how many?

nickiit2003 · « **on:** March 29, 2012, 11:08 »

Hi,

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CHICKEN-COOP-HEN-HOUSE-POULTRY-ARK-HOME-NEST-RUN-COUP-X-/260673962738?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Poultry&hash=item3cb16102f2

I've bought this coop and run (not using the run as we have built one 3m x 4m and the girls will get out for supervised free range of garden for a few hours each day).

It says that the coop can accomodate 9 large hens but I'm thinking more like 6, could anybody please advise as I've finally got everything ready and all I need to do is phone round the local breeders to order my girls so i would like to know how many the coop will take.

thanks. x

kegs · « **Reply #1 on:** March 29, 2012, 12:54 »

I agree with you. The perches are much too close together for large fowl birds to roost so I'd say 6 maybe 7. They will also want to sleep in the nest box!!

nickiit2003 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 29, 2012, 12:57 »

yeah I noticed that the perches are very low and sleeping in the nest boxes is likely after we purchased the coop.

hope to build our own next time but will have to make do with this coop for the time being.

BAtoo · « **Reply #3 on:** March 29, 2012, 15:01 »

Well, you have 2 nest boxes as far as I can see so that's 6 birds max. DEFRA recommend 25cm perch space & 25x25cm floor minimum for each bird so you have room for more than that. However I would go for 6.

I got this one :- http://www.chickencoopsandhouses.co.uk/cc4000wx.html -( on offer

) & am very pleased with it. We have 3 birds in it; 4 would be good, 6 a bit of a squeeze I think.

Cluckyclaire · « **Reply #4 on:** March 29, 2012, 19:34 »

Hi there, I have this same coop and I have 3 large orpingtons in there, you could fit more but I think they would be cramped in my opinion, they do however seem to huddle on 2 perches

Markw · « **Reply #5 on:** March 29, 2012, 21:08 »

I was looking at the pictures, and as you say the perches are very low. Is there a recomended height they should be I understand that they should be higher that the nest boxes. is this correct. I was just thinking also do they all need to be the same height ?

helens-hens · « **Reply #6 on:** March 30, 2012, 13:45 »

Hi Markw

The perches don't haveto be the same height but it is better if they are higher than the nest boxes as they try and roost at the highest level available to them.

One the other hand you don't want the perches too high as the birds could hurt themselves jumping down (particularly large, heavy birds like IOrpingtons). I'm not at home at the moment but I think ours are about 8 inches high?

Markw · « **Reply #7 on:** March 31, 2012, 07:39 »

Hi Helen thanks for the reply.
I was also thinking do, the hens all face the same direction, like facing the door or the wall when asleep .just thinking about this regarding poop collection

kegs · « **Reply #8 on:** March 31, 2012, 11:03 »

Quote from: Markw on March 31, 2012, 07:39

Hi Helen thanks for the reply.
I was also thinking do, the hens all face the same direction, like facing the door or the wall when asleep .just thinking about this regarding poop collection

Mine don't. And they change where they want to sleep or who they want to sleep next to. The only thing they do which is the same every night is they order they go in to the coop. Top chicken first and bottom chicken last!

Craig69 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 02, 2012, 08:15 »

I bought 2 similar about 18 months ago & wish I hadn't.
Said it was for 6 birds, but maximum really 4 & a real nightmare to clean out

1 has now fallen to pieces & the other is on its way.
The only reason the 2nd one has lasted longer is because it is in a bigger run with a roof covering it.

how many?

nickiit2003

how many?

kegs

Re: how many?

nickiit2003

Re: how many?

BAtoo

Re: how many?

Cluckyclaire

Re: how many?

Markw

Re: how many?

helens-hens

Re: how many?

Markw

Re: how many?

kegs

Re: how many?

Craig69

Re: how many?