Run space requirements for HAPPY hens

[harmonyp]

I'm lucky. All 17 grew up as chicks together. My strongest personality is a barred rock who pecks other girls who stand too close, but that's it. I cut a 1 x 1 ft square of lawn off an edge yesterday and that was good for hours of fun. I've added a bunch of wooden objects in the pen and they're having a blast checking it all out.

 

[Manhen]

The more hens you have with stronger personalities or the more bullies you have, the more space you will need.

We have about 8 roosters. Still waiting for final evaluation on that. Top dog (Dominique rooster) was a little meeker after I pinned him down for a bit. Then the Buff Orpington was a little more assertive. Now the second Dominique roo is starting to act out, and the two Welsummer roos are content to be calm. The Leghorn roo is quiet also, the last three mentioned are a month younger. Its what we call the "owl-head" white with brown-orange splashed on about 35% of the bird that is a problem...he climbed a 6 foot fence....

 

[Arbutus Peregrine]

I completely understand abiding by minimum posted space requirements for chickens for folks in urban environments. I'm lucky enough to be rural with acreage, so I'm really trying to figure out the right amount of space for my girls to keep them as happy as they can be.

I tried free-ranging for a short period of time, and despite having very happy hens temporarily, my reward was coyote eaten hens. I can't go through that again.

I started with a 20' x 30' space for my 17 girls (no roosters). They just seemed cramped. So I expanded out another 16' x 16'. That gives them 50 square feet per hen. As I watch them fly around, and race back and forth following my movements outside, it seems adequate, but I still question whether it is enough.

For people without space restrictions that do still keep their hens contained, wondering how much space you're giving them?

Wow! I hope someday to give mine that much space! My lot might be smaller than your expanded run! My house is just 700 sq ft! My bantam babies have a run that is 8'x16' currently, and 6-8ft high. I'm building a bigger one on the other side of my house. I'd like to also put up bird netting so they can have the entire yard...but I want the squirrels and songbirds to still be able to access the yard...they all seem to get along peacefully. Gotta figure that out... I hope you can share a pic of your run!!!

 

[Manhen]

Wow! I hope someday to give mine that much space! My lot might be smaller than your expanded run! My house is just 700 sq ft! My bantam babies have a run that is 8'x16' currently, and 6-8ft high. I'm building a bigger one on the other side of my house. I'd like to also put up bird netting so they can have the entire yard...but I want the squirrels and songbirds to still be able to access the yard...they all seem to get along peacefully. Gotta figure that out... I hope you can share a pic of your run!!!

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I have 8-15 chickens in a run about 800sqft (40'x25') with about an 8x5 coop. There's even plants able to grow there ever, though usually not. That's plenty of space per bird, even at peak capacity it's around 70sqft/bird in the run. I've got a lot of "stuff" in there, branches, cinder blocks, a couple shelters, etc. They're very content, though they will escape into the yard at any time. And from the yard they'll escape into the great yonder if a gate gets open. So take that how you will.

 

[2hotchicks]

Reading these replies is a good reality check. Nope, not cannibalizing each other or beating each other up, and since "the incident", haven't lost any to predators.

I had planted lots of grass, and despite trying to keep it up, not a shred is left. I love the idea of rotating closed off growing areas - I'll definitely do that. Also love the idea of buying some live crickets. (They got a mouse the other day - what a chase scene - I cannot believe what serious hunters they are!)

More creative on the enrichment side sounds like the way to go. When it finally starts raining we'll start getting worms - that'll be fun. I do spend time with them daily, and good solid time on weekends, but I'm not much more creative than scratch or some hunks of alfalfa hay (from the horses) - can do better here.

Happy chickens are important to me, as I have them as pets / sanity keepers to help balance out a hectic high tech life.

Mine love the live crickets!

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

You guys should post pics! It helps us get an idea for expansions!

 

[Manhen]

I have 8-15 chickens in a run about 800sqft (40'x25') with about an 8x5 coop. There's even plants able to grow there ever, though usually not. That's plenty of space per bird, even at peak capacity it's around 70sqft/bird in the run. I've got a lot of "stuff" in there, branches, cinder blocks, a couple shelters, etc. They're very content, though they will escape into the yard at any time. And from the yard they'll escape into the great yonder if a gate gets open. So take that how you will.

How high is your run fence? Escapes are flyovers?
Pics?

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I don't have a very good picture of the whole pen because, well, it's a whole pen ya know? I usually take closeups of my chickens instead. It's the whole back 25' of my lawn which is 40' across. In the second picture it meets with the rabbit hutch where the blue tarps are hanging. The first picture is old, I've since added a lot of structures for hiding, etc.
The fence has a 6' solid wood privacy fence around the outside of the whole lawn, that is 3 of the walls. The fourth wall "opens" into the rest of the lawn. It's made of a tree, some T posts, the coop, a rabbit hutch, all with a sturdyish 1/2" plastic deer netting strung between. Sometimes the netting gets torn or a zip tie pops etc and the chickens may slip into the lawn that way, and it is extra hard to keep the fence functional over the winter. Usually they have free run of the lawn in the winter because the fencing collapses from snow weight. Flyovers are rare and when we get them I clip wings. The deer netting is 4'-5' tall and buried 1' into the ground to prevent digouts. The wood fence has rocks and logs along the bottom to prevent digging out.
The bottom of the pen is covered with 1' of wood chips to encourage digging and dusting. I get them for free from a tree company.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

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I don't have a very good picture of the whole pen because, well, it's a whole pen ya know? I usually take closeups of my chickens instead. It's the whole back 25' of my lawn which is 40' across. In the second picture it meets with the rabbit hutch where the blue tarps are hanging. The first picture is old, I've since added a lot of structures for hiding, etc.
The fence has a 6' solid wood privacy fence around the outside of the whole lawn, that is 3 of the walls. The fourth wall "opens" into the rest of the lawn. It's made of a tree, some T posts, the coop, a rabbit hutch, all with a sturdyish 1/2" plastic deer netting strung between. Sometimes the netting gets torn or a zip tie pops etc and the chickens may slip into the lawn that way, and it is extra hard to keep the fence functional over the winter. Usually they have free run of the lawn in the winter because the fencing collapses from snow weight. Flyovers are rare and when we get them I clip wings. The deer netting is 4'-5' tall and buried 1' into the ground to prevent digouts. The wood fence has rocks and logs along the bottom to prevent digging out.
The bottom of the pen is covered with 1' of wood chips to encourage digging and dusting. I get them for free from a tree company.

I see... yah, deer netting is a bit of a pain for sure!