Have I got emough room for some chooks?

[ZeroMac]

Hi All,

I am after some of you sage knowledge and advise. I would like to have a few chickens at home but not sure if i have the space

I have a small garden, but i am able to use a 6ft by 12ft space at the end for chickens. Do you think this will be emough to keep a few birds in? If so how many?

Also would it be a problem that it will be a fixed position and they will not be able to be moved to a new part of the garden?

[sheena]

As long as you give it a clean every so often, the amount of space you have is fine.

The space you have available would be suffice for upto 6-10 hens (depending on size of breed). Don't forget they will need some sort of shady area to escape the full midday sun (although some prefer to sunbathe in it).

[Suechooks]

I'd only keep 2-3 hens, maybe 4 bantams, in that area, specially if thats the only available space for them. The RSPCA give the MINIMUM space for "free range" as 1sq m per bird.

[Nicos]

Bantams tend to like to roam- so yes, in theory they take up less space- but they'd be happier with the same space- or more- than a full sized chook..they're busy little bees....urm I mean chooks!

I'd go for 3 medium sized chooks....but I'm pretty sure there are a few other grapes who have chooks in that sort of area.....

[sheena]

How big is a m sq? I only know ft and inch's and sqauring things just makes might head explode

[rustylady]

How big is a m sq? I only know ft and inch's and sqauring things just makes might head explode

About 3 feet 3 inches by 3 feet 3 inches in a square block.

[its hilly]

I've got a breeders pen that size with 1 cock and three hens (full size) but it has lots of playthings in it. Branches, stack of blocks to climb around on, dustbath, hanging basket for greens etc. And the coop is on legs so they have the full floor area. TBH I feel its a bit tight for four, but they are allowed out at least one afternoon a week to free range and always go back in happily, so they obviously dont mind too much. Although I do use sultanas to bribe them in again.
My bantys would not be happy with four in there, the next door pen has a pair of wyandotte bants in and they spend all their time plotting escape routes. Little ...

[sheena]

About 3 feet 3 inches by 3 feet 3 inches in a square block.

Oops, I'll take it as a good sign that my 8 get on so well then. They are in 18ft by 4ft of ground space but have a few perches in there too and the house is 2ft above that ground too.

[rustylady]

Oops, I'll take it as a good sign that my 8 get on so well then. They are in 18ft by 4ft of ground space but have a few perches in there too and the house is 2ft above that ground too.

That's a bit over 6 square metres by my reckoning, so your 8 should be fine - they're only a little bit overcrowded.

[ZeroMac]

Thanks everyone,

I think i'll aim to get 3 hens by what you have all said for that sized space.

[Nicos]

If you go for a breed which lay a lot of eggs ( not sure which ones to be honest) then it's better to have 3 big layers in more space than 4 which look pretty but don't lay so many over the year!

[Suechooks]

Thanks everyone,

I think i'll aim to get 3 hens by what you have all said for that sized space.

3 hybrid layers are supposed to produce enough eggs for a family of 4 (in their first year anyway). If you have excess you'll have a queue for them!

[RichmondHens]

How about three cream legbars? They lay lovely blue eggs and sizewise are about halfway between a bantam and a standard large fowl. My cream legbars are exceptionally good layers, 6 days out of 7 from all of them.