How many chickens?

[MollieO]

Have got this chicken coop with the run and an additional run. The coop is supposed to be for 6 - 8 birds. They will be free range whilst I'm at home but in the run when I'm at work. At the moment I'm not working but assuming I manage to get another job I'd envisage they would only be able to free range at the weekends.

I'm keen to get pure breeds, if that makes a difference. Ds wants coloured eggs and a friend of his shows his chickens so it is likely Ds will want to do the same. I think 6 - 8 birds would be too cramped in the run so I'm thinking of 3 or possibly 4, or should I be thinking of less?

We had the smaller size of the same coop - from a different company. Liked a lot about it. I think that even the smaller coop is quite roomy - standing up room and four perching bars. A lockable set of three nesting bars. But how big will the run be? 6-8 birds is quite a lot and presumably you want the large size, not bantams? We have four birds currently - the new coop bought as an extra to our existing eglu. We have those both in an aviary 8 x 10 ft - our girls are segregated currently and so two are in the aviary. Then we have an extended run from Omlet which is approx 2.5 metres. I think for four girls (plus when they are properly segregated they can free-range a lot of the day) that is plenty. We have very large breeds: pinky plum eggs from our 2 Croad Langshans, a Speckled Sussex and a Light Sussex. If there were more in that space, they would fight I think....

Be prepared for the poo too - there is a lot and it will need to be regularly picked up. Hemcore or aubiose is the most miraculous bedding for chickens who have to be in for long periods of time - ultra-absorbent and clumps the poo together.

We do find that coop a little difficult to clean out compared to the Eglu but that's because when we put newspaper/Hemcore on the bottom tray it is hard to pull out.

I am excited for you. Planning is really fun....

I'm thinking that three birds will be plenty. The run is 1m wide by 2.2m long plus the coop in addition which is another 1m by 1m. I'm wondering if I should be looking to get two rather than three birds. The ones we are thinking of are an Aracuana, a Wyandotte and a Cream Legbar.

It's not really recommended to get two - although we have found that the incredible harmony between two is really endearing. But if one dies, you are left with a lone chicken who may really pine until you reintroduce another. Three is a 'safety net' number.

Thats sounds a lovely combination....

3 will be fine.
Is the extra run you've got the same as the one in the picture?
can you double it?
3 birds ideally should have 6sqmtrs between them for locked-in roaming.
(it's 2sqm per bird)

I wouldn't recommend two, because if (god forbid) something happened to 1, you'd be left with 1 on its own - chickens are flock birds and that wouldn't be good for the remaining hen

I can get an extra run and add it on. I wasn't sure how big the run needed to be. I wanted to get an Eglu but couldn't justify the £700 price tag. I managed to get the larger coop plus two runs for £183.97 delivered including a feeder and a drinker. Even if I get another run to add on it will be under £250. Ds has been placated with the offer that he can paint the coop any colour he likes. He's chosen purple!

All I have to do now is find somewhere to buy the chickens I want. A place local to us says we will need to wait until July to get pure breed POL. Plenty of time to sort out the run and position in the garden. I'm keen to keep them in the same place to ensure the entire garden doesn't turn into mud but I'm keen to ensure they have a suitable surface in the run. My neighbour has two chickens and they absolutely stink. Their run is just a mass of mud. He doesn't ever seem to let them out of the run either which is sad.

you're better with hybrids to start you off - more result from less effort.
:)

whereabouts do you live?
there's list of breeders on the poultry website

We're in Berkshire. A friend of ds's shows his chickens plus Ds wants 'non-brown' eggs, hence our choice!

Lots of us in Berkshire and some very friendly people and advice on the Omlet forum. We did start with hybrids but we now have pure breeds...

Araucanas are the only breed that lays "coloured" eggs (normally blue) - but only 80% of araucanas will lay blue eggs.
there are loads of chickens that lay white eggs (any that have white earlobes)

most (the ones with red earlobes) lay shades of brown.
you can get hens that lay dark brown eggs, they're nice-looking.

araucanas

This is exactly what I've got but with two runs rather than one. Why does it say that this set up (ie one coop plus one run) is suitable for 4 or 5 medium birds?

and a useful at-a-glance guide to why

the size of the coop is what they're going on.
inside the coop, a bird only needs 1sft of nesting space.
Defra recommends 2sqm per bird of run space.
(the minimum required is 1sqm each, but Defra specifically recommends 2)

i think the theory is that you'll let your birds out quite often., therefore it follows that you can have more birds.
if they're usually in the run, ie if you work full-time, then the more space you can give, the better.

I thought the cream Legbar laid coloured eggs too? The other I'd like is to get chickens that have pretty colouring but of course I'd want to ensure they are right for my garden and each other.

yes, that's right, the cream legbar is an araucana cross (i think )

a bit of info on cream legbars

i found another useful table

Thx for all the links! Lots of interesting reading for me. I'm keen to learn as much as possible before we get them.

If you want dark brown eggs nearly chocolate brown in colour. Look for
French Copper Marans (cuivre noir). The French birds will have feathered legs, but I think the breed outside France does not.

Pure breeds are no more difficult to look after than hybrids. The Sussex breeds are very hardy and good producers of eggs, as are the Marans.

There is a good website www.thechickenexchange.com it is quite a new site but lots of interesting info.

Good luck with them they are such fun.