Bantams only need 4 sq. ft. per bird?

[shelleyd2008]

I don't know of any 'production' bantams, and I found quite a few sites that said 1 sq. ft. of inside space for bantams. Most of my quail have at least that much space, and that's all that is required for them!!

So Scott, most of my breeds have 1 roo to 2 hens. I think all my bantam breeds that have roos have this ratio, then I have some OEGB hens that I'm looking for a roo for. Those will be 3 hens to 1 roo. Is the 3' x8' size for the 'run' part of the tractor big enough? The tractors will most likely be bigger, probably more like 4' x 10'; I plan on using PVC and it comes in 10' lengths.

So I need help with the 'coop' portion of the tractor. I want it to be small enough that I can move it (the coop will be detachable), but not so small that the birds are cramped. The feed and water will be below the coop, in the run portion, and I'm planning on making nest boxes 'outside' of the coop (with inside access for the hens). Basically, the only thing they will use the coop for is to roost at night. I might try to figure some way to put food/water inside the coop, but it would be similar to a rabbit feeder (at least, that's the idea)

So what would be a good size for the coop (sticking with the 4' width of the tractor)?

 

[Scott]

Quote:
Nor do I know of any true production bantams. I call those that arent bred for showing as pet/utility/production bantams... i.e. raised as a hobby and/or for eggs. I'm just trying to think of how they could possibly justify that 1sq ft of inside space for a bantam. Then again, they technically only need to be "inside" at night when they roost. But I know in the winter, during the coldest days, my birds don't even go outside.

Attached to my main chicken house and pen is a brooder house and pen. The pen section is 4ft x6ft. I've never used it as such, but I think it would be a fine outside space for a trio of bantams. That's 24sq feet. So you could have 4 bantams and that's still 4sq ft per bird. I've got four call ducks (bantam ducks) in that pen right now. And it is plenty of room. Your 3ft by 8ft pen is also 24sq ft. So yes, I think that would be fine.

If it helps, you can view the attachment pen below. Like I said it is 4ft x 8ft.... a 2ft x 4ft house and a 4ft x 6 ft pen. Enough room for a trio or quad of bantams. In the last picture, you can see 5 adult bantams and 4 bantam chicks are in the pen.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
I would suggest there are 2 ways of looking at it, or you could choose something partway in between:

-either give them just enough space for roosting, in which case a box the full 4' width of the tractor and 18" wide would be amply enough;

or

-make the house part big enough that you could also use it for LF in the future, giving them as much floor space as you can manage without making the thing too heavy. Without knowing your planned tractor construction or how much predator load you expect, I can't suggest specifics, but I'd be thinking in terms of 4x2 to 4x4, whatever is the biggest you can make and still be able to easily move the tractor.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[speckledhen]

I use the 4 sf inside space for standard breeds, but try to go larger. I'd use the 2 sf interior space for bantams, which is what I've read in many places. Some of that depends on how much time is spent outdoors, but it's easier to keep clean and dry if there is no crowding. That's the key, really, how it works out for the birds. Larger is always better, IMO. When my main coop got a bit less than 4 sf per bird, I downsized by a dozen birds and things were much better.

 

[Zahboo]

It's 2 sq foot in the coop and 4-5 for the run. I go with 5.

 

[dixiechick]

during the night and workday, I try to keep 3 in a 30 sq ft enclosure. More than that, and I feel awful.

 

[nayeli]

I'm also building a moveable tractor. I'm considering a two story coop so the roosts can be upstairs. I'm doing 2 sq ft a bird which is 10 sq ft for 5 birds (although I'm only planning on keeping 3-4)

 

[Jcbdc]

A few generations ago our ancestors lived in a one room cabin, but now we want 21/2 baths, 3 bedrooms and a bonus room! Give them some room in the lot.