I bought a used shed to convert to a coop like the one pictured recently, 10 x 16 with a porch.
I plan to build a screened off 3 ft x 10 entrance area for storage & supplies, that will leave me with 10 x 12ish floor space for hens.
The ceiling is high, 8 ft, and two rotating runs will be 24 x 24 one run off each side, with some limited free ranging.
How many standard hens should I plan on total? I have 4 standard hens who are going on 4 yrs old.
If I get 14-16 this year, could I safely plan to add another 5-6 hens the following two years to keep egg supply steady? I need them to be able to keep warm in the winter, so should I get more this year so there will be enough of them to stay warm next winter? I am thinking about 30 birds total-does that sound reasonable?
Open to any and all suggestions- thanks!!
I plan to build a screened off 3 ft x 10 entrance area for storage & supplies, that will leave me with 10 x 12ish floor space for hens.
The ceiling is high, 8 ft, and two rotating runs will be 24 x 24 one run off each side, with some limited free ranging.
How many standard hens should I plan on total? I have 4 standard hens who are going on 4 yrs old.
If I get 14-16 this year, could I safely plan to add another 5-6 hens the following two years to keep egg supply steady? I need them to be able to keep warm in the winter, so should I get more this year so there will be enough of them to stay warm next winter? I am thinking about 30 birds total-does that sound reasonable?
Open to any and all suggestions- thanks!!