Newbie Seeking Advice

[Little Fuzzy]

I free range my girls all day, but they still love their grit bowl. I was surprised at how much grit they ate even though they have 1/3 of an acre to roam.

 

[aart]

Quote: To firmly 'home' them to the coop as the safest place in the world, make it more likely they will go back into coop at night rather than 'roost' in the run.
....but would depend on the coop.

There are no windows in the coop. It's big enough for six hens so four will have plenty of space, though. It's your standard small henhouse. It's dark in there though so I think they will have to come out into the run. In fact, because they're ex-bats, apparently they won't even know at first that they can go in and out.

Hopefully this doesn't mean it's really only adequate for 2 birds, but maybe exbats will feel at home crowded into a tiny dark place.....
....tho once they do come outside, they might not want to go back in.

I would encourage you to add some windows for those nasty weather day...and make sure there is adequate ventilation.

 

[VickiP]

The coop is about 3' x 3' with a nesting box as well. I'm sure it's big enough.

The BHWT did say they might have to be physically put into the coop at dusk, because they don't yet know they can go in and out. They may also have to be coaxed out in the morning. The run is attached to the coop, of course, so they will be able to go in and out as they please. I'm sure if I put the food in the run with the coop door open, they'll come out.

I will keep them in the run for at least a week, though.

Thanks everyone.

 

[donrae]

I'm sure your hens will think their new quarters are spacious compared to what they may have had before, but 9 square feet is really only large enough for 2 full grown hens. I hope your run is very large, like 80 square feet or more.

You may be okay with the crowded conditions, given their history, but space makes for happy birds. I'd reconsider the size of the coop or the number of hens.

 

[Cacique500]

Good advice given already...but I'll also state again that a 3x3 coop is too small for that many birds (even if they "free range"). Rule of thumb is 10 square feet per bird in the run, and 4 square feet per bird in the coop. You will need to make sure the coop has LOTS of ventillation - a closed up coop is bad since it will build up ammonia and possibly lead to respiratory issues. Some pictures might help...

 

[lazy gardener]

Welcome to BYC, Vicki. It is a good idea to keep your hens confined to the coop for at least the first 48 hours unless it is too hot in there for them. Does the coop have plenty of ventilation? I agree with other posters that your coop is only big enough for 2 hens. After the first 2 days, you can let them explore the run, and when they seem settled with that, moving in/out of the coop at will, and putting themselves to bed in the coop at night, then you can let them out to range the yard under supervision. As far as grit goes, they should have access to it if they are getting access to fresh grass, or any vegetative matter. They are not apt to have well developed gizzards, so I'd limit their access to grass initially. Go easy on the grit initially also. Because they have been denied access to natural chicken behaviors, they are apt to go overboard with any of these things. If they have been debeaked, they may have difficulty eating. In that case, they may benefit from having wet feed. Nutritionally, they would benefit from fermented feed. In the case of battery birds, I'd offer both fermented and dry intially, and switch to fermented after you see that they are eating well. Fermented feed will help them develop a healthy digestive system, and pull more nutrients out of the feed they do eat.

 

[VickiP]

As it turns out, all the chickens were rehomed before I got there, so I still don't have any.

Thanks everyone.

 

[VickiP]

To clarify, I've checked the DEFRA guidelines (British government department in charge) who have mandated a minimum of 1 square foot per bird. As I have 9 square foot of space, each hen will have more than double the minimum required, and ultimately they will only be in the coop overnight sleeping anyway and will free range all day as soon as it's safe for them to do so. There is adequate ventilation in the coop, which is a purpose-built coop designed to house 4 hens, not something I just knocked up, and the nest boxes aren't even included in that 9 square foot. The run is temporary until they get used to their new home. Once they get to free range, they'll have 100 square feet of garden each.

 

[lazy gardener]

I don't know if the guidelines are different in your country than they are here, but the 1 sq. foot/bird you quote is for commercial or factory farms here in the US, and even that is currently under much scrutiny as being inhumane. The standard here for back yard flocks is 4 sq. ft./bird in the coop, 10 sq. ft./bird in the run. While someone may tell you that chickens can get by with less than that, to do so is to invite lots of stress, behavioral problems and disease into your flock. Because something can be done, it doesn't mean it should be done.

 

[aart]

........ The standard here for back yard flocks is 4 sq. ft./bird in the coop, 10 sq. ft./bird in the run.....

An oft cited 'standard', but not really 'official'......many have learned from personal experience, including me, that it should be looked at as a minimum.