chicken runs

In a word?   No!

Even the coops are usually too small. 

Unless you spend loads of money, the manufacturers of these coops and runs are only interested in your money, not how happy your chickens are.

Plenty of our members have bought these, usually Chinese made coops and quickly regretted it.

Try to get something made in the UK, or a decent size.  DEFRA say the minimum size for a chicken coop, is 1 sq ft per bird.  That really is too small, expecially if the weather is bad and they spend more time inside.  At least 2 sq ft per bird, more if you can.  Also minimum run space per bird is 1 sq metre, but again, at least 2, but as much room as you can manage.

Remember, these are birds we are talking about.  They like to run around and even fly, so if you can manage it, make the run 6ft tall.  A lot of commercially built runs are only 3ft.  Difficult for a person to get into if needed.  But a walk in run is much better for you and the chickens.

Sorry if I sound a bit school marm-ish, but I have kept chickens on and off for years, and love to see them have as natural a life as possible.

Have a look on here at some people's runs.  I know some are a bit small, it's not up to me really, but if you truly want happy chickens, give them a good life.     

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=73179.0

Don't let me put you off though.  Chickens give a lot of pleasure with their antics as well as lovely fresh eggs!   

This is what the law says but as said the more space the better. http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&ssDocName=DG_189309

We have one of those coops, but the chooks are only in it when we are not home. We live on a small estate with a footpath down the side and a playing field behind, so the chooks are safer in a smaller area if balls, which might be followed by (scratched to bits by rose barrier) kids, though they need to be very tenatious to get past the Albertine which covers the back fence. The rest of the time they have the run of the drive, with a patch of bark and a piece of turf to scratch about in, dust bath and their food is kept dry in the run. The drive is netted over to stop escapes. When they have settled in we plan to let them have supervised time in the garden, which is small, but the veg patch is already netted against dogs (well, one dog!)

I agree about being able to stand, unfortunately, with my arthritis I am unable to reach in to clean the run.

But on a serious note, we do see the present accommodation as temporary and as soon as the allotment(!) is up and running a run will be built where the present veggie patch is, with a little shed to make cleaning easier. If we have room on the lottie we will get more, but I don't know if my originals will move, I am already rather fond, and have only had them five days!!!!!!