How many more chickens can I get in my coop?

[GimmeCake]

My coop is 8x4FT with 6 nesting boxes and 8ft of roosting space. So far I'm planning on having 2 Wyandottes, 2 Plymouth Rocks, 2 Dominiques, 2 Australorps, 1 Orpington, and 1 Australorp Roo in my coop. I was wondering if I can put in another Wyandotte or two? My local feed store is getting some red/blue Wyandottes on the 30th, and I'm getting some chickens on the 9th (of next month), so why not raise them together? I also have a 11x14FT run.

 

[10xmama]

Depending on who you ask, you need 2-4sqft per bird in the coop and usually about 10sqft per bird in the run. With 10 chickens, your at 3.2 sqft per bird in your coop and 15.4 per bird in the run. I think you are maxed out on your coop ... so *I* would hesitate to add more than the 10 you have already decided on.

I learned this the hard way. My coop is about 6x6 and my run is about 8x16. I started out with 16 chickens. They were terrible to eachother. Pecking and really drawing blood. I ended up having to give away 4. Now with 12 birds they get along great .... but based on my sqft I cannot add to my flock at all. I should have started out with 6 so that next year I can add 6 .... that way I would have a staggered flock for optimal egg production...

 

[GimmeCake]

Depending on who you ask, you need 2-4sqft per bird in the coop and usually about 10sqft per bird in the run. With 10 chickens, your at 3.2 sqft per bird in your coop and 15.4 per bird in the run. I think you are maxed out on your coop ... so *I* would hesitate to add more than the 10 you have already decided on.

I learned this the hard way. My coop is about 6x6 and my run is about 8x16. I started out with 16 chickens. They were terrible to eachother. Pecking and really drawing blood. I ended up having to give away 4. Now with 12 birds they get along great .... but based on my sqft I cannot add to my flock at all. I should have started out with 6 so that next year I can add 6 .... that way I would have a staggered flock for optimal egg production...

you have 4 more sq ft then me in the coop and a smaller run. So I'm assuming I probably can get away with two more chickens? Considering all my breeds aren't aggressive breeds, like RIRs are. What kind of chickens do you have (or what you *did* have)?

 

[LOLchick]

Funny that you would say RIR's are aggressive. My BO is the mean one followed by the leghorn. The RIR would always move away from trouble and tend to prefer to be on her own. My BR is sweet as can be and seem to attract trouble. Often the BO would walk closer and closer to the BR and than peck her on the head as she nonchalantly walk on past. Out of the blue. Unprovoked. Just because she can.

 

[GimmeCake]

Funny that you would say RIR's are aggressive. My BO is the mean one followed by the leghorn. The RIR would always move away from trouble and tend to prefer to be on her own. My BR is sweet as can be and seem to attract trouble. Often the BO would walk closer and closer to the BR and than peck her on the head as she nonchalantly walk on past. Out of the blue. Unprovoked. Just because she can.

Typically chickens such as RIRs are a lot more aggressive then chickens such as the Orpington. Sounds like you got a nice RIR out of the batch

.

 

[LOLchick]

Good thing I did not know about RIR's when I got her. Maybe she and the BO was swapped at birth.

 

[10xmama]

you have 4 more sq ft then me in the coop and a smaller run. So I'm assuming I probably can get away with two more chickens? Considering all my breeds aren't aggressive breeds, like RIRs are. What kind of chickens do you have (or what you *did* have)?

I started with 4 Red Stars, 4 Australorp, 4 Buff Orp, 4 Easter Eggers. I gave away 1 of each to bring me to 12. The AL and the EE were the ones causing the troubles. As soon as I gave the 4 birds away the troubles stopped. I think keeping away from your max is good b/c it allows you to add birds later so you can have a staggered flock where there is always birds laying. I'm considering giving away 3 more birds so I can add a few more back in the spring when my current flock turns 1.

 

[harmonyp]

You don't have enough room in your coop. 1' of space per bird on the roost - so you have room for 8. Now, you could add another roost (good idea!).

Do you lock your birds into the coop at night, or leave them so they can roam? Your run can accommodate 2 more birds, but if you lock them in, you're looking for trouble.

Personally I'd be building another pen nearby, and get as many more as you want!

 

[Marks chickens]

Hi I'm 13 and just joined Byc. I was wondering how many more chickens can I keep in my coop I have 4 hens already

 

[harmonyp]

Honestly, the more room they have the better. For coup itself (not including a run) - each hen should have about 3-4 square feet each. So for example - I have 6 hens in a 6' x 4' coup. It is enough room for them to comfortably sleep and putter around but does not include "day running" space. Then, recommendation is 10 square feet minimum per hen for run space. My run is 16' x 6', which gives them each 16 square foot of run space, but honestly, I have a "surround run" where I let them out during the days when I'm home which is 20' x 30' and they are MUCH happier with that space. The 16'x6' pen seemed plenty big when we bought it, but to me it seems like a minimum of space they should have in seeing them in it.