Re: Adding a new hen to small chicken flock

The message <1129841133.388443.103890@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
from "Kathrin" <markatker@xxxxxxxxxxx> contains these words:

> Miserable prison space? 6x10 is already tight for 4 hens? From what I
> read I was convinced I do treat them good and they have plenty of
> space, especially compared to what the big chicken farms do to them.

Well, I agree it's more space than they get in what we call here (UK)
battery farms, where they live in small wire cages. But that area, 60
sq ft floorspace among four, 15square feet or 1.5 sq metres per bird,
is still less than what they would get in other largescale commercial
production units here.

In unlimited outdoor free range, hens will spend most waking hours
ranging over a radius of several acres around their night shelter. .
They have quite a little range of hen activities. Ours would spend some
time parading around together, maybe about three or feet between each
bird. When they have space and choice, you can observe the social
space they prefer to keep. They don't often choose close contact except
sitting on the perch at roosting time..even then, they vary. Some birds
prefer to huddle up at night, some roost with some distance between
herself and other birds.. By day, each bird would also spend some time
alone, dustbathing, pottering about or dozing and still in the sun
with wings outstretched, preening etc.

Being cooped up in close confinement 23 hours a day , is as unwelcome
and unnatural to hens (or dogs) as it is to people. So, if you hoped
you were offering them a natural lifestyle, better than commercial
poultry farms, you're better than the worst, worse than the better
ones, and a very long way from the ideal.

> I would
>let them roam free all day, if I could, but I live in the city. So I
>let them out once a day for an hour or so to get some fresh gras

If they can safely roam for one hour in your city garden, why not
longer..like all day?

Janet.

Janet.
.

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