How many chickens can fit comfortably in my space?

[rich0790]

I'm new to raising chickens and have a lot of questions. I have a coop that is 4 feet by 4 feet that has 3 nesting boxes and a place for them to roost on. I have a chicken run that is 8 feet x 4 feet x 6 feet tall plus they can go under their 4x4 coop. How many chickens would fit comfortably? I legally can't let them be free ranging besides our neighbor's cat would love for me to let them be free... but I plan on letting them roam while I garden sometimes.

Also, question 2, I have 4 pullets that were raised together and would like to by 3 one year olds that were raised together (if people say my space will fit them) but I'm just wondering if I need to do anything to help them get along or if chickens naturally will just get along. I have 1 RIR, 2 cochins and 1 leghorn and would be buying a RIR, 1 sexlink and 1 leghorn.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[CedarAcres]

Each chicken should have 4sqft in the coop & 10 sq ft in the run. So a 16 sq ft coop should fit 4 chickens. That run is about 32 sq ft, so four chickens would have 8sq ft each, which is a little undersized but if they can go under the coop they probably have enough space. I don't know if you should get more chickens without expanding your coop, overcrowding can be a big issue with chickens. Good luck to you!

 

[deejeff442]

well i have been wondering this same thing i have 4 coops all are 150 sq ft each half/coop and half run. i have 6 chickens in each. not being good at math am i at the limit?i have eggs in the incubator might get 7 or 8 chicks. i want to trade out the rooster because 3 coops have one. put the 4 hens in the other coop so then 7 hens and a rooster. then use the empty coop for the chicks once they are big enough.good plan or no?btw my spelling and putting sentence skills aint what they used to be.

 

[deejeff442]

by the way this is why i now have 4 coops. we bought more hens and the bigger one beat them up. chickens are very mean sometimes