How much room do chickens need

[borrow53]

I've got 4 hens in a 13ft x 13ft enclosure, could I put more chickens in that enclosure, how much room do they need?

 

[Judy]

Yes, you can. Here is what I feel is a very well written post one of our members made about how much space chickens need:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/700308/coop-and-run-size#post_9504811

 

[Mrs. K]

Through trial and error you will begin to sense what is the right number, use the 10 ft/ chicken run, 4 ft/coop as a starting point, and then add a few more or a few less, and see how the tension is in you flock.

I have a pretty small coup, but my chicken are only in the coop to sleep and lay eggs. They spend the day in the run or free ranging.

MrsK

 

[borrow53]

Will the hens have enough room in that size run 13ftx13ft?

 

[redsoxs]

Yes, that is more than large enough for just 4 hens.

 

[skiffgirl]

I have 9 hens in an 8'x6' coop with a 4'x12' run but they don't spend much time out there this time of year and my hens are happy. I do give them scratch grains a couple times a day ( just a yogurt cup full) so they have something to do and most of the day they scratch around in their litter and poke around in the coop.

 

[KrakenQueen]

I mentioned this in a previous thread that I started, but I was curious so I figure I'll ask here too. (not trying to hijack, but since it's here...)

Would a 4x6 x10h coop suffice for 3 hens, possibly even 5-6 in the distant future? The run I plan to make would be about 6x18, again, for 3 hens, eventually 5-6. The coop would be available to them during the day, year round, opened to the run by pop door. They'd only go into the coop to sleep which is when the coop would be closed up. Also plan for free range in yard when I'm outside to keep an eye on them.

 

[borrow53]

Another quick question, if I split the run in half so have 2m x 4m ethier side could I have 8 chickens in 1 side and then put our ducks in the other half? Is that too small for them?