Chain-Link Run Size for 7 Standard Hens......

[danielle2003]

My dog run measures 10x10x6, with a nesting area of 3 nest boxes and 2 long perches. is this enough room for 7 adult hens? Four are Australorps, and three are Buff Orpingtons (they are still chicks, but they grow fast!). Plus, I let them out during the day in the yard to roam and forage for about 9 hours. They have access to the nesting box all day. Thank you!

 

[danielle2003]

I read that 10 square feet per bird is good (which would come to 70 feet total). Is that accurate?

 

[danielle2003]

By the way, do Buff Orpingtons get bigger than Australorps when full grown, or are they about the same size?

 

[InterestingChickens]

I read that 10 square feet per bird is good (which would come to 70 feet total). Is that accurate?

Yes, the rule of thumb 10 square feet in the run and 4 square feet in the coop. As well as one square foot if 24/7/365 ventilation per bird (best area for this is above the birds heads while roosting). One nesting box to every five birds and a linear foot to every bird on the roost. Keep in mind, these are the absolute minimums. Remember, the more space the better and the happier they will be.

By the way, do Buff Orpingtons get bigger than Australorps when full grown, or are they about the same size?

Both BO's and Australorps are dual purpose. So yes, around the same size.

 

[itsmatt]

Yes, I think that is a decent amount of space, particularly since you provide them with roaming/foraging time for 9 hours a day. For comparison, I have 40 hens that have a run that is 12' x 30' and there is plenty of space in it for my birds - that's roughly 9 square feet per bird for mine.

Particularly when you have roosts, the area really is multiplied because of the vertical component.

I don't know how folks arrive at a "right" value for per-bird square footage but what I do know is that giving them enough room to move about and get away from one another when there's "chicken nonsense" (pecking order ridiculousness) going on is a good thing.

 

[itsmatt]

By the way, do Buff Orpingtons get bigger than Australorps when full grown, or are they about the same size?

It has been my experience that my Orpingtons have been of similar or slightly larger size than my Australorps. I do see some variance in size though - I've got a couple of buffs right now and one is noticeably bigger than the other of the same age.

YMMV though.