How many chickens would you keep in this setup?

[Brizi]

We're going to have a 30x10 run and a 6x4 open-air coop. The run should be completely predator-proof, so we are going to leave the whole front side of the coop open. The girls would have 12 feet of roosting space, 2-4 nesting boxes, 24-30 sq ft of front ventilation, and 6-8 sq ft of top ventilation.

How many (standard-size) chickens would you keep in this setup? I know the typical rule is 4 sq ft per chicken in the coop, but wouldn't it be different for us due to our setup? Wouldn't we be limited by roosting bar space instead of floor space (i.e. a max of 12 instead of a max of 6)?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Since it's completely open the run and coop space are essentially merged, so while it's not an exact number, 14 sq ft per bird in the total space would be the answer, and you exceed that in the total space. Your current limiting factor here would be roost length, so I'd say at this moment 12 birds is your max. I would do 3 nests for 10 birds, though don't be surprised if they only use 1 or 2.

 

[Brizi]

Since it's completely open the run and coop space are essentially merged, so while it's not an exact number, 14 sq ft per bird in the total space would be answer, and you exceed that in the total space. Your current limiting factor here would be roost length, so I'd say at this moment 12 birds is your max. I would do 3 nests for 10 birds, though don't be surprised if they only use 1 or 2.

This was my exact train of thought. We're building the coop sometime in the next few weeks, so I wanted to be sure beforehand. I'd be pretty happy with a max of 10-12, and I think that's what we'll end up doing.

 

[mowin]

I think you'll be fine with 12. Add stuff in the run for birds to escape from a bully and have multiple feeding areas.

 

[ojaichickadee]

I think you'll be fine with 12. Add stuff in the run for birds to escape from a bully and have multiple feeding areas.

What kind of "stuff" in the run would be recommended to escape from a bully? I'm learning.

 

[mowin]

What kind of "stuff" in the run would be recommended to escape from a bully? I'm learning.

Old folding chair. A pallet on a angle against the wall. Old crate with open sides. A ladder for them to jump up on. Use what you have on hand.

 

[aart]

What kind of "stuff" in the run would be recommended to escape from a bully? I'm learning.

Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[David61]

10-15