How Many is TOOO Many?!

[MaconMommy5]

Soooo, We're ending up with more chicks than planned. Which I'm THRILLED about. I plan to let them Free Range during the day. And they'll have a Huge Area to roost, Sleep, and Lay in at night... But, I want to know how many is tooo many? I have about 2- 21/2 acres for them to be on.

 

[Poultry parent]

As long as the grass is staying green it's fine

 

[MaconMommy5]

Maybe I should add that all of them are either incubating or in the brooder pens. Lol

 

[aart]

How many can you keep safe and healthy,
even when the weather and/or predator load might curtail ranging??

 

[MaconMommy5]

How many can you keep safe and healthy,
even when the weather and/or predator load might curtail ranging??

I have a 22FT By 22FT Square Coop right now. A Recycled Carport. I'm working on Extending it, But it'll take a month or two to finish/

 

[aart]

Quote: Well, h3ll...y'all oughta be able to fit about a 100 in there!!

 

[MaconMommy5]

Well, h3ll...y'all oughta be able to fit about a 100 in there!!

I was thinking like 30. Hahaha. I didn't know how many I could put in there! I have 18 Chicks, 3 Dozen Incubating, And another 2 Dozen about to go in. And I'd like to get another dozen from a girl when her waitlist is down to my turn. Lol. Excess roosters will be sent to the neighbors to end up as supper (I'm not ready to do that myself yet)

 

[aart]

Quote: With the minimal 'rule of thumb' of 4sqft per bird in coop I rounded down to 100 just off the cuff.
But there's the 10sqft per bird in run minimal 'rule of thumb' too...do you plan on having runs covered for shade and rain shelter?

With a space that big I'd start thinking about how to section it off.
Main coop and run for your layer flock.
Area just for storing feed and supplies.
1-2-3 other pens with runs for growing out chicks and/or isolating certain crosses.
Lots to think about.

 

[MaconMommy5]

With the minimal 'rule of thumb' of 4sqft per bird in coop I rounded down to 100 just off the cuff.
But there's the 10sqft per bird in run minimal 'rule of thumb' too...do you plan on having runs covered for shade and rain shelter?

With a space that big I'd start thinking about how to section it off.
Main coop and run for your layer flock.
Area just for storing feed and supplies.
1-2-3 other pens with runs for growing out chicks and/or isolating certain crosses.
Lots to think about.

I have two large Covered Brooder Pens for outside. Each can hold 20 Teen Birds Plus they have sections for just as many chicks. And then a covered area near the carport for feed and supplies. And Soon I plan to have another 22*22 Area that gets connected to the first one by a covered run area. We don't plan to isolate the breeds sine they're just for my daughter to spend time with and the eggs. I am going to add a section into the new one for later on when we need to breed to get more chicks.

 

[aart]

Well, when you start to think about building a chick area for the future,
think about integrating new chicks when young:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old

Would love to see some pics of your setup...do you have a coop page?