I have 10x10 and 8x15 runs, it seems like they'd be fine for 6 to 8 chickens, but I now wish I had made them bigger, more room for dustbath area, hanging swing, shade gazebo, cabbage & corn cob holders, raised bed covered with wire mesh growing greens to peck at, etc. I'm now planning a large grazing area, 50x50, with greens chickens love, covered with netting, in the spring, so I can rotate the groups when I am there. I can't free range here with tons of hawks, foxes, etc.
My 1st lesson, the 1st run, was 10x10, for 6 chickens, then...something I never planned for...chicken math happened! LOL. When they turfed it up & we got a week of rain, I nearly killed myself "skating" in mud. Picture a lady in muck boots kicking out from under her, all while carrying jugs of water, in the pouring rain...yeah, I felt like I was living in a Lucille Ball or 3 Stooges episode! Now I sod their runs every Oct. & believe it or not, after doing this 3 yrs it still shocks me, that it stay really nice thick grass for about 10 mos! It lasts til the late Aug heat waves, but it's worth it for me not breaking my neck & the chickens having grass to walk on, keeps them a lot cleaner than mud. Before the sod I tried straw, what a mess! Basically a mud hole with straw. I tried sand in the run too, they hated it & wouldn't go out, summers are too hot here for that. Well, not to be long winded...but I was new to this area, new to chickens, etc. & wish I had met someone local in this region who knew the weather, to tell me these things. There's alot to consider, and I had to learn the hard way. I know we can't predict the future, but consider you might just really, really love chickens! That means you might end up with more than you planned! Make room for future chickens & "stuff" giving the chickens options & things to do, as I now wish I had made the runs much bigger to start with.
