Room to Expand or No?

Ridgerunner said:

Isn’t it interesting when people tell you that you can’t do something that you are currently doing? I’m not a believer in magic numbers for anything to do with chickens. There are just so many variables no one number can cover us all. At best they are just guidelines to point us in a direction. Flock make-up, management techniques, climate, and so many other things make us all unique so different things can work for us.

Click to expand...

Exactly this! I'm getting ex-battery hens and was told the rule is 1 square foot inside the coop (with 30cm perch each) but 1 square metre inside the run. This presumes they are only using the coop to roost overnight and have full access to the run by day (and ideally some free ranging).

So that's what I planned. In fact the coop is 9 square feet, the run will be 8 square metres, for 5 hens (I've also been warned that not all ex-batts survive the transition to a new way of life, hence getting a few).

I figure if the rehoming org say that's what I need then... That's what I need!

But then on some forums people are very passionate about 4 square feet per hen in the coop, etc. And I'm passionate too, I wouldn't be doing this otherwise. I'm just trying to do my best based on the info I've been given.

So I guess there will be an element of suck it and see, and juggle as needed, to do whatever works for your own hens in your own environment.

Anyway I just came to pop in & say I'm really encouraged to see your comment and wanted to thank you for making it. OP has clearly got along OK so far, and it can be very disheartening to be judged just on numbers rather than on practicalities and reality. Particularly as the kind of people who really *need* telling probably don't care enough to join a forum or seek advice!

*climbs off soapbox*

Argh! Sorry, don't know where that came from! I apologise.

OP I hope everything works out well.