How many chickens

[MrPerkyJ]

I've been building our coop, more-a-less 2 coops in one. We have a corn crib that I've covered one 10x12 room into a coop with laying boxes and I've made a "doggy door" that is slide gate opening into what will be a 12x20 screened in coop. During the day the gate will be open and both coops usable. At nigh, we'll escort them in and shut the gate. My question is, how many chickens can we have and them not be over crowded?

 

[slkyldy4evr]

So is the screened coop a run?
And rule of thumb is 4 sq ft of coop space per bird and 10 sq ft of run space per bird.

 

[sarandrew11]

My girls like to sleep on top of their coop ok to let them?

 

[MrPerkyJ]

I don't know what a "run" is?

 

[slkyldy4evr]

A run is an outdoor area for the chickens to run around in
Anf if they are not protected on all sides it is dangerous for them to be out at night because they cannot see in the dark.

 

[MrPerkyJ]

A run is an outdoor area for the chickens to run around in
Anf if they are not protected on all sides it is dangerous for them to be out at night because they cannot see in the dark.

Then yes, the screened in 12x20x8 is the chicken run. They won't be in there at night. They'll be in their 10x12x10 during night hours. That being said, during daylight hours they'll be able to use both via "doggy door" that I designed a gate for

 

[slkyldy4evr]

Okay good
And I've heard you are thinking about raising broilers, have you ever done that before?

 

[MrPerkyJ]

Okay good
And I've heard you are thinking about raising broilers, have you ever done that before?

Not on a small scale. I grew up on a broiler chicken farm of around 4 houses holding 90,000 chickens?

 

[slkyldy4evr]

Okay, just I see you have kids in you profile picture, just don't let them see or know what happens to the chickens because it can be traumatizing to the children,
The only reason I don't eat my chickens is 1) I love them 2) in factories, they don't trust people around them because if the conditions but on a small farm, that trust you and the last thing they remember is struggiling for their life because of someone thy trust.
I'm just saying be careful with the kids.

 

[MrPerkyJ]

Okay, just I see you have kids in you profile picture, just don't let them see or know what happens to the chickens because it can be traumatizing to the children,
The only reason I don't eat my chickens is 1) I love them 2) in factories, they don't trust people around them because if the conditions but on a small farm, that trust you and the last thing they remember is struggiling for their life because of someone thy trust.
I'm just saying be careful with the kids.

I'll have to agree to disagree, but your concern is thankful. I was never traumatized by what was happening to them, we'd even harvest some for ourselves from the growhouses. It is true, you don't form a bond with 30,000 chickens in each house, but they get used to humans in the 7 weeks you have them and don't go running away. They run all over in the growhouse and some come to you every time you enter