Rabbit hutches as chicken coops?

[Featherss]

Does it work? im thinking of getting one for my four bantams, since I'd like them to be able to be outside but safe at the same time.

One like this: https://www.petsmart.com/small-pet/...es/trixie-sloped-roof-rabbit-hutch-14399.html or https://www.petsmart.com/small-pet/...s/ware-premium+andtrade-bunny-barn-36515.html

 

[Painted Calls]

Prefab chicken coops don't work as chicken coops. Those rabbit hutches are entirely too small.

 

[Featherss]

Prefab chicken coops don't work as chicken coops. Those rabbit hutches are entirely too small.

bigger than the cages they are in now. Can also get something like this: https://www.petsmart.com/small-pet/...-products-outdoor-run-rabbit-hutch-21855.html or bigger

 

[Painted Calls]

Again - too small.

You said you have 4 bantams. What breed?

 

[Painted Calls]

@3KillerBs and @DobieLover are coop dimension gurus. Could you two help weigh in here?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

The "thumb rules" for chickens are:

4 sq ft of coup space/
10 sq ft of run space/
1 linear foot of roost/
1 sq ft free open 24/7/365 ventilation/
1/4 nesting box/hen, +1
10 hens/mating Roo

As with all thumb rules, location and breed makes a difference. Places with extreme cold and deep snows favor larger coops, open air coops allow you to "blend" the combined run/coop space with a recommend of 12 sq ft/ (combined).

For banties, the numbers are often adjusted to 3 sq ft house, 8 sq ft run, 9" linear roost.

Your breeding needs and the ages of your flock can adjust your optimum roo ratio - that's probably the most flexible - and its concerned only with fertility, NOT behavior.

 

[Egg Snatcher]

Does it work? im thinking of getting one for my four bantams, since I'd like them to be able to be outside but safe at the same time.

One like this: https://www.petsmart.com/small-pet/...es/trixie-sloped-roof-rabbit-hutch-14399.html or https://www.petsmart.com/small-pet/cages-habitats-and-hutches/hutches/ware-premium+andtrade-bunny-barn-36515.html

Don't do it. I raise bantams. Bantams love to fly around, take dust baths, and eat bugs. I only use a rabbit hutch for my bantam to hatch and raise chicks. Also the rabbit hutch your wanting to get is to small for them.

Get a coop or a dog kennel.

 

[Featherss]

Again - too small.

You said you have 4 bantams. What breed?

Two Old English (one hen, one rooster) and two Modern Game (also one hen and one rooster). very small bantams, about the size of my hand.

i cant afford much bigger, mainly just want them to be able to get outside.

 

[3KillerBs]

Rules of Thumb

• If it looks like a dollhouse it's only suitable for toy chickens.
• If it's measured in inches instead of feet it's too small.
• If your walk-in closet is larger than the coop-run combo you're thinking of buying think carefully about whether you have an utterly awesome closet or are looking at a seriously undersized chicken coop.
• If it has more nestboxes than the number of chickens it can legitimately hold the designer knew nothing about chickens' actual needs and it probably has other design flaws too.

I have no direct experience with bantams, but even though they are small they are still *chickens* and need room to do their chicken things.

 

[DobieLover]

Two Old English (one hen, one rooster) and two Modern Game (also one hen and one rooster). very small bantams, about the size of my hand.

i cant afford much bigger, mainly just want them to be able to get outside.

How old are these birds? How long have they all been together? Those boys are going to fight and in an enclosure that small it's going to be ugly.