jsut wondering

[ilovechickensrock]

i was wondering if and 8 by 10 run is big enough for 8 hens/pullets?

and also is it ok if you dont free range your chickens?

one more thing i dont know if i should free range my chickens i hav been planning to build a movable run if you have anything like a movable run u could give me some plans thanks for reading this message

 

[ChicKat]

Here are plans for movable (made of PVC) chicken enclosures.

You don't have to free-range your chickens. Some people are not able to do so because of predators in their area. You can leave them enclosed all the time, and another option is to 'pasture' them.

When I take mine out of coop and attached run, I would rather that they are pastured (in a netting fence) so that they don't wander on the porch and deposit poop for me to clean up after them, and so I know exactly where they are digging around, and they haven't wandered to where they could be in danger. That said...sometimes it is fun to watch them go after grasshoppers no holds barred.


good luck with your choices.

 

[ChicKat]

Here are plans for movable (made of PVC) chicken enclosures.

http://www.pvcplans.com/pvc-pastured-poultry-pen.htm


You don't have to free-range your chickens. Some people are not able to do so because of predators in their area. You can leave them enclosed all the time, and another option is to 'pasture' them.

When I take mine out of coop and attached run, I would rather that they are pastured (in a netting fence) so that they don't wander on the porch and deposit poop for me to clean up after them, and so I know exactly where they are digging around, and they haven't wandered to where they could be in danger. That said...sometimes it is fun to watch them go after grasshoppers no holds barred.


good luck with your choices.

 

[NovaAman]

8x10 is perfect. No you don't have to free range. That being said, If you are not going to free range them for what ever reason, the bigger the enclosure the better. Why? Cuz its chickens... You never know... You'll start out with 8, but what happens when you see another chicken you just have to have? So, do it as big as you can... LOL... A mobile enclosure is really a good thing. When i first got my chickens, I had them enclosed, and I had a rather large area around the coop, so, I'd keep moving the enclosure around the coop so that grasses an weeds would have time to regrow. It does not take too long for chickens to clear an area. Now my birds free range, go everywhere, and have clear the ground cover in the trees so much, including the poison ivy, that I can see thru it! If I ever have to stop free ranging them, I will do the mobile enclosure again... It really saves on the feed bill thou to have them free range. You could even just fence half your yard for them... Then you wont have bare spots... they are semi free range then.