Floor space per bird?

[ModernGameGrl]

Whats the general rule of thumb for the amount of floor space per bird? Is it different for bantams?

 

[Bi0s]

3 to 5 square feet of space for each chicken for the coop and the run square footage at least 10 square feet of space. For example, for a flock of 4 hens, the total square footage for both coop and yard should be 52 to 60 square feet.

 

[equinehugger3]

I think it's 4 square feet per chicken, and I have no idea if it's different for bantams... Sorry!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

If your planing on cooping in your chickens and/or heating your coop in winter then the 4 SQFT per. If your girls will be outside all day and only going into the coop to sleep then 2.5 SQFT is sufficient. Bantams can go less space so 2 SQFT. Your run should be 10 SQ per bird min.

 

[elmo]

I think of the 4/10 square foot per bird as minimums, not as indications of ideal or even good stocking density. And since those numbers are so small, I wouldn't want to stretch it any further by trying to squeeze bantams into even smaller quarters.

 

[patandchickens]

Those are MINIMUMS, aimed at avoiding the highest likelihoods of cannibalism.

If you want more-natural-acting chickens, you need considerably higher stocking densities IME.

Pat