how realistic are chickens in a small garden?

[Boomba]

I think my garden is about 10m x 5m. Cluttered with the usual; shed, trampoline etc. Half is patio and half is grass with planted border.

i want to get 2 chickens and thought i woult put chicken arc (?) on the patio, so that i could clean the floor of run more effectively. Then let them out on the grass when i am home to supervise

what is the smallest size house i need for 2? Will bantams be best?

tia

Realistically you would have no grass left quite soon they would scratch it all up. I don't think they would be happy on a patio, as they constantly dig, scratch and turn over the ground.

I thought with substrate to scratch around in they were ok?

if they destroyed my cherry tree, they would be roast dinner

Bantams would be best.
Chickens are realistic in a small space but it comes down to how much freedom you are happy giving them and how much you care about your garden.
A tree should survive but they can dig holes in the lawn quite fast.
Also if you have them on wood chippings or similar and stuck in the run the majority of the time, you have to change the woodchip every couple of months, whereas it's less effort in a big garden where they can free range in a space where they won't do as much damage.
It depends how keen you are really!

Bantams sound more realistic. Alternatively, have you considered quail? They lay lovely wee eggs and are so much smaller (though more vulnerable).
With chickens with a run on a patio allowed out for part of the time each day, the lawn would likely be fine in spring/summer but suffer more when it's not warm enough for it to be growing. The bigger issue would be the flower beds - the chickens would love them, all that space to scratch and dig about in.... your plants may not survive though. Also, don't underestimate the amount of poo.

I have Pekin bantams. Their feathered feet prevent them from scratching stuff up. They eat mainly grass so will keep the lawn growth down. As for housing, you can't beat an Eglu. They're very easy to clean with a pressure washer and it's possible to buy a fox proof run which attaches to the coop.

I think it would be good to get three in case one dies. The size of the garden is fine but you may lose some plants and grass. Pekin Bantams don't do TOO much damage .

if you look on my profile there is a pic of my set up, my garden is small, chooks are on woodchip on earth and I have never changed it, just clean it out every couple of weeks and top it up a couple fo times a year. mine free range for an hour or 2 a day rest of time in run.

I have three bantams in our small garden. The run is moved daily across the lawn in the summer (prevents too much damage and allows me to poo pick).

Right now it is on the patio, it is lined with tarp which goes up the inside of the run by a good few inches to keep water out, filled with aubiose (horse bedding) and covered with a removable clear tarp depending on the weather. The aubiose has been in there for 3 weeks now, the poos dry up and almost disappear but I do rake it over every few days and add ground sanitising powder as and when. I plan to change it next week or longer if I can get away with it. 20kg of aubiose costs me about £11 and lasts me a good month in winter months - longer in summer as I only use it in the nesting box then.

My chooks free range for about 3 hours a day at the moment.