How many chickens can I comfortably fit?

[efowl24]

My coop is 8x8 with a 12x16 run. I’ve currently got 7 chickens, how many more can I comfortably add? According to the 3 sq ft per chicken in the coop and 10 sq fr per chicken in the run, it would be about 19. Is that correct? They’ll be able to free range in the evening and weekends when I’m home, but now while I am at work.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I'd say 15 but that's just me.

 

[DobieLover]

I never have liked those rules! Three square feet is too small. Four square feet per bird in the coop is a much better guideline. 10 sq ft in the run is definitely too small. I always shoot for 15 sq ft per bird,
Do not, whatever you do, overcrowd your birds. Everybody will be miserable for that.

 

[StinkyAcres]

12-15, as long as there is enough ventilation for all of them in the coop - about 1 square foot per bird.

 

[ChaosMom]

My coop is 8x8 with a 12x16 run. I’ve currently got 7 chickens, how many more can I comfortably add? According to the 3 sq ft per chicken in the coop and 10 sq fr per chicken in the run, it would be about 19. Is that correct? They’ll be able to free range in the evening and weekends when I’m home, but now while I am at work.

Apologies if you’ve been raising chickens forever, but are you new to chicken-keeping? And how old are your current 7?

Many new chicken owners go out too big, too soon. There’s a lot to be said for holding off until your current ones have been laying a while and everyone has a nice rhythm going. A year old, in other words.

For one thing, if you loaded up on the maximum number of chickens now, what will you do in 2-3 years when there’s a good chance that a substantial number will stop laying? If you wanted to get new layers then, would you soup the older ones to make space? There’s a lot to be said for starting with your 7, then adding five more next year, then five the year after. Sadly, chickens do “up and die” without warning at times, and a schedule like the above will allow you to add on gently.

General size recommendations:

4 sq ft per bird MINIMUM in the coop (house); maybe more in you live in an areas that gets extended bad weather (snow, rain)

1 linear foot (along the roost poles) per bird

10-15 sq ft per bird in the run

Chickens shut up in too small a space in bad weather get cabin fever very quickly and can become vicious to one another, even cannibalism.

 

[efowl24]

Apologies if you’ve been raising chickens forever, but are you new to chicken-keeping? And how old are your current 7?

Many new chicken owners go out too big, too soon. There’s a lot to be said for holding off until your current ones have been laying a while and everyone has a nice rhythm going. A year old, in other words.

For one thing, if you loaded up on the maximum number of chickens now, what will you do in 2-3 years when there’s a good chance that a substantial number will stop laying? If you wanted to get new layers then, would you soup the older ones to make space? There’s a lot to be said for starting with your 7, then adding five more next year, then five the year after. Sadly, chickens do “up and die” without warning at times, and a schedule like the above will allow you to add on gently.

General size recommendations:

4 sq ft per bird MINIMUM in the coop (house); maybe more in you live in an areas that gets extended bad weather (snow, rain)

1 linear foot (along the roost poles) per bird

10-15 sq ft per bird in the run

Chickens shut up in too small a space in bad weather get cabin fever very quickly and can become vicious to one another, even cannibalism.

Yes, I'm new to chickens. I’m not planning on getting new chicks soon, for exactly the reasons you listed. I’m just wondering for future reference since I’m currently building the coop and run and wanted to be able to make it bigger now if needed for the amount of chickens I want eventually. My chicks now are 5 weeks old.

 

[ChaosMom]

Yes, I'm new to chickens. I’m not planning on getting new chicks soon, for exactly the reasons you listed. I’m just wondering for future reference since I’m currently building the coop and run and wanted to be able to make it bigger now if needed for the amount of chickens I want eventually. My chicks now are 5 weeks old.

Oh, good planning!

Well then, according to your current sizes and the guidelines above, you have room for up to 16 standard (not bantam, etc.) chickens in the coop, and 13-19 in the run.

I envy you all that space!

 

[Intuit]

My coop is 8x8 with a 12x16 run. I’ve currently got 7 chickens, how many more can I comfortably add? According to the 3 sq ft per chicken in the coop and 10 sq fr per chicken in the run, it would be about 19. Is that correct? They’ll be able to free range in the evening and weekends when I’m home, but now while I am at work.

I wouldn't do less than 4 sq ft per chicken inside the coop

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'd say about a dozen total to be on the safe side, mostly because integration needs space and favors having plenty of clutter and extra feeders which of course eat up space as well. And while some free range time helps, it doesn't make up for the hours where they will be in the run only.

Obviously if you have all docile bantams, you can probably fit in more - or if you end up with a group of ornery, bossy birds, maybe it would have to be fewer than that.

 

[ChaosMom]

I'd say about a dozen total to be on the safe side, mostly because integration needs space and favors having plenty of clutter and extra feeders which of course eat up space as well. And while some free range time helps, it doesn't make up for the hours where they will be in the run only.

Obviously if you have all docile bantams, you can probably fit in more - or if you end up with a group of ornery, bossy birds, maybe it would have to be fewer than that.

My run is 8’ x 15’, with a city ordinance limit on flock size of 7, no roosters, and no real room to expand, so I concentrated on breed temperament when deciding what pullets to get.

These temperaments are tendencies, and don’t apply to each individual, but it’s working so far. I still haven’t been able to determine a pecking order among my three.