[doganjo]

I think Flora needs to know how many hens she can have in that size of coop and run.    I agree it is better for them to have free range but if that is what she has available then I would say no more than 2 or 3 hens for that combined run and coop.  The bedding is entirely a preference, as I said I'm using wood shavings at the moment, but the hemp sounds good too.  As to feeding you can buy layers pellets in 20kg bags but you will need somewhere to store it that rats and mice can't get into.  Some diatom earth and mitekill to keep them safe from beasties, some poultry spice to add to their food every now and then, a drinker and a feeder - then you're on your way to fresh eggs every morning and some very interesting pets.  Have fun.

[Sandy]

A key thing as well as the size is how easy it is to keep clean as hens produce a lot of poo and it gets slippery very quickly if they are in the run all the time, mine free range..my little coop was hard to clean so I bought an 8x6 shed with plastic stuff on the floor, they mess that up very quickly, I have 13 hens and my first lot used to roost in the trees until I moved a bench. If you only have a small run and hut, 3 sound an ideal number!!!  I also used fallen brances from my conifer trees in thier run but no conifers now!!

[Mel]

  Flora,Regards your dimensions,the picture below is probably the coop and run you are going to buy??So with this in mind,I personally would have two maybe three in here if they are larger birds and a couple more if bantams.

[Bionic]

This is the hen house I have just bought. Its 250cm x 120cm x 155cm and is supposed to house 8 large or 12 small birds.

I am collecting 4 large birds tomorrow and will see how I get on with that.  They will be confined to the house and run for a few days until they get used to their new home and then the run door will be left open during the day so that they can free range.

I have bought wood shavings for their bed and put the same in the nest boxes.  Its all ready and waiting for someone to move in 

Sally

[in the hills]

If it is like that one, then I would agree.

I bought one for my daughter to keep 4 new peekins in last year. They are never really contained in there (only the odd day when we may not be back to lock them in) as they free range from first thing until bedtime.

I was also given a pen like this recently and its two occupants - warren type hybrids - as the owner could no longer keep them. It is really quite small even for the two of them. I think she used to keep three in there at one point. She made an extension type run which attached to the run door. They were kept in until lunchtime but then free ranged.

You would need to move the pen daily. They are in my big chicken shed now but I kept them in the pen they arrived in for a short time while they got used to my hens. The run was fouled and the lawn scratched up very quickly.

If they have to stay in there all the time maybe bantams would be good?










9

[jaykay]

That looks like a great house and run, and your idea of keeping them in to start with and then letting them out when you're about is a good one. I use wood shavings in both the house and nest box too.

That's how I started, with four Black Rocks in an edge-of-town garden. I think four chickens should be fine like that.

Warning - its addictive, I've now got about 40 and all the other things listed in my signature 

Enjoy them and don't forget to take some photos for us 

[plt102]

I have a few hen houses with various breeds of bantam and chicken in them. My precious bantams are kept in coops with runs as we have had bad experiences with mr fox but our rehomed barn hens have a large shed with next boxes and perches and are free range in our field. They are all bedded on straw and we did have a problem with mites at first. Now we use diatom powder liberally an also add some to their chinchilla sand dust bath and haven't seen a mite since. I think straw is ok as long as you clean out regularly and treat for mites. I find it easier to clean out and to compost than shavings. Beware chooks are addictive. I started off with one cockreral who I saved from being a chicken pie and now I am going to have to register with defra as my flock is now huge! Good luck!