I promise not to do it again.....
...well for a while - it's an engineering thing!

12 hens, 800 square feet. 3 hens share 200 square feet at yours
2 hens, 18 square feet, 3 would share 27.
I think 3 would be too many

Maggie, Gladys, Agnes & Jemima doing just fine. They grumble at bedtime in the coop. Florrie & Woody grizzle too - but we find it funny. Oh and I get to pick the girlies out of the Shed that Nettles forgot to close. But at least the pop hole gets them up in the morning. We are hoping they wi...

Mind you, we were eating chicken last night so I'm sure I caught a menacing stare off one of them We don't use that word arond the chooks - we have things such as "Apple Tikka Masala", "Apple & Mushroom Pie", "BBQ Apple" etc ( from Chicken Run - Chickens go in, Pie...

I think the original coop is about 5ft x 2ft; I do wonder if some people keep hens in something like that all the time. .......... I found they hens seemed happy in the original coop until I let them out and then they disliked being inside. Agree - it does worry me that we have become a bit of a fa...

Anna, that's what I do, being talked to seems to calm them quite alot. Funnily enough our girls have one time of day when they don't squat when I stroke: They are like naughty children at bedtime but I just wait until they are all in the coop on their perches and before I shut their door I will say ...

One cockerel will be enough for 12 hens - I think my grandad had 1 for around 40 hens.
I believe hens lay through a season and then take a break - about the same time the moult - but I'm no expert and therefore suggest you wait for more informed advice appearing.

I don't know what to say. It must be horrible. So little time with them. Both Nettles & my heart goes goes out to you. :cry: Kansas State University gives the following advice: "We don’t recommend vaccinating for laryngotrachietis unless the disease has been a problem on your farm or is p...

Nettles is really sad too, she told me: Rusty lays Medium brown Woody lays slim pointy beige ones, Browny lays medium pale cream Little Florrie (in the worst state when we got her) lays whacking great brown ones! And they are gorgeous. She also wants Richard to smile in his photo so we can see his n...

For me its about giving them the best of care........cattle farmers have found that by keeping thier stock out in the fields during bad weather rather than bringing in under cover have seen a decrease in deaths. I'm with grasshopper, Richard & Phil on this - and Grasshopper is right about cows ...

Mo wrote:wot does Iamo mean?

I think you meant to type IMAO
In My Arrogant Opinion (sometimes Arrogant is replaced by Anal)

I prefer to use IMHO (Humble) - sometimes with irony or
IMNSHO (Not So Humble).

I agree about the ex-batts and perhaps that's where you can go for a win-win senario. Look at BHWT site - show both M-in-Ls that you care by appreciating their offer but stating that you want to see some hens ginven freedom. Neither should be upset and you can say thanx to both for supporting/giving...

agree Mel - in summer - salad & mayo on the patio - no chance of it lasting a week.

It is also fair to say we have both mellowed in our time together - Nettles was a neat freak & I'd go spare if someone left footprint in my concrete - now we have chooks coming into Darrell's room, dandelions in the lawn don't matter & I leave hand prints & doodles in concrete before the...

no problem - really. Sometimes in public I have eevn been heard to say Nettles is my wife. Aged 92 & in disguise!