Backyard Brahmas!!

[John and Tiffany]

I really think thats too small a run for 24/7 occupancy. Thats the size of my run for 10 chickens, but they free range most of the day. Plus my one Brahma is twice the size of the normal chickens. The have low aggression so thats a plus for you. I would try to squeeze some extra footage in there somehow.

I kept seeing things like 10 sq ft per bird when petmanantly penned. I thought 300 sq ft was a lot compared to 60 that I was seeing recommended.

How much space will I need. I have more room I just need to get it planned out properly.

 

[Huntress78]

If you are going to do any planting then double your run size, divide it in half, and only give the birds access to half at a time so the other side has a chance to grow. They seem to like broad leaf plants so anything in the cabbage family will work for over seeding. Seed mixes for wild deer/turkey food plots also works well.
They will do fine on a slope but I would never put a pond in with my chickens...sooner or later one will drown.

 

[John and Tiffany]

Yeah I found out from another forum that ponds are a bad idea. I didn't know they couldn't swim, but I guess all birds aren't ducks.

Thats a good idea to split the run so the other side can grow. Are there at plants chickens like to munch on that will grow back quicker than they can kill it?

 

[Huntress78]

If they like to eat it they will kill it, either by nibbling it to the ground or by scratching in the dirt...I think they even eat roots they scratch up. About the only plant in the pens here that they don't kill is thistle weed.

 

[Little Fuzzy]

I kept seeing things like 10 sq ft per bird when petmanantly penned. I thought 300 sq ft was a lot compared to 60 that I was seeing recommended.

How much space will I need. I have more room I just need to get it planned out properly.

 

[Little Fuzzy]

I'm no size expert, but I picture my girls locked up in that small space all the time with nothing to do. Over crowding leads to pecking problems. If you have the room then double the size. Just remember if you ever let them out to free range they will start demanding to be let out with noise. I would also put some perches for them. Mine like to roost even during the day. Just remember Brahmas get big and heavy. They also develop those big feathers on their legs and feet which causes them to swing their feet wide when walking. Very funny to watch. Also don't buy those small nesting boxes for large birds.

 

[John and Tiffany]

Ok. So I'll just make as big an enclosure as I can. I can probably get around 500 sq ft without upsetting city rules. I read somewhere that the coop itself needs to be not bigger than the chickens need to help hold warmth. Is that correct for brahmas

 

[Huntress78]

If you live in S TN I would not worry about them getting too cold...as long as they can get inside a building they'll be fine. What I would worry about with Brahmas is keeping them cool in the summer. If the coop is too small or there is not enough roosting area they could overheat.

 

[John and Tiffany]

Ok great. I'm going to put some foam and other scrap in the walls for insulation. So I'll make it a little bigger for the sake of heat

 

[Travis Brown]

A picture of my rooster in the snow this morning. I wish spring would get here so I could start raising the next generation.