Coop size

[ChickyCh00k]

I'm confused
Do you have six birds total, of which two are cockerels? Or do you have six pullets plus two cockerels?

They have 6 birds that are eight months old (4 pullets, 2 cockerels) - I think that's where the confusion is. Everyone is seeing the number 8 in the OP and thinking that's the # of birds, but they wrote the word "six" ("8-month-old")...

 

[FrostRanger]

They have 6 birds that are eight months old (4 pullets, 2 cockerels) - I think that's where the confusion is. Everyone is seeing the number 8 in the OP and thinking that's the # of birds, but they wrote the word "six" ("8-month-old")...

Where I'm getting 8 from is they said they had 6 8 month old chickens AND 2 cockerels. Either way the way it's worded is confusing (coop is also half the size it needs to be at a minimum)

 

[ChickyCh00k]

Where I'm getting 8 from is they said they had 6 8 month old chickens AND 2 cockerels. Either way the way it's worded is confusing (coop is also half the size it needs to be at a minimum)

Ah! Yes, I read it as 6 birds and 2 of them are cockerels. I agree, definitely no more in that particular coop (and definitely need to lose one of the boys regardless)!

If they go down to 5 birds (4P, 1C), 17 sq.ft. isn't terrible. 3.4 sqft/bird is doable with covered run for inclimate weather and free ranging when appropriate. I had 8 pullets/hens in a 24sqft coop when I started (they only slept and laid eggs in it) and it was more than fine. However, there's no way I could have put one single other bird in there, let alone attempted any kind of integration if I had wanted more at that time.