Author Topic: What's 'enough' room for 8 hens over winter? (Read 2846 times)

Stereo · « **on:** October 18, 2016, 11:38:05 am »

I currently run a lot of flocks of pure breeds and most are around 6-8 birds. I keep them in electric nets with wooden houses up to SA organic size requirements (not organic but I find this is the right amount of grass most of the year).

Problems are that first the nets get bogged down in the grass during spring summer and stop working so it's a massive effort to keep on top of 10 or more nets. In the winter they just blow over and also the birds have started to fly out of them, especially if they run out of food. Then rabbits chew through the verticals. In short, I think nets are great for pens that are moving all the time on short grass but have decided they are not a long term solution. So I bought Heras panels.

Now my thoughts turn to winter and what a state everything tends to get in, especially around the house. So I've got this half idea of very large walk in houses with the north side open mesh for light / ventialtion and deep, deep litter on the floor and just keep them in there all winter to stop them wrecking their grass and also keep them dry and any eggs clean.

I've seen some tiny little breeding 'pens' in sheds all stacked up but would consider this a little too small. How big should my theoretical shed be for 7 hens and 1 cockerel for say 4 months of the year?

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #1 on:** October 18, 2016, 01:13:07 pm »

Large fowl, light or bantams? When you say a mesh side it will need to offer at least partial protection from the wind. Our hilltop is very exposed and all our poultry overwinters inside, in old pig pens with Yorkshire boarding type top doors made from pallet sides, stables, part of a hay barn sectioned off with dog run panels ..... They're well bedded with shavings but still need regular cleaning out. All have very good ventilation but a roosting area well out of draughts. The more space you can give them the better, although if they've been used to a large area hanging up a CD or some leafy branches to peck out may help stave off boredom.

Stereo · « **Reply #2 on:** October 18, 2016, 02:24:45 pm »

Large fowl mainly. Sussex / Marans, Orps etc. I was thinking of an area maybe 12 x 8 with litter in 2/3rds of it and drinkers over a mesh floor in the other bit. The mesh side would be on a north facing short side and virtually up against a thorn thicket so it would be very sheltered. I could just put a half mesh door in I guess but that may be a bit dark and stuffy. I've been reading about deep litter systems and it appeals over winter but not suer how many birds it would support on say 8mx8m of deep litter.

farmers wife · « **Reply #3 on:** October 18, 2016, 06:08:17 pm »

In winter (from 2 weeks ago) I bring the eggmobile into the sheds with heras fencing as an enclosure. they have plenty of space to scratch and hay/straw and cows muck. Light comes on 5am. There will be a hole in the wall to make a small enclosure to go on grass if need be.

Being outside in our wet winters is not acceptable. The elec fence does blow in (use iron poles for reinforcement) no good for us like a mud bath.

In spring birds go out and moved around pasture on a weekly basis.

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #4 on:** October 19, 2016, 03:11:32 pm »

I believe the deep litter system is popular in the USA but if it gets damp (and the litter will absorb moisture from the atmosphere, which is not a problem in much of the USA) it's a great breeding ground for bacteria and it's also a great hiding place for red mite.

Womble · « **Reply #5 on:** October 19, 2016, 04:51:06 pm »

Quote from: Stereo on October 18, 2016, 11:38:05 am

Problems are that first the nets get bogged down in the grass during spring summer and stop working

I know it's not the real topic of your post Stereo, but we had that problem too. We solved it by pegging down rolls of damp proof course plastic, and then putting the fence posts through it so that the netting followed the same line. Might be worth a try?

chrismahon · « **Reply #6 on:** October 19, 2016, 05:16:49 pm »

We keep 7 hens and a cock in a 6' x 4' coop Stereo, but there is a big gap between the two perches because the cock jumps down,flaps his wings and doodles every morning at 5.30am.

You may get away with 1m2 per hen in the run but experience says it's nowhere near enough so I'd be aiming for 2m2 at least.

Blondie · « **Reply #7 on:** October 19, 2016, 06:06:52 pm »

We use to keep hens in he greenhouse over winter, with a rabbit hutch inside as a nest box/ shelter.

With slabs on the ground it was very easy to keep clean, and when the weather was better you could slide the door open a tiny amount and they could go in and out.
If you could get a few cheap greenhouses or sheds they should be fine in terms of size.

Stereo · « **Reply #8 on:** October 20, 2016, 02:18:59 pm »

I thought about greenhouses. Good solid frames and often cheap to buy. Also thank for the other many thoughts.

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #9 on:** October 20, 2016, 09:26:13 pm »

We got a kit shed last year - plastic sides and roof that fit into grooved aluminium uprights and supports. Cheap, waterproof and, so far, no red mite. Downsides - it's so light we had to put breeze blocks inside to anchor it in high winds, even though it was in a very sheltered spot, and we call it the "jelly shed" because it wobbles about a bit, even with the breeze blocks.