| Wed, Jun 1 2011 02:06pm BST 1 |

The Caretaker
82 Posts
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 I thought i'd extend the run
for the girls, i followed the same design from the original end
which was 8tf x 8ft x 6ft high and I had a little help from an
inspecter well........one of the girls seemed to like what was
happening :)
    they seem to
be getting on with the changes just fine :)
Judging by the size of what you can see how many within sensible
bounds would you think i could have in this set up?
TC
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| Wed, Jun 1 2011 05:21pm BST 2 |

Topflight
52 Posts
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Hi caretaker, nice job, I,d keep up to 10 in there, but i only keep
bantams, Just an idea but have you thought of having the henhouse
on the outside, with just a pop hole into the run, you seem to have
room. you will not need to go in the run then to clean out and
collect eggs etc, when it,s bad weather and mucky. all the best.
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| Wed, Jun 1 2011 08:23pm BST 3 |

The Caretaker
82 Posts
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Above is the area that i have to populate and your thinking
possibly up to 10 but only if they are Bantoms?
I think i'd prefer the Coop inside for added security ;)
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| Wed, Jun 1 2011 09:12pm BST 4 |

Chicken Lady
65 Posts
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Eye balling the size a bit TC I think you could keep 7- 8 in there.
(different scources say diff things, anything from 3-5-20ft per
hen, obv the more room the better) Do you plan to let them range in
the garden when you are around or stay in there all the time? If
letting them out for a few hours most days then def 7-8 but I,m not
sure about the house size. 1ft of pole each tends to be the
rule.
I wonder about the botttom edge too. I see the slabs on the inside,
are they all the way round? I put a skirt of chicken wire 2ft out
from the outside edge, secured on the inside edge, as foxes will
dig right at the base and not think to start further out. (Thats
because I have a huge fox problem, you may not have the same) The
wire soon sniks in and is covered by grass so you don't see
it.
CL
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| Wed, Jun 1 2011 11:07pm BST 5 |

Topflight
52 Posts
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I,d keep 10 birds in that run, also it looks like your hen house
is of solid construction so it would be well safe outside the run
as long as the birds are locked in it at night, foxes and other
preditors get in to runs quicker than they do henhouses or sheds.
At the end of the day it,s all about birds being locked away
safely at night time.
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| Tue, Jul 5 2011 03:26pm BST 6 |

petchickens
12 Posts
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agree with the others id place the coop on the outside as it looks
quite safe (put locks on the nest boxes as thats how most foxes get
in ) and i would only had 2 maybe 3 as yes you could add 10 in
there but if there only pets let them have as much room as they can
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| Fri, Jul 8 2011 09:58am BST 7 |

weeley
93 Posts
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I've put my chicken house on the outside, high up on legs so rats
can't burrow under it and I can sweep the woodshavings straight
into the wheelbarrow without having to bend, and I can get to the
nest boxes for eggs without having to go into the run. It works
really well. We have lots of foxes, but none have broken in - and
when they've tried, it's always been around the run, not the house,
which is a robust Rivers Animal Housing one. Same with rats, it's
always the run... We have sunk wire round the edges, but rats have
found chinks (around tree roots/joins in the wire/corners, usually)
and a tiny gap is enough for them. I'd consider is slinging a tarp
over the top, or adding a table for shelter in poor or hot weather.
Looks great - I could do with one just like it!
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| Sat, Jul 9 2011 02:44pm BST 8 |

The Caretaker
82 Posts
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Thanks for that guys, we are going through a bit of a transition in
the garden at the moment so i maywell move it to the outside. the
possibilites are almost endless :)
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| Tue, Jul 12 2011 01:48am BST 9 |

click cluck
18 Posts
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I think the run looks great - you can come & build some for me
any time.
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