how many chickens?

[wjallen05]

We built a chicken house that is 20 sq. feet plus an additional "upper deck" that includes 3 nesting boxes. There is an outdoor run that they have 24/7 access to that is 70 sq feet. I currently have 6 chickens in it. What is the max that can fit comfortably?

 

[waynesgarden]

I wouldn't put any more in there. Here in the north, that would be a little tight for 6 birds that may have to spend long period of time inside during bad weather, but where you live it should be ok since they have an adequately-sized run to congregate in.

Don't count the nest boxes as "living space" because you only want them in there for egg laying.

Wayne

 

[wjallen05]

I don't count that as living space either, that's why I didn't. We do have a "roof" over the nesting boxes and they like to get up on top of it and hang out. I didn't count that as living space, though.
I read that each bird needs 5-10 sq. feet of space... ours is 90 sq feet total so just wondering others oppinions on this.
I'm going to be building another coop for a few more hens with a rooster and I plan to incubate the eggs.
Thanks

 

[Mahonri]

Perfect for six but you could probably squeeze in 7.

 

[waynesgarden]

Quote:
I subscribe to the theory that suggests giving each bird 4 square feet of coop area and perhaps 10 square feet of run space.

Wayne

 

[chicksalot]

The numbers you find when researching vary because the time chickens spend in the coop vary. Northern climes need more space in general if your birds are going to spend long cold winter days inside...in more hospitable weather, the birds can spend more time outdoors & don't require more square footage in the coop-but will need it out in the run. It all depends on your housing 'intentions'...although, there are many different ways- just as there are many different keepers of chickens! This you will see, as in the variety of responses to your thread.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

I've decided that house size means very little in north Georgia. They wont be in it any more than they have to. So add up the total square footage an use that. If its just a plane old empty run I would say 10 square feet a bird. That would make your a nine bird coop. But if you give them a lot of roosts at different heights an logs an whatnot all over the run you could go with 7 square feet a bird. That makes your coop a 12 bird coop.

Those figures work for me. My breeding pens(tractors) are 45 square feet total each, an I have 5 hens an a roo in each.

The rest of my birds(30) free range an share a 50 square foot house that you never see them in during the day no mater the weather.