[Pixiewish]

Has anyone have this run? or have any thoughts/opinions on it,  Its what we are thinking of starting off with and moving onto a walk-in-run if we enjoy it

http://www.chickenhousesworld.co.uk/p/Eco_Concepts_6ft_x_2ft_%281.80m_x_0.76m%29_Stratford_Chicken_House_and_Run.htm

[mum23kids]

Hello and welcome!

Run is tiny, MINIMUM recommendation per hen is I think 2m square - you would therefore just about have room for ... 1 hen

Would be Ok if you used it as a house only and let chickens out into a significantly larger area.

I have 4 hens in a run 6metre by 6 metres and it isn't huge. To be honest once you have seen chicken running and scratching and, well, being chickens, you realise they deserve a lot of space.

Hope this helps

E

[Pixiewish]

Thanks for the feedback. I am a total novice but thought it was an alright size as most of the pre-built runs seem to be similar dimensions?

Just thought this might be easier cleanliness-wise as it is a composite plastic rather than wood.

I thought that minimum was 1m sq, and was hoping to have 2/3 bantams.

if you could point me in the direction of something more suitable that would be appreciated.

[tosca100]

It really depends on what space you have. We have one a similar size, but they are only in there at bed time or when the weather turns and they need a shelter, and it's somewhere dry to put the pellets, away from wild birds. I only have three, not fully grown, and there is no way I would expect them to stay in such a small area, but the coop size is more than adequate for shutting them in at night. The rest of the time they are on the drive at the side of the house, with high fencing, a net over (for peace of mind) and large soil box and lots of bark on the ground. Then they go in the garden when we are both home.

And in the kitchen when my back is turned! Will have to get some sort of barrier.

[Tony H]

Hi i started of with one of them but cheaper on e-bay but soon found it to small for the chucks  we all work on about 2sq mtr of space for each bird but that depends on the size of chuck you want to keep, I know the law says a lot smaller but for the hens to be happy they need as much space as you can give them 

[ehs284]

Slightly off topic. Apart from space and perhaps difficulty in cleaning the ground, I wonder about the idea of a fully covered run area. Ours love sun bathing and must get some vitamin D benefit.

[Pixiewish]

Thanks for all the replies. As I said we are just starting out so any input is welcome.

I thought the advantage of a covered run was keeping the floor drier?

Can anyone point me in the direction of a prebuilt not too expensive system then?

We had looked at the omlet eglus but the cost is really too high considering that if we enjoy it we will probably be progressing to a WIR fairly soon anyway. Just don't want a massive outlay to discover hen keeping is really not for us. But also don't want the birds to be unhappy in whatever they are in.

[Craig69]

Maybe looking for a second-hand one is what you should be doing if you are not sure if it's for you.
Also think about what you would do with the hens if you decide you don't want them.
It's a commitment as they will rely on you, but in saying that, they really aren't any bother to look after.

[splash101]

What area are you in?

Have a look on Gumtree for used ones, we always seem to have a few used ones advertised on there for our area.

We started off with a similar one to the one you have mentioned but it opened out into a large pen that my OH built (Uncovered).In less than a year we upgraded.

In the long run it maybe worth spending the extra money to start with and good coops / runs will hold their price reasonably well if you need to sell it on at a later date.

[ANHBUC]

If I was starting over I would buy a freestanding coop and then buy or make panels for a walk in run.  You can buy a few and then add to them as and when you can afford it.  This way you will save time and money.

We started out with this coop and attached run www.thechickenhousecompany.co.uk/product_info.php/cPath/22_23/products_id/56
bought it on eBay so it was cheaper.  We then bought 25 m of electric fence to give them a big enclosure.  Now we are (well hubby is) making a walk in run with roof so that they are safe for holidays and makes it easier for chicken sitter.

I would say my bantams only take up about half the space of my other hens.  You can also put platforms in a walk in run so that gives them more floor space.

[bertiewhite]

My first "hen house" was a 4 meter long ark (1 metre house, 3 metre run) given to me by a friend which looked big enough for 4 chickens but obviously wasn't when we got them. It was quickly expanded by cutting a hole in one of the sides of the run netting and building a low rectangular covered extension on the side. Then I got 2 more chickens to fill the extra space  I also regularly let the chickens wander round the garden to let them forage as they saw fit as it was securely fenced.

When I moved to a house with a larger but unsecure garden I decided to make a custom built house for them from a large dog kennel found on Preloved for £10 adapted by fitting a nesting trough and a closable door. Because of the lack of security I then had to make a pen for them which I did out of round posts, half-rails & some salvaged metal fencing. Then one of the girls kept getting over the top so I fitted angled pieces of wood to carry some extra netting at the top. I got more satisfaction out of building it myself & did it at a fraction of the cost of a commercially available ark or pen. I've also designed it so that the chickens can go for a walk round the veg patch at the end of the growing season so really my chicken accomodation has evolved to meet both their needs & mine.

[Pixiewish]

Thankyou all so much for your opinions and experiences. I am glad I posted this thread as it has become apparent to me that there is no prebuilt run out there for a beginner chicken keeper that gives them enough room. As we are not huge diy enthusiasts and also don't have loads of spare cash I think this pretty much excludes us from the idea of chicken keeping. I am shocked that there are so many runs out there on that would in all practical terms actually be unsuitable to keep a chicken in. I am also amazed that some would imply that chicken keeping is actually a way to save money by producing your own eggs when the initial costs of set up, unless you have access to cheap materials and plenty of time and practical skill, are in my eyes prohibitive.

[ANHBUC]

I hope it doesn't put you off Pixiewish.  If you add the area that you live to your profile you might find there is a member locally with spare equipment to give away or swap.

It might be better to research keeping chickens and all it entails for a while longer by which time you may be able to save up for what you want.  I think most of us who have hens have waited a long time before taking the plunge.   

[bertiewhite]

I am also amazed that some would imply that chicken keeping is actually a way to save money by producing your own eggs when the initial costs of set up, unless you have access to cheap materials and plenty of time and practical skill, are in my eyes prohibitive.

But they're not Pixie - that's what I was trying to say. There are plenty of secondhand arcs, runs, dog kennels and even kids playhouses that can be adapted for very little outlay. All you need is a bit of imagination. I'm no DIY master and I didn't have to be to be to bang some posts into the ground and screw some rails to them. I reckon it cost me around £40 all in to build my set up and as I've said, it can be improved upon & adapted as you go along. It doesn't even have to look brilliant - as long as you like the look of it, it can be as "rustic" as you want & I'd say it's maybe better that way.

[Pixiewish]

Thanks, I will try adding my location to my profile when I'm home.

To be honest I think I was encouraged by the starter packs that a lot of places seem to offer with run/coop, a few hens, food be
dding etc for under £300...but I think its going to cost us a lot more than that to set up...well over £500 I imagine, so yes a lot of saving up will be needed if we do decide to make that investment.