- Oct 13, 2011
- 32
- 6
- 87
Hi all. I am new to chicken keeping, having recently been adopted by an escaped battery chicken.
I'm a little paranoid that I may not be looking after her properly.
I have built a coop and run (after reading a book on the subject), but I would like some confirmation that I have provided enough space. I am planning to get a second chicken to keep the first company. The coop measures 3' by 2' and is 3' feet high. It is constructed from marine ply-board and I have waterproofed the floor and roof with shed felt. There is a mesh covered window running along the top front of the coop (about 4 inches by three feet). I have a perch running along the length of the coop - it is made from 2" x 1" with sharp edges removed and is about 9 inches off the floor.
I have built a tray in the bottom of the hutch which is filled with about 3 inches of dust free wood chips and a little hay.
The run is currently 4' square and 2' high, but I am planning on expanding this to 4' x 8'. It is currently on bare soil with a few pieces of grass turf. The plan is t have two 8' x 4' patches side by side and to move the coop and run every week. In the off week I plan to dig over the soil. I clean up poop every day (from both the coop and run) and change the wood chips once or twice a week.
When someone is at home (usually three days a week), we let her out into the garden (for a good few hours) so she can have a proper run around, but when working we open her coop in the morning and shut her up at night. She has access to her coop from the run, so can get out of the elements if required.
Water is changed every day, she is has access to layers pellets and grit throughout the day, and has a water bowl and a bowl of grit in the coop over night. She eats lots of worms and other beasties form the garden and gets a small hand-full of corn in the evening.
Im planning to get her a friend in the next couple of weeks - so I'll probably be pestering people for advice about that too.
Does this sound like a good life for a chicken or am I doing anything wrong?
Thanks in advance
I'm a little paranoid that I may not be looking after her properly.
I have built a coop and run (after reading a book on the subject), but I would like some confirmation that I have provided enough space. I am planning to get a second chicken to keep the first company. The coop measures 3' by 2' and is 3' feet high. It is constructed from marine ply-board and I have waterproofed the floor and roof with shed felt. There is a mesh covered window running along the top front of the coop (about 4 inches by three feet). I have a perch running along the length of the coop - it is made from 2" x 1" with sharp edges removed and is about 9 inches off the floor.
I have built a tray in the bottom of the hutch which is filled with about 3 inches of dust free wood chips and a little hay.
The run is currently 4' square and 2' high, but I am planning on expanding this to 4' x 8'. It is currently on bare soil with a few pieces of grass turf. The plan is t have two 8' x 4' patches side by side and to move the coop and run every week. In the off week I plan to dig over the soil. I clean up poop every day (from both the coop and run) and change the wood chips once or twice a week.
When someone is at home (usually three days a week), we let her out into the garden (for a good few hours) so she can have a proper run around, but when working we open her coop in the morning and shut her up at night. She has access to her coop from the run, so can get out of the elements if required.
Water is changed every day, she is has access to layers pellets and grit throughout the day, and has a water bowl and a bowl of grit in the coop over night. She eats lots of worms and other beasties form the garden and gets a small hand-full of corn in the evening.
Im planning to get her a friend in the next couple of weeks - so I'll probably be pestering people for advice about that too.
Does this sound like a good life for a chicken or am I doing anything wrong?
Thanks in advance
