Adding More Chickens

[Chickensandhorsesforlife]

do your girls use the tire dust baths? i like that idea

 

[Chickensandhorsesforlife]

Not right now, as the sand got wet and it doesn’t make great dust bath material. But once I put in something new, I’m hoping they take notice to them

Mine are very wierd about new things

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

I would clear the run if I added more chickens, and when I’m home I’ll measure.

OK. Measure in the INSIDE. That is where I am getting the numbers 9x21 from. (That and the Omlet website.) The numbers you are giving are INCLUDING the predator apron. (Which adds 15 inches to the width and length.) Which doesn't count since it is on the outside. (I really like your setup no matter the measurements!)

 

[aart]

and those dimensions were all I could find at the time

Get a tape measure and go out ad measure it.
Don't just 'find' dimensions on the net.

To the run, not the coop

But, but, but you can't add birds to the run without a bigger coop.
Or are you going to size your new coop off the run capacity?

 

[CHlCKEN]

Get a tape measure and go out ad measure it.
Don't just 'find' dimensions on the net.


But, but, but you can't add birds to the run without a bigger coop.
Or are you going to size your new coop off the run capacity?

I wasn’t home and I couldn’t at the time, and just did my best.

What I meant was adding more chickens to the run, not the coop, and getting a new coop if both ideas are approved by the overlords

I would decide how many chickens would fit *comfortably* in the run, and base the coop size off of that.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Just remember more chickens = more feed=more poop=more bedding.

It all adds up.

 

[CHlCKEN]

Your Parents?

Yep.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

The "thumb rules" say yes, you could increase the number of chickens, and that with a 250 sq ft run dedicated to ducks, you could have some number of them, too. Obviously, and as you have acknowledged, the coops need to be increased in size.

Now, in the case of the chicken coop and run, you could take out the tiny "dog house" coop and build a raised coop at the covered end of the run, enclosing the back wall and part of the two sides. Chickens would retain all the "floor" space, and you could go, potentially, to about 20 birds with common and reasonable management practices. You will have to go into the coop to gather eggs, which may or may not, be an attractive idea for you.

With ducks, you don't have that option. They nest on the ground, vertical space is useless to you, thus their coop cuts your floor space. For my own 8-duck design, which I found manageable, they nest under my raised hen house, and have about 100 sq ft to that purpose. While that's probably twice the usual rule of thumb (6 sq ft house per duck), I had more than one male - the extra space was absolutely needed.

My run was shared with my chickens, which makes the numbers a little squirrely, but the "thumb rule" is about 25 ft per duck, minimum. Given those things, and my experiences, in an enclosure of 250 sq ft, I'd place just 6 ducks. One drake, five hens. Or six hens. Not more than that.

Expect a lot of work, ducks are messy messy messy creatures, you will be putting a lot of effort into maintaining their run, but it can be accomplished.

 

[CHlCKEN]

There are several feet of space behind the coop, which you can’t see. It’s a 25 foot long run.

 

[21hens-incharge]

What are the actual measurements of the current run? It doesn't look like 220 square feet to me but my eyes are old.