Adding More Chickens

[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?

 

[Mamatomany123]

I honestly wouldnt add any more birds. I have a 525sqft run. I technically could have 52 birds in the run. I'm at 15 now and feel that is the max I want. They all have room, integration worked great since they had so much room, and sometimes my girls bicker so they have plenty of room to get away from eachother. Your run looks perfect right now with the amount of birds in there. I also have tree limbs, tire dust baths, and food and water in mine. I wouldnt remove things to add more birds because that's kind of defeating the purpose. You want more things in the run to prevent picking while integrating.

 

[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.

 

[aart]

the overlords

Your Parents?

 

[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]

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.

I do really like that coop idea, it seems like a good use of space. As for ducks, I understand that. I’m in the process of trying to figure out some sort of coop that would work for them, which I will attach to a secure extension on the run. Meanwhile, I’ve ton a buttload of research in duck coop designs and such, so I really appreciate your advice.

I’ve kept ducks before, I acknowledge and I am aware of the fact that they are messy birds. That’s why I’m keeping them separate this time, and doing more research to make sure I can create something that will accommodate them comfortably, and put up with their messes. I’ve also embraced the opportunity to build them a very nice pond, which will have a filter and all to make sure to keep things clean and prevent excessive mess (And I know how much mess just 3 ducks can make in a pool)

To end this, I’d just like to ask what you use as a “flooring” in your duck’s run. Currently, as you can see, my chickens have mulch inside the run, but previously I have just left the ground as dirt, and put hay down to control the mud and mess from ducks (my original run was in a poor-draining spot, the absolute worst place to house waterfowl.). I was just curious wether or not using mulch would be a good idea, or if their is a more appropriate option for me to consider.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

My run is about 900 sq ft of native dirt, truly a mix of sandy clays and clay-ey sands. I've covered it with cubic yards of leaf litter gathered from the woods around my pasture. Oak, Hickory, Holly and Pine leaf, in rough order of frequency. Plus yard/pasture waste when I have it. More "brown" in the winter, when its readily available, more "green" in the summer, when the pasture is growing weeds.

and I have a shallow depression that collects water that rains on the open run, before being diverted to an actual "pond" I'm building. The 25x35' liner I bought for which isn't big enough, but will hold "some" water.

I'm in process of building a second house (to be shared with goats, once we get them) in a much larger run. Pictures here of the progress.

 

[CHlCKEN]

My run is about 900 sq ft of native dirt, truly a mix of sandy clays and clay-ey sands. I've covered it with cubic yards of leaf litter gathered from the woods around my pasture. Oak, Hickory, Holly and Pine leaf, in rough order of frequency. Plus yard/pasture waste when I have it. More "brown" in the winter, when its readily available, more "green" in the summer, when the pasture is growing weeds.

and I have a shallow depression that collects water that rains on the open run, before being diverted to an actual "pond" I'm building. The 25x35' liner I bought for which isn't big enough, but will hold "some" water.

I'm in process of building a second house (to be shared with goats, once we get them) in a much larger run. Pictures here of the progress.

Thank you! I really was at a loss for what to floor their run with..

Another question: What size pond liner would be good for 4 ducks? I know you should always plan ahead, so in case I add to my duck flock one day, let’s talk maybe a size for 6 ducks. Just curious