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Bantam or Standard?

Discussion in 'Managing Your Flock' started by flytpm, May 3, 2009.

Most Liked Posts
  1. May 3, 2009 #1
    flytpm

    flytpm Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Apr 16, 2008
    Cookeville,TN
    I've got 4 bantam hens and a rooster in a 4x4 coop with 4x4 run. I like their tameness and cleanness but want bigger eggs. I built a 4x6 coop with a 10x6 run all under roof. I went to a chicken farmer's place today who had standard bred chickens free ranging and in cages. The smell was awful and made me wonder if I'm gonna be unhappy with larger chickens. How many hens would my coop/run be suited for so I won't have this problem? I plan on getting some pullets, preferably very tame breeds, all different colors so my family can name them and tell them apart. What are some easy to find breeds like this? Don't want anymore roosters, my neighbors in the subdivision might not be too happy with me if I brought anyone louder than my black-tailed Jap "Barney" into our neighborhood. As always, thanks for your advice.
     
  3. May 3, 2009 #2
    gritsar

    gritsar Cows, Chooks & Impys - OH MY!

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    Nov 9, 2007
    SW Arkansas
    Sounds like the farmer wasn't keeping their coop clean. I have 15 LF brahma and never notice a bad smell.
    For the standards you want at least 4 sq. ft. per chicken. You can get by with a little less if you free range quite a bit.
    Here's the link to Henderson's Chicken Chart, if you haven't already seen it:
    http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html
     
  5. May 3, 2009 #3
    cybercat

    cybercat Chillin' With My Peeps

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    May 22, 2007
    Greeneville, Tn
    Well, if the chicken farmer had alot of chickens that would account for the smell. Any time you have alot of animals there will always be a smell, even if you are clean. Poop smells and when there is alot of it you notice it.

    I would say you would be fine with 7 hens max in your new coop. If you plan on free ranging a bit and not leaving in pen all day you might be able to do 1 or 2 more. But since smell for you is an issue go with less. With 7 hens that is 5 to 6 eggs a day.
     

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