How many times can chickens be on one spot?

[tilghmanlf]

Hi everyone,
I want to build a coop that has Joel Salatin density, so a chicken for every 1.6 sq feet. 75 chickens in 10x12 ft coop. Considering how much nitrogen load they produce, anyone know when is the soonest I could return the coop back to a spot they've already used without over loading the soil with nitrogen?
I have limited land so I'd like to use the same spot a few times a season if possible even if that means reducing amount of chickens

Thanks for reading

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Long term, the problem for soil and high stocking density is more related to soil compaction and high phosphorus.
Nitrogen will burn plants but leaches from soil quickly after a couple rains. Phosphorus and compaction remain long after the chickens are gone.

 

[Peppercorngal]

75 chickens in a 10x12 coop is way too many.

 

[tilghmanlf]

75 chickens in a 10x12 coop is way too many.

how many would you recommend per square foot?

 

[tilghmanlf]

Long term, the problem for soil and high stocking density is more related to soil compaction and high phosphorus.
Nitrogen will burn plants but leaches from soil quickly after a couple rains. Phosphorus and compaction remain long after the chickens are gone.

thanks for replying. So do you know how I could figure out how many i ca stock per foot and when they can return to that spot? Any material that you could send on how much P and N they drop per bird?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If you are talking about birds per square foot on the foraging ground, it would be about 1 bird per 10 sq. ft. but still would need to be moved every few days.
Stocking density is always the key. Any animal protein in a cage/pen system will be wiped out in a day or two, seeds and greenery will be gone shortly thereafter.
Overgrazing and elimination of bugs is a much bigger concern than excess nitrogen.

 

[paneubert]

If you are talking about birds per square foot on the foraging ground, it would be about 1 bird per 10 sq. ft. but still would need to be moved every few days.

Yeah, I think the key here is that they keep saying "coop". But we don't know if they mean "coop and run and all area accessible to the chickens" will be 75 chickens in 10x12 ft area, or if that is just the actual coop. Since they want to move it, I doubt that is a 10x12 ft coop that they plan to drag around.......

 

[Peppercorngal]

how many would you recommend per square foot?

In a 10x12 coop about 40 would fit without fighting. Overcrowding causes stress and fights.

 

[Kat2141]

Wow, I thought my 10x10 horse stall was getting crowded with 15 birds in it... and I have boards all over making a Jungle gym for them so they are not only on the floor... and they are only locked in at night and until I let them out in the morning. I can't imagine 40, much less 75 in something like that.

 

[RUNuts]

Hi everyone,
I want to build a coop that has Joel Salatin density, so a chicken for every 1.6 sq feet. 75 chickens in 10x12 ft coop. Considering how much nitrogen load they produce, anyone know when is the soonest I could return the coop back to a spot they've already used without over loading the soil with nitrogen?
I have limited land so I'd like to use the same spot a few times a season if possible even if that means reducing amount of chickens

Thanks for reading

Too many variables for an answer. Read the ground. See how the grass is recovering. See the ground compaction and all that farming stuff. If we give you a number, it is only a guess. Watering, weather, chicken habits all are factors.

My advice is to start lightly stocked. See how your ground recovers. I didn't like the 2 square foot rule. So I opened the birds into the garden, which they demolished. But they walked around and ate grass and fertilized for next year. Try it and see how you like to take care of your food. Best wishes!