How far should my coop be from my neighbors chicken coop.

[Jennifer Haley]

We have a chicken coop with 7 chickens and plan on adding 4 more to our flock next month. Both our neighbors are thinking about getting chickens and asked how far they should put their coops we all live on large lot lines and wasn’t sure if it would confuse our chickens having other coops near? Thanks in advance Xx Jen

 

[rosemarythyme]

Do your birds free range? Do they plan on free ranging theirs?

For biosecurity I'd think something like 100' away would be enough, assuming all the birds stay locked up.

Will it confuse your chickens? Not really... they'll get used to it. Unless you all have roosters, then they'll try to outcrow each other.

 

[Jennifer Haley]

Thanks for your reply. We let ours free range every day and assuming they will do the same when they get them. We have no roosters. So think 100 + feet is okay. Xx

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
As far as possible, with fencing between! If you all agree to be very careful sourcing your birds, so no flock develops a nasty disease that will affect everyone, it will be good. If one of you gets randam source birds, and bring in Mycoplasma, or Marek's disease, all of your flocks will be affected, in a very bad way.
I'd want my birds to be 300 ft. upwind!
Mary

 

[rosemarythyme]

Since you're all going to free range, there may or may not be some conflicts (or they may all get along swimmingly) or biosecurity issues. Or some of the chickens might even end up joining the other flock. Hard to predict what living animals will do!