Dog run big enough for 16 birds? (14 chickens, 2 ducks)

[Steergirl]

I have a 6 ft wide, 12 ft long, 6ft tall dog run (chain link fence) and I was wondering if it would have enough room for 14 chickens and 2 ducks. It will have a coop on one end but it is gonna be 3 feet off the ground so it doesn't take away ground space and gives shade for the hot humid whether we have here. The chicks/ducklings are only 3 weeks old so I have a lil time to arrange something else if needed.

 

[dkvart1]

I think you'll find most folks here will recommend a minimum of 10 sq ft of space per bird outside and 4 sq ft per bird inside.

 

[Steergirl]

Forgot to mention it is just for the night, they will free range during the day.

 

[bethsplace]

i would like to use the same size for cornish x's for meat chickens could I put 20 in that space since they dont move around much?

 

[crtrlovr]

It doesn't sound like much room to me, but if you do choose to go that route, make SURE you wrap it COMPLETELY with hardware mesh. Even if you wrap it with chicken wire, raccoons / possums can and will reach through & kill your babies. I have a dog kennel COMPLETELY wrapped in chicken wire (sides and top) and STILL lost a beautiful buff Saxony duck to something that found a way in. (no holes dug, and I checked the pen before I put them up that night -- nothing was inside).

 

[Celtic Chick]

I don't think that is enough room either. Even if they did free range during the day. I would minimumly add 2 more panels to make it 12' x 12".
And what about in the winter? Where are you located? Will they be able to free range in winter too?
I have a dog kennel, 20' x 20', under a carport that my 8 chickens spend the winter in. When the weather is nice, they also have a 30' x 30' yard. But I also have an old softie for a hubby.

And bethsplace, IMHO, I wouldn't do it. Just because they are meat birds doesn't mean they don't require space to move around & stretch their wings. Cramped conditions breeds disease and fighting, which you will loose chickens in either case before their time.

 

[Steergirl]

Our winter is 75 degrees, we don't really have much of a winter. I can easily get another run of the same size and connect them.

 

[teach1rusl]

If you freerange pretty much all day, every day, then the size of the run really shouldn't matter. If you think they'll be spending some time in the run, then I'd add panels, as 72 sq. ft. is a pretty tight run for that many birds (as was mentioned, 10 sq. ft. per bird is a minimum recommendation for LF). If your housing is not closed up each night, then you would need to cover/roof the dog run securely with wire...

 

[Steergirl]

Ok let me clear this up- they would be in there only at night because we have coyotes, possums, raccoons you name it we got it. I lost 4 ducks to some creature. I would leave it open during the day since it will be shaded in there and it gets 105+ pretty much everyday here (except for winter when it gets down to 75), so they would be free to go in it if they wanted to. The poultry person at my local feed store said 3-5 sq feet per bird would do, but it sounds like I'm gonna need more.

 

[iasc300]

Quote:
If you dont mind, where do you live that it only gets down to 75 in the winter? I need to mve there