Be honest, what would YOU do? Vote.

[Living_Legend]

Be honest, what would YOU PERSONALLY do with 10 Chickens?..........in a 6x5 coop (not counting nesting boxes) and a 6x12 run?

I ordered 9 chicks, My guess is that they will send me 1 extra one. If all 10 survive what would you do in this situation? Keep all 10, give a few away, what? I will also be allowing them to controlled free range 4 days a week in a 36ftx16ft area while I am around. I work from home two days a week plus the weekend.

I know the what the chicken math says but what would you actually do?

 

[Chickassan]

Keep them, not trying to jinx you but doom happens and it happens alot so extras are handy.

 

[enoryz]

Looks like plenty room to me.

 

[BantyChooks]

I'd keep 6--7. You are in a warm climate, though, so keeping more might work. The standard 4/10 advice 'works' but they are so much happier and healthier when allowed to move... I have firsthand experience with that. Letting them have that larger run for a few days a week will help.

 

[X_and_Z]

I would keep 6-7 (or fewer), they will be happier and you will have an easier time managing food/water/cleaning.

Additionally if egg production is important to you you will be adding new chicks within a year or two - egg production through the winter requires new chicks every year and total egg production drops drastically after the first 1-2 years so just keeping up non-winter production rates requires regular additions every few years.

 

[Alaskan]

I hate bad behaviors so greatly prefer large areas. I try to aim for 8 square feet or more per chicken of covered space in the winter. ... 4 to 5 square feet per chicken in the summer. (mine get the greenhouse in the winter added on to their area).

For summer chicken tractors that are moved about on grass... I DO pack them in way tighter.

 

[Jetblack2004]

I think you could comfortably keep 6 - 7 in there. Keep in mind that the more you keep, the messier it'll get

 

[AmazingRachel]

Also depends on the breeds of chickens.
Leghorns and skinny like chickens are ~3 sqft in coop and 7-8ish sqft in run.
Medium-Large (RIR, BR, etc) are ~4 sqft in coop and 10ish sqft. in run.
XL (Brahmas) I would side with ~5 sqft in coop of 12ish sqft. in run.

Also depends on how often you will let them free range.

If it helps, I have similar housing with a 6x4 coop and a 12x6 run and I have 5 right now (2 Leghorn types and 3 medium-large types). I can easily see me being able to keep 8 not beyond that I doubt.
If you want more chickens and eggs but don't have much space, go with bantams. They only require 2 sqft. in the coop and 5 sqft. in run. That's if you don't mid the size of the eggs lol.

 

[Living_Legend]

Its funny. 50% of vote so far is keep them all and 50% keep as few as possible. Shows people are one side or the other

I wanted at least 3 breads and the min order per bread was 3 so thats how i came up with ordering 9... then i read they usually send a extra

I basically will raise all till 4 months and if they all are alive and healty i can make the desicion then....

My brother in law has 6 3 year old hens in a coop/run half this size.... not that that is ok but it puts thoughts in my head.....

If all 10 make it that far i feel like it would be eaiser for me to give away a few then say only 8 made it that far then i would not just want to give away 1 bird or something like that.

time will tell.

Thanks for all the input.

 

[Living_Legend]

Also depends on the breeds of chickens.
Leghorns and skinny like chickens are ~3 sqft in coop and 7-8ish sqft in run.
Medium-Large (RIR, BR, etc) are ~4 sqft in coop and 10ish sqft. in run.
XL (Brahmas) I would side with ~5 sqft in coop of 12ish sqft. in run.

Also depends on how often you will let them free range.

free range 4 days a week
3 buckeye, 3 dominique, 3 black laced golden wyandotte
website says all those hens get to about 6-6.5 lbs