Popgun 0 Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 I'm thinking of keeping 5 or 6 chickens in the back garden how much room will they need for the pen and how big will the coop need to be, is it better to have a fixed pen or one that can be moved from time to time, if it's best to have a moving pen do i plant grass to sit it on or is ther something better to plant for them to eat. is there a good web-site with plans for small chicken coops Thanks for your time Popgun Quote Link to post Share on other sites
billypikey 0 Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 dont no if this site will help you www.villageways.co.uk Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest jordy p Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 dont need loads of room mate keep chickens meself all you need is a small chicken coop and give them what youve got to offer eny thing is better than living in those coops laying eggs all day those poor buggers never get owt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Simoman 110 Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 Chickens are like any other animals, the more space the better. Whats do you want, layers/table birds or both? You will have to move the pen around or it will become a quagmire and a parasite haven. Treat the birds regularly for mites but also treat the house. If you just want a few eggs then some ex-batterys will lay almost daily. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stubby 175 Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 we have an area about 14ft x 12ft with a 6x4 shed as the hen house, permanant end of the garden ex battery hens cost us 50p each, we have 7 and get anything between 4 to 6 eggs daily Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john b 38 Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 This was the set up I had - a commercialy bought house but with a purpose built run attached to it. I let them roam free when I was around though. The advantage was I could move the whole thing to a new spot every now and then. Had it down on woodchip so that they could have a good scratch around. After a few months I would move it and dig out the chipping and top soil - very well manured and great compost for the garden. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
huntergatherer 0 Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 i keep a dozen black rocks, although i have had ex-batterys before.. I have three permanent pens and a converted shed as a run. the pens we rotate so they have grass at all times with 6ft high chainlink which i dug into the ground with kicking board to combat foxes. Although we still have a rat problem! chickens are very robust, and as said above i buying second hand chicken house treat it or red mite, mine also have their wings clipped as they started to roost in the trees! The only reason we have black rocks, is because they are a hardy bird, which once finished laying they are used as table birds. mmmmmmmmmmmmm good luck mate, and go or it Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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