Building 1 coop to be divided into 2 breed pens-Question re: runspace

[Kelly G]

Hey! My hubby and I built a small 7'x7' coop today (actually we are retro-fitting an existing structure) - it's going to be great!

I have 10 Buff Orp & 10 White Orp chicks arriving in the next month - I'm hoping for at least 4 or 5 pullets of each color, and I'll keep one roo of each color.

We are going to divide this coop right down the center with chicken wire, so I can make sure the right varieties have access to eachother

My question is - how big do we need to make each run for them to be comfortable? Space is not a big issue - but money for fencing IS. They will all have access to free ranging on alternate days (again, so I keep the varieties true).

Thanks for your input! Pics tomorrow.......didn't have camera today

 

[NateinFL]

I had the opportunity to meet Kelly and her husband today, very nice, cool people! And we found out that we are both on BYC. Interesting conversations lol. I picked up some baby ameracuanas (hopefully all girls) and she GAVE me some BEAUTIFUL blue-green eggs to put in my incubator. How nice of them. He was hard at work on this project

. Great to meet someone else with the same passion for chickens as me...and I was impressed at how clean and healthy her birds are. Just thought I'd put that out there

 

[Ridgerunner]

The general minimum recommendation is 10 square feet per chicken in the run with 4 square feet per chicken in the coop. More is always better.

There will probably be days you cannot free range any of them, so I'd suggest two separate runs. Maybe connect them with a gate so you can either isolate the two runs or open the gate and let them have free run of both sides.

 

[NottinghamChicks]

Quote:
Sounds great Kelly. I believe the rule of thumb is 10 sq ft per bird in the run. If you are doing approx 6 birds in each side that would be 60Sq ft.. You could probably do with less if the money dictates because you are going to free range on alternate days.

 

[Kelly G]

Quote:
Thanks, Nathan!! We really enjoyed meeting you, too! We both said, we hoped to see you again...such a small world! Enjoy the EE's and if you need more chicks/eggs just let me know!

O.K. soooooooooo 10' per bird. Will do! Thanks for the input!