how many chicks?

[chickencity]

i was wondering how many chicks i could have in a coop that will 12' long 5' wide and 4' tall. they will also be able to range on 1/2 acre. how many could i have of standards or bantams. i already have 9 standards.

 

[silkiechicken]

Many go by the rule of 4sq feet of inside floor space per bird.

 

[chickencity]

do you count the hight of the coop scenc they roost or do you only count floor space?

 

[silkiechicken]

Just floor space since most birds will just use the roost to sleep at night and the floor to scratch around before they are let out. Chickens are primarily ground birds. However, the number is just a guideline and some find more or less can also work. If they ever have to take extended hours inside though, like if winter snows keep them in, a run would be a good idea, so that there is 10sq ft per bird outside in addition to the 4sqft inside year round. One of th most common symptoms of a too small of a coop or too much time in a small coop is feather picking and bullying of the lower ranking birds.