Coop Size & How Many Chickens

[Henchickkk15]

Interesting! So your run is quite large, but your coop is a bit smaller?

 

[rottlady]

I Think how many birds can live in X space depends entirely upon their personalities​

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If the birds argue, act stressed, prevent some from getting enough food or the hens are de feathered by the Roos, then no matter how large the coop is it is not big enough.​

If they all get along, everyone gets enough to eat, they are calm and everyone has all their feathers the coop is the right size​

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I currently have (my oldest birds which are 3 months old) 7 birds. 4 Barnevelders and 3 Cream Legbars. 3 Roos,4 hens in a 4 x 10 tractor coop during the day and at night or during high winds/heavy rain they are in a 4x4x4 pen in the house (because my coop is not yet built LOL) and everyone is fine. The hens have all their feathers in spite of one roo thinking he needs to breed them all the time-they are not old enough- and everyone is calm, peaceful and gets enough to eat​

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Now my next age chicks are going to need a LOT more space because already at 7 weeks they are jostling for status without fighting​

 

[Henchickkk15]

Okay. Yes, that is the thing. I don't have the chicks yet, so I don't know their personalities. They might be pecking each other constantly, and they might get along just fine. But is that something I would notice right away? Or does it take some weeks?

 

[rottlady]

weeks

 

[Henchickkk15]

Okay. So I am wondering if I did get all 5, and then I soon notice pecking, and the breeder would take the Silkie back, if that would be a good idea. Or if just sticking with 4 would be a better idea.... I don't know

. Thanks for your help!

 

[TerryH]

Okay. So I am wondering if I did get all 5, and then I soon notice pecking, and the breeder would take the Silkie back, if that would be a good idea. Or if just sticking with 4 would be a better idea.... I don't know :/ . Thanks for your help!

Doubt that any breeder is going to take a chicken back once it's been exposed to others because of the risk of disease. Biosecurity pretty much means once they are gone they are not coming back.

 

[Henchickkk15]

Actually, the breeder I talked to will take a Silkie back if it is a rooster... So I don't know what the difference is.

 

[rottlady]

in order to take a bird back has to go into quarantine which is why few will risk returns, most roos will be butchered

 

[Henchickkk15]

She raises them for 4-H kids. Many of those kids like to buy adult birds.