How many acres for 55 chickens

[craig g]

If you have 5 acres I would say you could get maybe 9,945 more. you have plenty of room to get as many as you want. I have 69 and they do not get very far from roost like earler post said.

 

[greathorse]

If you had 500 square feet for those chickens it would be ample room. If you want to let them free range over whatever portion of the property you desire that is their bonus. In a typical scenario you might have 3-500 square feet of run space that is predator proof and a more open free range situation for when you are there to protect them or at least assist with a pedator situation. I have about 25 hens and 300 square feet of run and 100 feet of coop, but they range weekends and in the summer over the rest of my 20 acres. They however never get more than a couple of hundred feet from my coop. I have had them nearly a year now and they have just recently discovered the horse pen which is about 300 feet away. YOu have lots of space for a lot of critters.

Good luck

 

[speckledhen]

I have over 5 acres, however, just over 2 acres of them are perimeter fenced. I have 49 chickens and they have ample room to roam on that 2 acres.

 

[what was i thinking]

i have two acres on this side of the road and if they run out of room they use the neighbors yard and if that isn't good enough they continue down to the next... i have had to chase them back from two doors down. glad everyone loves them

 

[bigzio]

RW, your flock can indeed mingle with the others you are raising. They will free range into the others area without any problems at all.

The flock mostly likes to keep the home coop in sight....so only a couple acres is more than enough, and prolly one acre will be used the most. They really are gentle fowl and don't go far from home.

The true backyard/barnyard flock does well with their freedom.

bigzio

 

[Kev]

5 acres, I am jealous! LOL!

It needs to be stressed more that your primary concern is having GOOD fencing(either for the whole perimeter or some acreage sectioned off for the chickens) and due to raccoons, GOOD coop also. Raccoons are very nasty for getting into coops with weak spots or pulling chicken parts thru wire. Don't skimp on small spaced wire or using solid sides all around the roost area.

Dogs will probably be a major problem if the place is not fenced(barbed wire does not count as a fence!) and it is serious amazing how destructive a single dog or two will be on a flock of chickens and even to other livestock.

 

[leghorn dude]

if you are considering other livestock you might also consider a livestock guardian dog

 

[RW19290]

Quote:
Yes, I already have a faithful dog that keeps watch over the chickens when they are free-ranging during the day.

 

[ddeans]

I have about 7 acres where I live and we have the chickens confined to about half of 1 acre. God forbid if they don't come in at night by them selves I am not running all over the place looking for them.

 

[FarmerChick]

for predators you could use electro-net fencing. portable and safe.
I have 300 chickens on about 3/4 acre give or take so you have more than enough land. and yes they do well walking around the farm wtih other animals.