25 chicks- housing

[RebelsHope]

I hope I am not going to be opening a can of worms. I ordered 25 chics because that was the fewest I could order. I have a little play house that is being converted to a chicken house. It is 6 x 6 which I realized after I ordered the chics is a tad bit too small for all 25 chickens. I am having 3-6 nesting boxes that will be added to the outside of the house. The total square footage of outside space will be about 225 ft, plus I will let them out during the day after they know where their home is. These are all pullets (well hopefully, they are supposed to be all pullets) During the summer I don't think their really will be a problem, it is this winter that I an concerned about. Is there a simple way to add extra snow free areas to the outside of the pen for the hens this winter? Or am I worried about nothing, or should I start building another pen for half the chickens?

 

[silkiechicken]

Personally I would make a few extra small pen/houses for your hens because spacing them out is overall healthier for them and that will help alleviate alot of health problems and stink that can arise from high density housing. Really your current coop can handle only about 12 standard sized hens but your outside space is enough for all 25.

Becides, if you make extra outside coops, you can start breeding them and keeping sick pens just in case!!! Chickens are addictive! Welcome to the madness!

To provide shade and winter shelter, you could make lean to's with tarps for them to hide under.
Good luck!