Hello! What size grass run?

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Firstly, a big Hello. I have been lurking for a while, and just registered today.

I need some advice on my new chicken set up. I currently have eight hens in one area, and a further 23 new hens and a cockeral in another area. I am planning to build a huge run for all of them, and hopefully introduce them all into the same enclosure. I have a 12' X 8' shed, just picked it up today, and I have bought a big pile of heras fencing panels to make a run. (Will have roof, and lots of electric fence round, and weldmesh skirts).
My question is, does anyone have any experience of how big the run will need to be to ensure it doesn't get trashed and turned to mud by 31 hens? I'd really like them to be on grass all year round if poss. I was planning on putting some bushes in, and have been given a little wendy house to go in the run for shade and shelter too.
I have 5 acres,with 4 horses on also during the day.
Any tips on how to constuct a roof on a run this big greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance
:P Rainbowrider
 
Welcome , I have about 20-30 chickens , they have the run of an area of orchard/lawn nearing 1/4 of an acre-they have no probs trashing that over winter! I have now had to electric fence inside this due to increasing fox threats which gives them a smaller area most of the time which they are managing on but will clearly wreck when it gets wet. How you can roof that size run I have no idea!-thats why I went for the electric fence. Mine are kept in that area as it abuts the house-I could give them a lot more room to roam but there are too many badgers and foxes about to risk them being further from the house. Hope that helps!Ros.
 
I keep a few more than this on an area about 70 x 8M - but it's fenced into different 8 x 8 runs. Once one is looking worse for wear, I move them into a rested run and manage to keep grass all year. In the winter, all of my hens go in together in a double size run and the cockerels in another. The waterfowl get to go in a run with hard standing when it gets wet and are only released into the field when it's dry.

As for the roof, I would use mesh rather than panels as the wind loading on panels would probably take them off when we get strong winds...
 
Tim said:
In the winter, all of my hens go in together in a double size run and the cockerels in another.
Click to expand...

Tim do you put cockerels of different sizes together? was thinking of putting my breeding cockerels together but have around 40 ranging from small sablepoots and pekins upto large sussex, marans and orpingtons.
Do the smaller ones not get picked on?
Tried putting just the small ones together but world war 3 broke out, maybe the larger would sort them out? Have a copper black maran that hates one of my orpington bantam boys, would the other cockerels sort them out???

Any suggestions? Would be much appreciated.
 
Re the run size, I'd personally go with smaller runs and lesser numbers in each and rotate them round. This means you can rest the ground properly and give it chance to recover.

If you build one huge run and keep them in it, you'll have nowhere to put them when you rest it. I also am a keen free ranger for chooks and even if mine are in large runs I always try to let them free range daily.

My suggestion would be to build a number of runs and then to invest in some electric netting to let them out to free range within that. Rotate them round in the electric fenced area, let one lot out one day, another lot the next. That way they get some more freedom and also rest the ground a bit in their runs.

I used to keep mine in a large electric fenced area with the hen houses inside that and let them out from that daily to free range round a 3 acre orchard. I think the netting came in 25 and 50m lengths so was plenty big enough.

I have never used roofing on my runs as always found the electric netting high enough and did a great job. had to clip the wings of the odd bird but that was all.

For 30 birds I'd not have a run with a fenced roof cover. Just the costs and effort to build something that size would be huge I'd reckon. I'd personally not even have permanent runs but go with netting and move it round every couple of months to rest the ground. Or split it into large pens and then free range outside in the day. But thats just me. Everyone is different :)
 
victorias poultry said:
Tim do you put cockerels of different sizes together? was thinking of putting my breeding cockerels together but have around 40 ranging from small sablepoots and pekins upto large sussex, marans and orpingtons.
Do the smaller ones not get picked on?
Tried putting just the small ones together but world war 3 broke out, maybe the larger would sort them out? Have a copper black maran that hates one of my orpington bantam boys, would the other cockerels sort them out???
Click to expand...

My cockerels are all the same sort of size - Orpington, CB Marans and Cream Legbar they stay in the biggest area of all. It's a bit complicated - but considering they are territorial, this is what I do...

