[neil9797]

Ah, inspired by looby's last comment I've had a brainwave! If I did put a bit of effort into raising the fence, raised one other fence by 2ft and put a gate down the side of the house (in the plan anyway) then we could just share the whole garden with them! I needn't bother build an enclosed run at all. What do you say to that? Could we share or would they wreck the ground, no matter how much space they are given?

[karlooben]

your girls can free range when your there an have the run of the garden but they will always need a secure run mr fox is always very cunning  can u post pics of your garden maybe we could give u some more ideas if we can see where your going to build the run 

[beulah59]

Would it not be fair for me to observe that most people in this discussion have large flocks and lots of space? I'm just a suburbanite trying to accommodate a few pet chooks in a postage-stamp garden. I know several work colleagues who keep a few hens in space far more limited than mine will get, e.g. Eglus. It happen to be quite a trend at the mo and I hear no outcry about hen welfare in such miniature set-ups. Perhaps what you are recommending are 'Rolls-Royce' solutions? I'd love to hear what you have to say about the suitability of keeping hens in suburban gardens.

The advantage of the eglu is that you can move it around ... that's the point here, neil ... keeping hens on the same ground all the time means it will soon turn into a mudbath and their poo will build up unless it's cleared regularly. I started with four hens in a run 4x4m ... that's 4 square metres each and it only took them about 2 months - would have been less but I also free range them in the rest of the garden for a part of each day!

So the answer to your other question is yes, they will eventually wreck the ground however much space they are given ...

I spent the best part of 6months planning before we collected our first hens ... it was time well spent. So I'm glad you're asking all these questions!

[neil9797]

@ looby - yeh, I'll post pics when the snow has gone

@ beaulah - Oh, bum. 4x4 is about the size of my whole garden (excluding sheds). I'm now thinking I've bitten off more than I can chew    Thing is, I've already bought the coop 

[karlooben]

why dont u get an allotment then u can build a larger run  and gain even more from it but i do understand they aint easy to get hold of .
or just roof the whole of your garden with friut cage netting secure the outer  fencing sorted your girls can have the whole garden 

[neil9797]

Not possible looby - trees. If I just make all fences 6ft high, won't that be enough?

[karlooben]

that would be ok for the girls to possibly not fly over { clip  the wings will help with that } then at least when your there they can free range the garden you will of course just need to be on double guard in case mr fox gets in .

[joyfull]

remember to just clip one wing on each bird so that when they do try to fly it puts them off balance 

[beulah59]

@ beaulah - Oh, bum. 4x4 is about the size of my whole garden (excluding sheds). I'm now thinking I've bitten off more than I can chew    Thing is, I've already bought the coop 

The size is not a problem if you can change their bedding regularly - I think the whole discussion began because you suggested they would be on the same ground without being changed at all ... if you can build a low run with sides that lift up so you can rake it all out and replace it, you'll be fine. Don't give up now! 

[Bonniebean]

Neil, don't get disheartened - I had a few wobblies before going ahead. I am going to try attatching a couple of my own pics as I only have an ordinary garden and I let chooks out when I am home. Hope it helps!

[Bonniebean]

[joyfull]

As well as changing their bedding regularly and changing their bark etc please remember to treat the gound as it can either become sterile or harbour nasties.
I see you have one of those slot together houses Bonniebean - good for taking apart to treat for redmite and cleaning, how water proof is it and is your run covered? I notice you still have grass and most people complain that having hens in runs they end up with no grass pretty quickly or do yours free range an awfull lot?. Mine free range all the time so perhaps I am not the best person to coment on runs just know hens can get bored very quickly to things are needed to provide varieyt - eg hanging veg, tyres cd's logs etc.
Oh see you've just answered one of my points  nice run 

[dizzylizzie]

found those photos!
i was worried partly because i understood you wouldnt be able to get to the ground to clean it, and i dont think a 2 ft width is wide enough. There wasnt only the issue of not being able to clean it properly, but what is one of your girls was ill or worse, if you can get into clean it how would you get a chicken?
here is what i have in the run for my girls and boys
they have tyres, logs, dustbaths, mirrors/cd's, buckets to hide in and cabbage leaves clipped to the mesh to make them work at getting their food

 and this is what they do to your flower beds


 

[joyfull]

chucks paradise 

[dizzylizzie]

brought a tear to my eye seeing little bramble like that...she is all feathered and beautiful now