confused about amount of space

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Due to a change in circumstances I had to put off plans of some months ago to have a few sussex bantams but having discovered the range of hybrids available would like to buy a few hens including a sussex type hybrid and a blackrock. The birds I am considering are smaller than the pure bred large fowl and come from a reputable seller.

The run which they will spend most of their time in is 4square metres with a further 1m in the elevated sleeping area. There are perches and places to roost in the run which is 5 foot high and has a covered roof. Whenever possible they will be able to come out to roam the garden for an hour or two but, having read elsewhere on the forum that 4 square yards per bird is required, am now worried that 3 medium size hybrids will be too many birds to keep.

Can any one clarify things for me as there seems to be a lot of different opinions on how much room is required and I want to make sure they are all happy before going ahead.
 
Young Black Rocks will go mad in a confined space -they are free ranging only birds, designed with that purpose. Ours were tearing at the wire to get out by lunchtime and were always the last into the coop. Hybrids are highly charged birds and need more space than pure bred due to their nature otherwise they get bored and the problems start. They live to forage and in a small run they can't. They look smaller but they have less feathering than Pedigrees -pick some up and they are suprisingly heavy.
Reason you get different 'in the run' figures is different breeds so different natures and also the amount amount of free ranging they get affects their requirements for run space. We had 20 Wyandottes in 30 square metres with half a day free ranging -too small resulting in feather pecking and we ended up with 8 with free ranging half day. I would say if hybrid birds are kept in the run all the time 4 square metres is definately a minimum. Older birds are more relaxed and we have groups of 6 in 5 square metre runs with perches for all. But they spend most of the daylight hours free ranging, midday to dusk at the moment, 11.00 to dusk in Winter.
We have 4 Leghorn bantams in a 35 square metre run and they get bored and try to fly out.
Looking at it another way. The more freedom you give them the happier they will be. The happier they are the more healthy they will be.
 
Thanks for the reply, things are much clearer know.

Under the circumstances I am wondering if it would be best to stick to Warrens type hens and steer clear of any other hybrids or go back to the original plan to have bantam Sussex. I like white Sussex but would prefer to have full size eggs so am in a bit of a dilemma.
I am gutted about the Black Rock but not being in a position to give them permanent free range rules them out for the time being.

Thanks again for the advice.
 
For a medium sized egg, bantam leghorns are excellent, plus very good layers. Sussex are nice too, although I find their eggs are a little on the small side, but you can always use 2 instead. My bantam faverolles are very docile and also lay a fair sized egg.
 
Space is important as they get bored and can start unpleasant and sometimes dangerous habits such as feather pecking.
There really is not much difference in the temperament of any of the hybrids. If you want Sussex type hybrids, I'd go for it. They are quite a bit smaller than the traditional dual purpose Sussex of old and have been bred to supply a good number of medium to large eggs.
 
A friend of mine sells lovely light sussex hybrids, sweet things too, was surprised by how small they were compared to their pure bred counterparts.
 
"Agree with chrismahon :D"

Hi E3lx.

Does that mean you just agree with not keeping blackrocks inside or that you think all hybrids should be free range?
 
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