First, I move the cockerel out of the main house where they will all end up. He goes to a new house and creates a new territory. Then, I open the gates from the runs and they can wander into one anothers territories and go back to their own. It's a big area 5 runs of about 8M x 8M each. Initially, they all have food and water in their own houses and sleep in their own houses - this way, they meet, squabble but don't have too many serious scraps as one often backs off to his territory. I have 5 cockerels.

I then open up the main run (where their eventual house is) and slowly add extra food and treats to this area - this was nobody's territory so they all start to go in and tolerate one another pretty well. This seems to be the key as no one cockerel is trying to keep his territory. Eventually, in a few more weeks from now as the weather gets worse, I will seal off their original houses and put them all into the main house. They are let out at first light so they are able to have space. I keep the hens at the other end of the field so there is no competition and they get to regrow lost sadle feathers and so on.

This is for 5 cockerels - I've had up to 8 in this area but spread over two houses. I think it's alot to do with their temprements too - some fiesty individuals would never be happy without a scrap. :roll:

The territory is the key thing, adding a cockerel to anothers territory will cause more trouble than putting them both in a new area. There will always be a certain amount of scrapping and you do need to keep a watchful eye.
 
Thats interesting re territory Tim. I have several cockerels , all run around my chicken area together with the hens with no problems. They do however each have their own house with run attatched within the fenced chicken area ,where they can be isolated if needed for breeding and they sleep in separate houses by their own choice with thier own women . Clearly each regards a run/house as his but they mingle with no problems all day. I have very occassionally had the odd bruiser determined to wind everyone up , they have left to maintain the peace. Ros
 
Thanks so much for the replies. I think I'd better give up on the roof idea, and just make sure they have plenty of shelter instead!

I can't use electric netting as my nearest fox jumped my neighbours poultry netting in broad daylight in front of her and made off with a hen in it's mouth!

I lost 6 hens last year during the day, (while I was out riding) probably to this fox, which is why they cannot free range completely any more even in daylight. I am at work most of the day, and I need to know they are safe.

So far we have built the run 6 heras panels square, and we plan to move the back of the run out further into the field. If needed, it can be moved around, but I still really want them all together in a large run, as my 5 year old niece and her little mates love to go in with the hens, and carry them around and play with them (sometimes for hours!). They are all tame and seem to like the attention.

I'll put some pics up here when finished, so you can check my fox-proof-ability. I really don't want him to have any more of my girls!
 
If you have a problem fox then perhaps you need to consider getting someone in to shoot it. Local gamekeeper will do the job for you I am sure.

Its unusual for a fox to jump 1 metre high electric netting. Was it working fully? As in the grass round it was not too long and sapping the current etc? Was is slack anywhere? I kept mine inside electric netting and never had any problems and we had lots of foxes around.
 
Snifter - I am not sure if the netting was in A1 condition as I didn't see it. I was surprised by the fox jumping it too! We waited for it a couple of times (with a gun) after it took my hens but didn't see it. I did however hear a single shot a few nights ago when I was feeding my horses, so hopefully someone has got it now. I blame the ban on fox hunting. :o
 
Hi RR,

Re your roof question, don't know if its a sensible suggestion because of various aspects, (looks, cost, security etc) but would it be feasable to cover it with one of those 'hooped' greenhouse roofs? They are quite strong & are available quite large. You would need 6' fencing too I guess but just a thought :)
 
With the fence, it's important to test it from time to time - as Snifter says, some grass etc touching it can reduce the effectiveness. There are 'lamps' (testers) you can get that light every time the fence pulses so you can see them working in the dark. A wildfowl enthusiast I know has hundreds of birds on a pond and one of these outside her window so she can see it working from her sitting room.

Again, as Snifter says, it's unusual for a fox to jump the fence - foxes generally take things gradually and will sniff the fence / touch it before anything else. They will also put paws on the fence cautiously if trying to get over it.

As for shooting - Once your electric fence is effective, it is best to leave the foxes alone IMO - once they touch the fence, they learn that they cannot get your birds. Foxes are terratorial and if you shoot a fox, more will move in. The foxes that move in do not know about the electric fence and may try to get in.

I do actually shoot foxes if necessary and the biggest problem I find is that when the Vixen leaves the youngsters, they are hungry and are almost fearless walking right up to my fence looking for an easy meal. They will come at any time during the daytime so it is a big risk having my birds out during July - August without an electric fence in the field.
 
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