Numbers of chooks

[thesunflowergal]

We are in the process of building a run onto the front of our hen house. I am looking at getting couple of bantams (silkie and pekin) but mainly ex-batts.
I am trying to work out numbers of birds that we can house. My hen house is 1.60mx2.10m and 2.40m high with a smaller secondly level. The run is the same only slightly longer, but they will have access to the garden when I am at home. Is this enough room for 6 ex-batts and a couple of bantams? Or am I going over the top?

Also does anyone have perches or shelves in their run? I was trying to make the most of the height.

Love to hear your thoughts, Nikki.

[davisaurus]

My hen house is 1.60mx2.10m and 2.40m high with a smaller secondly level. The run is the same only slightly longer, but they will have access to the garden when I am at home. Is this enough room for 6 ex-batts and a couple of bantams? Or am I going over the top?

Also does anyone have perches or shelves in their run? I was trying to make the most of the height.

I am fairly sure the official recommendation is 2 square ft, per bird inside and twice that outside. If they have free access to go into the run, they don't seem to take up much room inside all snuggled together on their perch. So according to calculations you should be able to have 18 inside, based on the run I would say 8 or 9 would be fine.

Mine is probably almost 3 times the size and 20-30 or so are quite happy without picking at each other. I have several trees, and perches in their run, my wife even built them a treehouse. Anything to keep them happy and amused.

[MrDirtyBoots]

That sounds like more than enough room inside for them, as long as they have access to the outside.

We have a few shelves and perches for them. They all seem to prefer cuddling together on one perch though! You can put a few perches up and I am sure some will get used and others ignored. They seem to develop a favourite place to congregate.

[Thomzo]

Hi
I've found that mine quite like jumping up and down on the different levels during the day. If the weather's bad and they stay inside then there is more to do if they have a few perches and shelves to play around on. Also, it gives them space to get away from each other during the settling in phase when they are getting the pecking order sorted out.

I have two shelves in my hen house and a perch so plenty of places to hide under or jump up onto.

Cheers
Zoe