Chickens: Setting Up

The decision to get hens, as with any pet, should be thought through carefully to make sure that you have the space, security and time required to dedicate to your hens.  One of the main deciding factors to whether you can keep hens is your local council; they may have regulations in place which either restrict the number of hens or even stipulate that no hens can be housed.  Therefore it is essential to check with your local council if you can keep hens before you start buy your hens and henhouse.

Outdoor space

There are many options for allowing your chickens space within your garden probably the two most common options are:

• To have an adequate sized run attached to the hen house for use when no one is home and then let the hens roam around the garden (or within a larger enclosed area) when you are home
• To have modest area (of your garden) securely enclosed permanently for the chickens to use.

Enclosed runs generally are made from chicken wire although there are other alternatives on the market: Omlet runs use welded wire which is stronger than most forms of chicken wire although a lot dearer.  All runs need to be secure from animal attack, such as foxes which are able to climb - so you need a roof - as well as dig under the wall of the run.  There are runs available that are fox resistant such as the Omlet range of runs which use a 200mm ‘skirt’ around the base of the run. 
 

Hen house wire skirt on the Omlet range of hen houses

Security

Other options include either burying the walls of the run into the ground - although this means that if required the run cannot be moved around the garden - or the run can be completely enclosed so that it has a bottom of chicken wire: this means that if it is lifted up no animals can get inside.  The latter option means that the chicken wire bottom would most probably have to be changed regularly as cleaning the wire may become a problem. Our run is buried slightly into the floor and the outside perimeter is surrounded by flags and the run is fairly heavy which would make digging/burying underneath it difficult for animals.

Outdoor space size

Sources generally recommend that a minimum of 1m2 of run space is required per hen.  The total size will depend on the hens free ranging options: if you choose to only allow them to roam within a run/protected area then it needs to be large enough to allow your hens exercise.  A smaller run can be opted for if you choose to let your hens free range when you are at home, although the free ranging area needs to be safe and it could be damaged by hens: so vegetable beds and pristine lawns are not the best areas to allow your hens access to. 

Pen floor

The flooring of the run needs to be considered, the norm is either bark chippings or grass.  If you choose to use your lawn then the run will need to move around your lawn to provide the hens with fresh grass - although be warned if you are use to a pristine lawn I’m afraid to say it will not stay the same once your hens start to use it.  The other option is bark chippings which means that the run can stay in one area so it is ideal for small gardens and means that your lawn can stay in one piece: although the free ranging area of your hens needs to be supplied if the run is not satisfactorily sized.  The bark chippings can then be replaced every few weeks and added to the compost heap and made into lovely compost or a rich mulch.  If you have a run that you can access it is advisable to place stepping stones within your hen’s run so that you can walk in and step on clean areas that are not covered in chicken droppings.

Raised henhouse

If you have your henhouse enclosed within your secure run - which can be a safer from animal attack - then to optimise your hen’s roaming space you can raise the henhouse off the ground.  Not only does this provide extra space for your hen’s without using more space from your garden but it is also safer from animal attack and can provide a wooden henhouse with a longer life (as it would provide adequate ventilation and prevent moisture transfer from the ground and potential rot problems).  With a raised henhouse then you need to put in a ramp - with a shallow gradient so the hens can easily get into their home.  You will probably find that you will have to put your hens to bed the first few nights until they get adventurous enough to try out the ramp.

Raised henhouse by Chicubes 

Note: Nutrient values of manures vary greatly, depending on the diet and age of the livestock, and the nature and quality and quantity of bedding material used.

Setting up  
Hen houses
Ex-bat v Chicks  
Feeding
Health/Welfare
Eggs
FAQ
Links
Ex-bat Hen Diary
  Our Set-up
  Collection Day
  Month One
  Month Two 
  Month Three 
  Winter Year One


Lewis Williams