New to chickens - help!

Hi Jane, Welcome to the site

http://www.forshamcottagearks.com/poultry-housing/boughton902a-poultry-ark.htm

This is your hen coop.  It is advertised as suitable for 6 to 7 hens but to me the run looks far too small for that number if they ahve to spend much time in there.  It would be fine if the hens free range around the garden most of the time.  But if they have to be confined in the run for long I personally would only have 2-3 medium sized birds.  You could, of cause, consider building a run extension or swap to smaller birds, bantams are very cute  

Just keep popping them in the roost at night, they'll get the hang of it  

That's right Alan.  I can't imagine how cramped it would be with 6-7 birds medium birds in as advertised. There would certainly be some bullying and feather pulling problems unless they free ranged over a larger area.

One of your hens is a RIR Jane, they are big birds !

I usually work on about 4sq foot per bird,in the coop so at that I make 4 at a squeeze, I do think forsham need to be more careful with their adverts 6-7 bantams possibly ? but not large fowl. But like I say I'm no expert so, if any one thinks I'm wrong please say so.

Thank you all for your advice.  I should have visited this site first before embarking on getting the hens!  Hindsight is a beautiful thing!  

Well I've decided I will take 2 of the hens back on Monday.  I will be free-ranging them but there will be times (like weekends away) that they will need to be contained.  

Thank you again and will keep watch of the this site for future hints, tips and advice.

Jane

Well you could build a bigger run for them and keep them , or you could try to sell them in the local paper, depending on where you are, or you could freecycle them.

The trouble is that unlike battery hens who know no different, hens who free-range about a larger area become very used to it and are like caged lions if not allowed to for a week or so when you are on holiday.  That is when pecking can start.

If you can't build a bigger run for them for when you are not able to let them free range about the garden, you could maybe have an electric fence pen for them.

This type of thing perhaps:

http://www.smallholdershop.co.uk/fencing.html