How many chickens can i fit?

[PeeperKeeper99]

Hey everybody! i am wondering how many chickens i can fit in my coop.

My run is 4x12 and my henhouse is 4x4.? Is that a good size? Thanks yall!

 

[flewdacoop]

6 large breeds and about 8-9 bantam breeds. my first coop was4x4 by 10 foot long and it was big enought for 6 full size hens. now i have a 4x8x20 closed in run and coop and i have it built for 15 hens..

 

[harleyguy927]

The rule of thumb is 4 square feet per chicken for large breeds, and 2 square feet per chicken for small breeds. If they are going to be spending long amounts of time in the coop (winter) then they will need more room. 4x4=16 square feet so at most 4 large birds, or 8 small birds. But if you have feeders, Bering boxes, ect. In your coop then you need to account for that loss of space. 4x4. Is rather small, but mine is not much larger. I live in town and have a limited space. I keep just enough hens to provide the family with eggs. And in the summer a few more for meat. Good luck and enjoy!

 

[flewdacoop]

mine is big but they only go in and out of mine as they need i have a roost outside and that is where they tend to sleep so it all depends on if you are going to completley inclose the run if so you should be good with up to 6 because mine hardley ever go inside they love the grass and the dirt so they stay outside and roost outside also. i guess its really just what you got and they will adapt

 

[PeeperKeeper99]

Thanks guys! i live in florida, so not much "winter" here. the coldest it got last winter was 27F. so i guess i will go ahead and get some more hens (i have two) and maybe a rooster for breeding.

 

[flewdacoop]

i live in louisiana so i know what you mean on not a cold winter and last year not much of one either.. good luck and i think you will be fine with no more than 6 big breeds

 

[PeeperKeeper99]

Alright, so will buff orps be good? i already have a red sex link and a generic red. i want a buff roo, so i guess i will get three more hens and a roo!

 

[flewdacoop]

yup will work out good where are you getting your buffs from i am looking also for about 2 or 3 more hens.

 

[janinepeters]

I would not put more than 3-4 standard sized hens, or 6-8 bantams, in that space, unless they free range for a good part of the day. The more you crowd them in, the greater the risk of bullying and feather picking.

Frankly, I would not keep a rooster in that small a space, because the hens won't have enough space to get away from him. All of his mating efforts will be focused on just a few hens, so he is likely to wear the feathers off their backs and/or shoulders by mating with them frequently.

 

[clogan98]

Mine is 4x4 with a 6x6 pen but once they are grown up they will be free ranging during they day. I also do plan to build a bigger coop because I have larger breeds and I'm just not comfortable squishing them in there. Once I saw the breeds shown at the fair,I was able to really see how big they were going to get and they will fit in what I have, but I don't want them stuck in such a small space during winter when they don't want to come out.