General space questions

[black_cat]

How many standard size chickens could I keep in a 5x5 coop with a 10x5 run? How many bantams? What would be a good mix?

How many bantams could I keep in a 5x5 coop with a 5x8 run? How many standards? What would be a good mix?

(note: when I say what would be a good mix, I mean ratio of bantams to standards, or something like '2 standards and 4 bantams')

 

[black_cat]

boost? I'm currently designing a coop, and I want to make sure I have enough space. I'm not good at chicken math, besides the part where you get 4 million chickens.

 

[Gallinarium]

The more space your birds have, the better. There should be at least four square feet in a coop per bird for standard size. As long as they have enough space in the coop, the general rule is ten square feet per bird in a run. In other words, six in the coop, four in the run. That obviously doesn't work out. Bantams technically require half the space, though they like more. Eight bantams. I don't have much experience combining the two.

 

[black_cat]

The more space your birds have, the better. There should be at least four square feet in a coop per bird for standard size. As long as they have enough space in the coop, the general rule is ten square feet per bird in a run. In other words, six in the coop, four in the run. That obviously doesn't work out. Bantams technically require half the space, though they like more. Eight bantams. I don't have much experience combining the two.

Yes, I'd obviously give myself infinite budget and infinite space (and also lots of chickens) for the project but I am pressed on space and on money. I'd like to have 6 birds in total. I've read anywhere from 7 to 10 square feet per bird in the run. If I were to have 6 standards with a 5x10 run, they'd each have a bit more than 8 square feet. Is that enough? I was wondering about bantams because of the space issues.

 

[Gallinarium]

Eight square feet would work well enough, but I would get birds that don't mind having less space. Just go for Orpingtons, rather than Minorcas. Bantams would work great, depending on your purpose. If you just want them for show or pets, great. If they're for eggs, go for full sized. While some bantams are productive, their eggs are obviously tiny.

 

[black_cat]

Eight square feet would work well enough, but I would get birds that don't mind having less space. Just go for Orpingtons, rather than Minorcas. Bantams would work great, depending on your purpose. If you just want them for show or pets, great. If they're for eggs, go for full sized. While some bantams are productive, their eggs are obviously tiny.

*googles what Minorcas are* I mostly want them for pets, but other family members are after eggs. I'll have to see what their priority is: giving up less yard space or getting more/bigger eggs. Here's my list of what I want to have eventually:
Starting with Barred Rock x3
Adding later:
Silver Laced Cochin
Easter Egger
Lavender Orpington
I don't know if Lavender Orpingtons come as bantams, but all the rest do I think.

 

[Gallinarium]

All of those have bantam variations. If you want both, in theroy, you could get several bantams and then a couple larger for eggs. But those breeds are fairly homebased, so you can just get all large and fit them in there. Personal preference. I don't have any experience combining bantams and regular.

 

[black_cat]

All of those have bantam variations. If you want both, in theory, you could get several bantams and then a couple larger for eggs. But those breeds are fairly homebased, so you can just get all large and fit them in there. Personal preference. I don't have any experience combining bantams and regular.

Yes, I was thinking bantams if I wanted to fit more birds, or had to shrink the run down to 5x8. They will have time out of the coop, some supervised free ranging.

 

[Gallinarium]

Yes, I was thinking bantams if I wanted to fit more birds, or had to shrink the run down to 5x8. They will have time out of the coop, some supervised free ranging.

While outside the coop time is nice and helps, it doesn't really affect size requirements unless they're out at least six hours a day, every day. Another benefit of bantams is they tend to be friendlier.

 

[black_cat]

While outside the coop time is nice and helps, it doesn't really affect size requirements unless they're out at least six hours a day, every day. Another benefit of bantams is they tend to be friendlier.

Yes, they definitely couldn't be out that much. I'd say probably from a half hour to 2 hours a day would happen. I'm worried about bantam sexing, I know that they are very hard to sex and I can't have roosters.