Chook Me!

would this house 3 bantams?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CHICKEN-COOP-HEN-HOUSE-CHICKEN-HOUSE-NEW-098_W0QQitemZ170422199109QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Pet_Supplies_Poultry?hash=item27adf46345 many thanks for replying i was just wondering if this would house 3 bantams and whether there any quieter than ful size chickens?

Public Comments

1. Yes that coop is very suitable for three bantams. Plenty of room for them too have exercise. As too weather they are quieter than full size birds from experience they are just as vocal if you have a cockerel because he will call to the hens. One thing I will say is that you will get so much pleasure from them. Enjoy and good luck.
2. Yes it will house 3 bantams easily and no they are not much quieter than normal full size chickens. The cockerels are slightly quieter as they are not so large but the hens make lots of noise especially when they lay an egg, they announce it to the world !!
3. 3 and some, enjoy!
4. Definitely, i had this same coop and 8 full size chickens fitted in the top bit to sleep though they were a bit squashed, by choice i might add and it was only for a short time while i got another bigger coop, though i always free ranged the girls during the day. its not the best coop you can get though for the money though, for one the piece of wood to keep them safe at night can not be installed unless you remove the side of the coop disturbing the birds. also it was not very water proof so i had to cover the top with plastic sheeting in bad weather!
5. Hard to say, as the e-bay description gives no measurements. It looks a bit flimsy to me - many of these cheap chicken houses only last one season, leak in wet weather and are difficult to keep clean and free from red mite. Also, it might just about house them at night, but you'd need a run for them as well, unless you are able to let them go free-range in the daytime(though this would need secure fencing up to 2 metres round the area to keep foxes out.) It would be unkind to keep them in such a small coop all the time. If you're thinking of getting hens, it would be best not to buy a cockerel, as they do make a lot of noise, but any size of hens just make nice conversational noises, though they do let you know when they've laid an egg! I'd recommend reading lots about keeping poultry before actually getting equipment or hens, as you may otherwise make avoidable mistakes which you'll regret later - don't forget, the hens will need a really safe enclosure or the fox will get them, and this is very upsetting. Also, don't try to get in as many as the house is said to hold - hens need space, get very messy in the winter especially, and are not nice to keep under crowded conditions. Reserve some books from your local Public Library catalogue, talk to anyone you know who keeps hens and join Practical Poultry forum at http://www.practicalpoultry.co.uk/ -just go to the Forum link on the home page. There's a section on Housing, and people often ask for opinions on advertised henhouses and you'll get informed answers to all your questions there. good luck, keeping hens is wonderful, but only if you're prepared for lots of hard work in all weathers. - and with equipment, as with everything else, you get what you pay for.