I wholly agree with SNJChickens...if you enjoy raising chickens, manure removal should not be seen as a chore. They give you enjoyment and nourishment and in return you give them a life that makes their stay in your protection a little more enjoyable. For that reason and more, I've stopped counting costs and just look forward to the arrival of more eggs.
As for my run, it's more than substantial for 18 birds. At 500 ft2, that's more than 25 ft2/bird; I feel I could add more birds comfortably but also am looking at adding more run space, perhaps another 500 ft2. Lately, I have gone back on my word and free-ranged them, as I've noticed when cooped up exclusively in the run, they sure do go through the grain, even with supplements.
My run is under a canopy of trees-mixed deciduous and coniferous-and the soil is therefore forest soil. Fortunately, the area drains into sand and gravel so standing water doesn't last long. Still, there is a muddy, low spot which I have since filled in with sand.
I have used pine shavings inside and with a dedicated poop board, I have luckily been able to keep the rest of the coop poop-free. I would like to use hay in the nest boxes but in the main body of the coop, my doors are too low to the floor to make hay a viable option. I would have definitely built my doors several inches more off the floor if I had it to do again. I may put some hay in the run from time to time.
Following some peoples' advice here at BYC, I am adding 18" of hardware cloth as a skirt, extending up the bottom of the existing wire fence 6" and 12" flat on the ground, buried under 1-2" of gravel. It may not be enough protection but we are always home and I lock them in at night. I may also add a deer netting ceiling to the run as time allows.
Back to my original point, I feel any additional space in either coop or run will only improve my chickens' lives-and our enjoyment of them, particularly that of my nearly 3-yr-old daughter. I feel it's almost as easy to build a 8 X 12' structure as it is a 6' X 6' for example-so if you're considering a larger flock and have the funds, it's worth it in my mind to build a little bigger. My 8 X 8' coop got very small very fast with poop board, roost, feed can, etc.
Good luck and have fun.
As for my run, it's more than substantial for 18 birds. At 500 ft2, that's more than 25 ft2/bird; I feel I could add more birds comfortably but also am looking at adding more run space, perhaps another 500 ft2. Lately, I have gone back on my word and free-ranged them, as I've noticed when cooped up exclusively in the run, they sure do go through the grain, even with supplements.
My run is under a canopy of trees-mixed deciduous and coniferous-and the soil is therefore forest soil. Fortunately, the area drains into sand and gravel so standing water doesn't last long. Still, there is a muddy, low spot which I have since filled in with sand.
I have used pine shavings inside and with a dedicated poop board, I have luckily been able to keep the rest of the coop poop-free. I would like to use hay in the nest boxes but in the main body of the coop, my doors are too low to the floor to make hay a viable option. I would have definitely built my doors several inches more off the floor if I had it to do again. I may put some hay in the run from time to time.
Following some peoples' advice here at BYC, I am adding 18" of hardware cloth as a skirt, extending up the bottom of the existing wire fence 6" and 12" flat on the ground, buried under 1-2" of gravel. It may not be enough protection but we are always home and I lock them in at night. I may also add a deer netting ceiling to the run as time allows.
Back to my original point, I feel any additional space in either coop or run will only improve my chickens' lives-and our enjoyment of them, particularly that of my nearly 3-yr-old daughter. I feel it's almost as easy to build a 8 X 12' structure as it is a 6' X 6' for example-so if you're considering a larger flock and have the funds, it's worth it in my mind to build a little bigger. My 8 X 8' coop got very small very fast with poop board, roost, feed can, etc.
Good luck and have fun.
