How Much Room?

[The Egg-Master N1]

Ok folks, this is my first time to post any thing; so bear with me. I have just under 400 birds of different breeds, my plan is to sell them as young pullets(4-5 mo old) but until they are that age, I need to build a few heaven-duty portable coops to house them. They are from different hatch dates, so their ages range from 3 month old to 2 weeks old. I have 30 acres of flat pasture that I’d like to move them around, but have a lot of wild predators, so would need a vermin-proof design. Also, I need a rough idea on how much room each chicken would need so as to not pick on each other. Once they are big enough I will let them range in a electrified poultry net, but I am stumped on the size and design of the coups that I need. Any help would be appreciated, thanks for your time you guys!

 

[PioneerChicks]

I think each standard sized bird needs about 1 foot of space on the roost. If they are confined in their coop all day they each need at least 3 square feet each. I let mine free range in a big pen, and they are rarely in their coop all day.

 

[PioneerChicks]

But I don't know much about coops.

 

[aart]

I have just under 400 birds

That's a lot of birds....beyond a 'backyard' enterprise.
What are you housing them in now?

You're going to need a bunch of coops if you want them all portable, even if you move them with a machine(tractor, lawn mower, atv, etc). They'll need to be pretty big if for day and night housing. General rule of thumb is minimum 4sqft per bird in coop and 10sqft per bird in run.

Welcome to BYC! @The Egg-Master N1
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[The Egg-Master N1]

You might say its more of a small business endeavor. I’m located in Central Texas; between Austin and Dallas. At this point I have them in four separate permanent coops that measure 12 by 15 feet each. Thankfully they are still very young, 130 of them are at the 3 month stage and the rest are between 3 and two weeks old, but I am worried that they will start picking on one another if I don’t give them some more space soon.

 

[aart]

At what stage do you plan on selling them?
Once they are off heat?
Once they are sexable...many could be at 6 weeks(but I see silkies in your avatar)?
What's your marketing plan?

 

[K0k0shka]

vermin

Finally somebody to spell this correctly.
Sorry... I just had to...

 

[Ted Brown]

... vermin-proof

Finally somebody to spell this correctly.
Sorry... I just had to...

I don't know, just guessing but imagine that the more common mis-spelling is "vermen"?

If so I suspect that those who mis-spell would argue that this "may be incorrect but accurate". I have met enough male arseholes to agree...

 

[trumpeting_angel]

The predators will be a problem, so the coops and runs need to be very secure. And picking isn’t the only problem with overcrowding - there is also keeping the area clean enough, and disease pressure. And not enough time to keep a close eye on how the birds look, who looks like she could have notes, who is getting pasty butt.

@aart points out the minimum square footage for healthy chickens, but also the need to take into account how quickly you plan to/will be able to sell them.

There are many different chicken tractor plans online (John Suscovich’s design is very popular). They aren’t really as secure as a well-built coop and run with a buried apron, IMHO. But people do raise chickens in them. The electric netting might be able to protect the tractors, even.

 

[K0k0shka]

I don't know, just guessing but imagine that the more common mis-spelling is "vermen"?

You'd be surprised (at least I was). I can understand "vermen", but what really got me was "varmin", and, my personal favorite - "varminT". Now that's somethin'! (it's not even phonetic.. unless you're going for a French-style silent T or something )