what size hen house for 3 sussex, please

[furball]

Chickens ordered but no hen house Good jub sons a joiner, what size house for 3 sussex girls. Pics most appreciated, Thankyou

[matthew2riches]

i would go for a nesting box each (although they will never use them all at the same time) and a couple of 2"x2" perches and a drinker inside.

you will also need to make sure it is fox, bader, rat and mice proof!

there are a lot of good books so as i am aware that may be worth while reading.

have fun - i am getting my chooks on saturday. if you look at my blog site you will see my run and house :-)

[scooby]

you wont actually require much space for three birds however if you give them the minimum they require you will probably feel cruel, something like a large rabbit hutch for floor dimensions make sure it is high enough to enable you to put roosting bars above the height of the nest boxes (if you dont they will sleep in the nest boxes and pooh all over them) also make sure you can access it easily for thorough cleaning. my biggest recommendation though is make sure you treat regularlyfor both red mite and lice (even if you dont find any sign of them in the house or on the birds) if you find yourself with an infestation as a last resort you can get a creosote alternative from good country stores treat the whloe house inside and out first thing in the morning, lock the chooks out but ensure it can be well ventilated so the creosote can dry and fumes disperse before you let them in at night. good luck they are great fun

[Birdie Wife]

Hi furball,
Just found this thread, been away for a few days so sorry about the late reply. You should work on a basic principle of 1 1/2 square feet per bird for a chunky hen like a sussex (unless they are bantams), so for three birds that's 4 1/2 square feet, so a house about 1 1/2 by 3ft will do nicely. For run space, it's at least three times that - or as much as you are able to give them. One nest box should suffice, you'll probably find if there is more than they all lay in the same one anyway.

Good luck!

[kirsty b]

Hi furball,
Just found this thread, been away for a few days so sorry about the late reply. You should work on a basic principle of 1 1/2 square feet per bird for a chunky hen like a sussex (unless they are bantams), so for three birds that's 4 1/2 square feet, so a house about 1 1/2 by 3ft will do nicely. For run space, it's at least three times that - or as much as you are able to give them. One nest box should suffice, you'll probably find if there is more than they all lay in the same one anyway.

Good luck!

I sencond that about the nest boxes. My 18 hens only lay in 2 out of the 4 available to them!