Another question (probably not my last lol!!) on getting new chicks

[talkinboutchickens]

Hi all! I didn't know what to post this under, but I chose raising baby chicks, 'cause it kinda has to do with it.
So, my question was, how many NEW chickens will I be able to get without squishing them?
I know that I have asked this question before, but I had less chickens then and the question was slightly different.
My big coop, as it is known, currently has 10 chickens in it, 9 hens and 1 rooster. It is 184 sq. ft. (run & coop.) ALL my chickens are standards in both coops.
I don't have a pic of the big coop.
My small coop has 2 chickens in it, a hen and a roo. I know that the ratio is way way off and that I shouldn't have one hen with my rooster, but that's just for now until I get more chickens in the Spring of next year The small coop is an A-frame coop and is 102 sq. ft.

Also, they free-range every day, except for some really cold and/or snowy days in the Winter. Each coop has 3 nesting boxes.
Feel free to ask my about any other info that may be helpful to know.

Thanks so much!

 

[Debbie292d]

A good rule of thumb is 4 square feet per bird in the coop, and 10-15 square feet per bird out of the run. You have to figure them separately unless they have constant access to the run.

We live where the chickens could be locked in due to weather for weeks at a time in the winter, so that's a consideration. Overcrowding can cause feather picking and fights.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Right. You have to figure, how much space is there, just in the coop, because that's where they are going to sleep. If there's not enough room for everybody, some of the chickens will sleep outside, either on top of the coop or on the ground in the run. This will make them vulnerable to weather, where they can get wet and cold (very bad!), and/or vulnerable to predators (even worse!). The run is just for daytime exercise so don't figure it in your calculations for "coop space."

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Overcrowding can cause feather picking and fights.

.... and feather picking can actually lead to cannibalism so take it seriously.

 

[bill3607]

Your total in your big coop is fine for 10 birds. That is roughly 18 sq. ft. per bird.
That is as long as it is proportioned right. So, how much of the 184 sq. ft. is coop?
I wouldn't add anymore birds to it, though.

Your second coop could handle no more than another 5 hens. Again, that depends on how much of that sq. footage is coop, though.

 

[talkinboutchickens]

You have to figure them separately unless they have constant access to the run.

We live where the chickens could be locked in due to weather for weeks at a time in the winter, so that's a consideration. Overcrowding can cause feather picking and fights.

Yes they always have access to their run and coop, we never lock them in their coop, even when it is really cold, because I want them to get fresh air and ventilation thru the coop door I would say the coop is about 4 x 4 or so, so 16 SQ ft. So that would be 4 birds considering the coop space? Or do you think I could fit 5?

 

[talkinboutchickens]

.... and feather picking can actually lead to cannibalism so take it seriously.

We've never had anything like that happen thankfully, knock on wood They only tend to peck each other when they are on the roosts and only for pecking order purposes, not when they are bored if that makes sense If they do cause damage to each other it's usually only on the wings a little bit like in this random pic:

 

[talkinboutchickens]

Right. You have to figure, how much space is there, just in the coop, because that's where they are going to sleep. If there's not enough room for everybody, some of the chickens will sleep outside, either on top of the coop or on the ground in the run. This will make them vulnerable to weather, where they can get wet and cold (very bad!), and/or vulnerable to predators (even worse!). The run is just for daytime exercise so don't figure it in your calculations for "coop space."

A good rule of thumb is 4 square feet per bird in the coop, and 10-15 square feet per bird out of the run. You have to figure them separately unless they have constant access to the run.

We live where the chickens could be locked in due to weather for weeks at a time in the winter, so that's a consideration. Overcrowding can cause feather picking and fights.

Sorry guys! My measurements were wrong,
the small coop (the coop part) is 32.5 SQ ft, and the big coop's coop is 40 SQ ft.

 

[talkinboutchickens]

Your total in your big coop is fine for 10 birds. That is roughly 18 sq. ft. per bird.
That is as long as it is proportioned right. So, how much of the 184 sq. ft. is coop?
I wouldn't add anymore birds to it, though.

Your second coop could handle no more than another 5 hens. Again, that depends on how much of that sq. footage is coop, though.

The big coop is 40 SQ ft, small coop (coop part), is about 32.5 SQ ft.

 

[Debbie292d]

Sorry guys! My measurements were wrong,
the small coop (the coop part) is 32.5 SQ ft, and the big coop's coop is 40 SQ ft.

So you have roughly 73 sq feet of total housing. That's a total 18 regular chickens. If bantams, I'd go 21 safely. It also depends how many is in each one too, so 10 in one and 8 in the other.