Chickens per Sq Foot?

[Nomibear]

I've heard all different answers on how much space a chicken needs for free ranging. How much space do you think each bird should have? What I REALLY want to know is how large your Chicken Yards are, and how many birds you have in them? Does it come to 5, 10, 20, or 50 sq feet per chicken?
I have one yard now, (50x45= 2,250sq Ft) with 19 chickens and 7 ducks. If my math is right, I've got 86 1/2 sq feet of run per bird. Not counting the coop, and climbing branches in the yard....
I am already planning on adding a couple (smaller) yards so I can breed true. This survey will help me plan the right sz for each pen. Thanks!! ~Naomi

 

[groundpecker]

Free ranging means, turning them loose in the yard and let them roam wherever they want to go.
I have 28 acres and my birds never go farther than 250 feet from their pens. Most of the time they stay within 100 feet of their pens.

If you want to breed true, you can build smaller pens, and turn each breed loose a certain time of day.
A 10x10 pen should house 5-8 largefowl, if they are freeranged.
I entice my birds back in their pen by offering treats, then i turn another breed loose. This gives me the time to clean the pens.

Obviously, the larger the pen space, the happier i believe the birds are.

 

[Nomibear]

Because of our dogs, and other predators, I have to use fences...
I like your idea of letting them take turns in a larger space. My brain is churning... Thanks for the tip!

 

[Nomibear]

Will anyone else chime in? I know many of us only have a backyard, or a run for our chickens. I would LOVE to hear from You too!! Thanks!

 

[Roxannemc]

Hi well i have 8 chickens but my space is too small Only help is I have them in a tractor-run/coop for summer and move them daily
My run is 16 feet long (2 runs together really ) 4 ft wide and the other 2 ft wide. I have been free ranging them a little the last few days before bed but supervised
I also have big dogs that will eat them in a nanosecond if they happen to jump the side fence into the backyard.
They are 16 weeks. I think i should have just 5 in the area at most I too need more pen space..However they dont seem to mind and never peck each other so i guess its ok for now..
I know this isnt much help

 

[galanie]

I think Groundpecker's suggestion would be best if you have limited space and predators to deal with.

I myself have 14 in approx. a 150x150 foot yard. They go into the coop at night but range the whole back yard. They get lots of bugs and grass and don't render it bare, though you do have to watch where you step LOL.

 

[Nomibear]

Roxannemc, ever bit of info helps! We can't all let our chickens run entirely free, and since I'm one of those that can't, I want to thank you for sharing what is working for You!

Galanie, Your Chickens must love all that space. If I calculated right, that's over 1600 ft per bird! How do you keep yourself to only 14 birds? Do you have any Roos?

 

[1cityslicker]

We have six hens free ranging in a 100x50' yard and enclosed at night in a 7x4x4 pen and from what I can tell theyre happy as hell. They forage the whole yard and when they're not able to find enough bugs they go back in the pen to chow an their normal feed. Time will tell (five are not laying yet) if the pen will be large enough. We don't have any Roos because we live in the city and we don't have more hens because we simply won't consume all the eggs. I want more but the lady of the house won't let me have them

 

[Nomibear]

1CitySlicker, I'm sure your coop will work great for your girls. Right now I have a coop the same sz as yours, but I have 19 chickens who share it. I don't lock them in though, not even at night. All if them are 13 weeks old. They still get along fine, but I am starting to gather materials for a much larger coop...