What size Run?

[OldForum]

sunup2sundown
Hi. I have just discovered this site and have to say Richard you are my life style Guru!
I am in the process of setting up a hen house and run and have been given a 6x4 shed to convert and some wood for the run. I just need to find some chicken wire (I am trying to set this up as cheaply as possible not just for the cost factor but also to re-use exsisting resources)
How many chickens can I keep in a 6x4 shed? and what size should the run be to accomodate them happily.
I am going to have ex-battery hens and although I am worried about them initially ( I am a softy and will be very upset at the sight of them and worry about them until they start to recover a bit) I feel this will be the most ethical thing to do.
Do you think that if i go to the battery farm at the outskirts of my village the farmer will just sell me some hens? I have no idea! Your advise will be enthusiastically received

annab
When you decide the size of your run please, please get the amount of chickens that you finally want all together.
I made a mistake of getting 2 and later another 2, thinking that 2 are easier to manage at a time. I cannot get them to accept each other and have to house them separately.
Try the "hen house" to obtain your girls, it is a charity and they have rescuers all over the country. Each rescuer is quite experienced and will help a lot with start-up. I hope you get as much enjoyment as I do with them. These days I just want to sit and watch them do what they should do!

sunup
Thanks AnnaB for your advise. I will get them all together and check out the Henhouse for info on re-homing battery hens.

minidaz
We've recently converted our 6 x 8 shed in to a 6 x 3 hen house and 6 x 5 shed.
As our garden is not fully enclosed yet, we have built a run that is approx 18ft by 14ft at it's widest points, and between 5ft and 6ft high

We are planning on having no more than 6 to begin with, which should give them plenty of room ( getting them Sept / Oct )
If we get the chicken bug bad, we do have the option of expanding both the house and the run

sunup
Thanks Minidaz. Let me know how you get on with them wont you