[Julie in Somerset]

I bought a ready made house and run in Sept 08, far too small so extended it within a week and let the birds out whenever I could.

In March this year we started again and we have ended up with a fixed, covered run 4mtrs by 3mtrs with the coop elevated inside. I usually keep them in all the time and they are quite happy. I have 6 and will get 2 more in the Spring, that is the maximum IMO.

This is the first time I have attached photos and it worked!!

[ali2]

Julie - that looks smart...we have a run 13ft by 8ft with the coop inside it but it's not covered like yours...not that the chickens are in it much as they roam the garden most of the time. 

How does the cat get on with them?   We've got two dogs and though they are fine when they are out in the garden with us not sure we could trust them outside on their own with the chickens free roaming...hopefully by summer the dogs will have got over the fact they have taken over their garden and ignore them.

[Foxy]

what a beautiful run and a very useful husband!!! Isn't it funny the way they sort of take over! (the chooks not the husband )

[beulah59]

Looks good! Seems like they're gradually taking over your garden ...

[francais]

Best hope my hubby dosen't see thi - we brought the same original coop as you and we are already on extension number two, with three in the pipline!!! If I show him this he will see how addictive this can get and ban me on sight!

I am still working on how to add extra without him doing a head count!

[Aunt Sally]

That looks terrific Julie - what lucky chooks you have

[dizzylizzie]

You have done your girls proud there!  it makes me mad though that companies sell coops and runs soooo tiny, so that any decent chicken lover has no choice but to extend, after spending alot of money on a tiny run already!...it loos like they will have lots of fun in the new one though

[GrannieAnnie]

That's a lovely run and will keep your girls very well sheltered!

The thing with these imported coops and runs is I think that Chinese chickens must be as big a quails.  I can't remember who it was but I'm sure someone on here once put a picture of a coop and run similar to your original one Julie, and when I looked at the link, it said it was suitable to up to 30 hens!!!!

A lot of people buy these things by dropshipping without even seeing them or knowing anything about chickens themselves!  And of course a lot of the buyers have never had chickens so don't realise that these coops are too small.

[francais]

The thing with these imported coops and runs is I think that Chinese chickens must be as big a quails. 

       

Too true!!!

I think in most cases though a certain amount of common sense must prevail & most would realise that they had to extend and fast! I brought a "4 - 6 bird" flatpack and as soon as I put just 2 in I knew it was too small even for just them!

[themagicaltoad1]

Wow that's impressive, much better than the extension I built lol, (I have the same coop).

[Julie in Somerset]

Hi all, thanks for the comments re run etc. My design and carried out beautifully by my OH and Brother in Law. It took 5 days.

I was new to chicken keeping and did do a bit of online research but obviously not enough. I saw similar coops and runs at Garden Centres with 4 or more hens but they must have been POL and not fairly big ex batts which we had. We live on a housing estate so free range is out of the question but think that we meet their requirements in our run. I think it cost about £350 to build. We used our old pergola posts and rails to start the frame, the outside wall and 3 fencing panels made most of the sides and we completely paved the base. Considering we paid over £200 for the first house it was a bargain. Cheaper than the cost of a pedigree dog these days.

I would like more people to go back to keeping a few hens, great eggs, green matter from our 2 allotments are usually - not always - appreciated and they kick start the compost process. They are fascinating to watch but not wasting so much time now as it's dark when I get home from work.

I started with 4 ex batts who have all died despite visits to vets and my best efforts. I have 2 POL hybrids I bought in April, 2 ex free range black rocks I got in May and 2 more ex bats in October.

I recommend keeping hens to anyone - I can't imagine life without them now, Julie

[ali2]

We  have only had our chickens about 6 weeks now and absolutely love it although did have my doubts when we just had them in the little run attached to the coop but once we had a bigger pen then let them free range around the garden I soon became hooked...was even thinking at the weekend I wish we had had some years ago.  I even quite enjoy cleaning out the coop in an odd sort of way   Love the way they come running up to us when we go out in the garden ...sort of half running half flying !!

[Julie in Somerset]

After my OH finished the covered run he said that's it they will have to stay in the run as they aren't having any more of the garden. He has since retired and spent more time with them and I just said that the border next to the run is hard to look after etc and look what I've got now!

[dizzylizzie]

owwww, thats what i like to see....chickens taking over the world one flower boarder at a time . Its a beautiful run, very lucky chucks !

[gingerplant]

I'm really impressed, that looks amazing!
And of course the best bit is that slowly but surely the chooks are taking over