on top of a chest of drawers carcass so they could get right under and it gave a little shelter for the feeder. Since getting 4 more hens we have upgraded to a bigger version but will be using the old one for orphan ducklings. Nic