New Chickens arriving!!!

[Rocker]

Hi Everyone,

This is my first time, so hello! I have bought a chicken coop with attached run that is being delivered in the next two weeks. The coop is 49" wide 34" deep by 45"high." The attached run is 58"long 35"wide and 45" high. There is a 20" covered part of the run at the far end. I am thinking of having 4/5 chickens. It says that the coop is suitable for upto 8 chickens. My questions are: Do you think that the run is big enough for the chickens if they stay in the run and coop other than running around the garden at weekends when I can be there? I say this, as we have a number of foxes the other side of the fence who would happily jump over the fence and eat the chickens, given a two minute chance!!!! Secondly, the garden is about 25 foot wide by about 70 feet in length. Are 4 chickens going to desimate the garden? Will it be covered in poo? I have 4 kids 4-9 in age!!! Whatever you say, there is no going back! The coop is on its way and the kids are already deciding on their names!

West London is about to have more eggs than it knows what to do with!

Please let me know your expert thoughts ASAP.

Rocker

[janeyo]

Hi I have had my 'girls' a fortnight and they are brilliant! One of mine is laying already one egg every day or so but the other 2 have yet to start.

I would say the area sound fine for your hens, but they will scratch the grass away to nothing.

I have my 3 in a 6foot by 6foot run plus added space under the coop and they de-grassed it in in about 4 days! We move them about as we have only jst moved house and there is a lot of land to be cleared. Once they have cleared it all I will give them a bigger area and they can have bark down or straw when the grass is gone. (it's like free labour!)

You do need to make sure they are shut in as soon as it has gone dark and they have gone to bed - they go to bed as soon as it gets dusk. I thought that foxes came out in the middle of the night but am told they start their hunting at dusk - something to bear in mind if you have lost about. may an automatic opener might be good for if you can't shut them in til late? Mine were in bed at 4pm tonight - lazy things! But they can't see in the dark so have to go to bed.

janeyo

ps my children love the chickens and the poo is not so bad - yet! My 3 yd old loves to feed them and one of them is so friendly she lets him stroke her and we all pick her up - it's great!

[Tracey]

Hi Rocker

I have 5 chickens that arrived in November. They are great fun and the children love them. We were suprised how friendly they are, they even let you stroke them.
If I could go back though, I would just have 3 chickens as they do destroy the garden with their sratching and pooing (a lot). 3 chickens would nearly half the impact and you would still get the fun. You could always increase your flock later.
Kind regards
Tracey

[Rocker]

Thanks for that and for taking the time!

[Rocker]

Thanks Tracey, I will think hard before getting 5!

[shirlthegirl43]

Hello and welcome to the vine Rocker. Good luck with your chickens.