Calling serama keepers??

[MatthewsHomestead]

I think if it's just the one you should be fine. Just be sure to integrate properly....

 

[kwhites634]

I just wanted to know how much square footage you have per serama in your run. I have a run of 28 square feet and have five seramas. When I was researching seramas I did email a well known serama keeper who publishes on them. He told me to allow three square feet per serama and I thought I was fine as with 28 square feet I have 5.6 square metres per hen. My seramas are very happy, do not fight and I give them about an hour's strictly supervised free range in my garden every day. They have lots of perches in their walk-in run and are thoroughly spoilt madams. I even thought about getting a few more bantams but was told (in a post on here) that I am already overstocked and that I WILL in the future (not maybe!) get feather-pecking which will lead to cannibalism in my flock even if I don't add to them. I have had them two years and have never experienced any aggression or feather-pecking with any of them. I will not be adding anymore but now feel upset that I am considered to be overstocked

Your thoughts are very welcome?

@WVduckchick

 

[MROO]

I think your full.

But as the story line goes, there's always room for one more. If you think you may have a problem, add a little annex onto your run. I am adding a small space off the side of my run as a dedicated dust bathing area. It doesn't add a lot of area to the overall run, but it does free up a good sized spot in the main run that can now be used as free-roaming space. And the bonus, I hope, is that it will keep the dust bath contained, so I can keep it cleaner, keep it drier and maintain the right "mix" in it. The theory is sound, but we'll have to see how it actually works ...

 

[WVduckchick]

I just wanted to know how much square footage you have per serama in your run. I have a run of 28 square feet and have five seramas. When I was researching seramas I did email a well known serama keeper who publishes on them. He told me to allow three square feet per serama and I thought I was fine as with 28 square feet I have 5.6 square metres per hen. My seramas are very happy, do not fight and I give them about an hour's strictly supervised free range in my garden every day. They have lots of perches in their walk-in run and are thoroughly spoilt madams. I even thought about getting a few more bantams but was told (in a post on here) that I am already overstocked and that I WILL in the future (not maybe!) get feather-pecking which will lead to cannibalism in my flock even if I don't add to them. I have had them two years and have never experienced any aggression or feather-pecking with any of them. I will not be adding anymore but now feel upset that I am considered to be overstocked

Your thoughts are very welcome?

I understand we have to have some average numbers to estimate the area our birds need, but all flocks are different! Numbers are just guidelines. I’m not sure who could guarantee that your birds would become feather-pickers!

My flocks go up and down all the time. I think it’s up to you, if you want to add some, then go ahead and add some. Just be prepared to make some adjustments if any issues come up. Lots of perches are good, especially for seramas. Even small obstacles, like wood stumps, boxes, etc can give them things to run around, jump on, or whatever in a case where some are being chased.
I currently have several juveniles that have been weaned by their momma, and also a momma hen still tending to her little ones. The one still tending will flare up if any of the adults or juveniles gets close to her babies. They run from her often! Lol but they have places to dart behind, jump on, etc, and she eventually gets them far enough away.
I also have 2 more hens on eggs, one due any day, one due in a week or so. I reassess the situations as they arise.

You know your flock, we don’t.

 

[MatthewsHomestead]

But as the story line goes, there's always room for one more. If you think you may have a problem, add a little annex onto your run. I am adding a small space off the side of my run as a dedicated dust bathing area. It doesn't add a lot of area to the overall run, but it does free up a good sized spot in the main run that can now be used as free-roaming space. And the bonus, I hope, is that it will keep the dust bath contained, so I can keep it cleaner, keep it drier and maintain the right "mix" in it. The theory is sound, but we'll have to see how it actually works ...

Yes! This is what I constantly do. We are always modifying our coops (helps that we built them). It's a great idea though to add-on. (By the by, I LOVE the idea of the separate bath area).

I understand we have to have some average numbers to estimate the area our birds need, but all flocks are different! Numbers are just guidelines. I’m not sure who could guarantee that your birds would become feather-pickers!

My flocks go up and down all the time. I think it’s up to you, if you want to add some, then go ahead and add some. Just be prepared to make some adjustments if any issues come up. Lots of perches are good, especially for seramas. Even small obstacles, like wood stumps, boxes, etc can give them things to run around, jump on, or whatever in a case where some are being chased.
I currently have several juveniles that have been weaned by their momma, and also a momma hen still tending to her little ones. The one still tending will flare up if any of the adults or juveniles gets close to her babies. They run from her often! Lol but they have places to dart behind, jump on, etc, and she eventually gets them far enough away.
I also have 2 more hens on eggs, one due any day, one due in a week or so. I reassess the situations as they arise.

You know your flock, we don’t.

You put to words what I was thinking....

 

[hebe5]

Thank you everyone - you've been very helpful!

 

[Zinjifrah]

I had a gopher kill some of my trees over the winter, so when I cut them down I stripped all the twigs off, smoothed out any sharp points, and tossed them in the run. Just laying on the ground. They were young enough to have a lot of small branches close together. The younger Seramas and my muttly chicks love to chase in and out among the branches, and can use them as cover to get away from larger birds if they need to. There are perches of ever size - the trunk for the LF EE's to stand on, the low branches for the LF chicks to stand on, and the Seramas go for the highest branches. The Sebrights stand across the run staring at everyone and muttering to themselves... but they do that anyway...

If any of the larger birds start to chase a smaller one, they head straight for the 'cover' and dive in where the larger bird can't reach them. When they chase each other, it's a gymnasium. Just a thought for something you might like to try!

 

[hebe5]

Thanks for the tip - love the idea of a jungle gym!!

 

[MROO]

I took out a huge piece of an old evergreen shrub and added the twisted hulk to my grow-out run. The youngsters play "King of the Mountain" on it all day long!

 

[hebe5]

Ha!