You can get a lot of different opinions on here about how much space you need. If you follow the link in my signature you can see some of the things I think are important to consider. I’m not going to give you specific numbers. Your situation is different from mine and we ae both different from someone keeping six hens all the same age in a small suburban back yard. Our needs are different.
I don’t know how you plan to handle predator protection. You might look up Joel Salatin and see how he follows cows with mobile tractors. Again, his situation is different from yours but he is probably closer than I am.
I’m always an advocate for more space instead of trying to shoehorn them into as small a space as I can get away with. That doesn’t mean I always provide a lot of space, just that I know I should and understand I’ll pay the price when I don’t. I find I have fewer behavioral problems to deal with, more flexibility to deal with issues when they do occur, and I don’t have to work as hard when I provide more space. I’m looking at my comfort and convenience more than what chickens need.
There are different models that might work for you. Some of that will depend on where you live, your climate and how much room you have. Is this planned for year around or only the good weather months, if that matters where you are? Are you planning on being out there every day of the year about the time they wake up to let them out or do you occasionally sleep in a bit. For predator protection will you be locking them in a secure coop at night or would you be happy with an open coop and them protected by electric netting? Will you be feeding and watering in the coop or outside? Chickens don’t understand the concept of room in the coop, room in the run, or anything like that. They understand the concept of how much room do I have when I need it, whether that is coop by itself, coop plus run, or just the great outdoors. Will you be integrating new chickens or have a broody hen hatch and raised chicks with the flock? These take more room.
There are so many variables that I can’t come up with a magic square feet per chicken that covers everyone on the whole planet regardless of their situation. If I knew a lot more about how you plan to manage them, your climate and what time of the year you plan to have them in this tractor, and many other things I may be able to tell you how I’d do it, but I’m not going to just come up with a number out of the blue.
Good luck!
