Hey guys....my daughter and I worked on our new Coop and run this weekend....maybe 2 weeks out before we are ready for chickens.....my question is I am doing a coop in a barn bay(10 x 10) and (inclosing with tin) and then making a run of 15 x 10 out into the yard(just grass)....with 4 nesting boxes........sound about right?....I hear 3 or 4 hens per nesting box....so that would mean I could do a dozen or so hens....but is that too many for the size of the area? we just finished out doorways this weekend.....so we are WAY early in this if we need to change design plans! thanks for any input Athens
Sounds good. But, think of the future. Chickens are addicting. You may want to make it bigger so you can get more chickens in the future!
that's kinda what I'm afraid of.....my "Grassy" area being too small...... would like to free range got all kinds of area......just not home all the time.....but can try to do that in the evenings?.....not sure how well they will adapt to that....going in and out of fenced area.
You can leave them cooped in their secure coop and run while you are gone and let them out in the evenings when you get home. They will adapt to whatever you do. Bear in mind that predators will attack, even when you are home. Is your area fenced so neighborhood dogs can't get in?