How much space--how many birds??

[donda67]

I have a space on concrete to use for my coop. I want to raise meat birds and want to know how many birds I can put in my 80 sq ft coop to get the most bang for my buck in space and labor utilization? I also wonder how much space I would need to utilize outside for a run to provide for the birds raised in my 80 sq ft coop?

Any ideas will be appreciated.

 

[geller6980]

Vote

I'd love to see this answer too

 

[Jesusfreak101]

According to most popular veiw the minimuim is 4 sp feet per bird in a coop in a run its 10sq feet per bird but the the least amount of space they need.

 

[Toddrick]

According to most popular veiw the minimuim is 4 sp feet per bird in a coop in a run its 10sq feet per bird but the the least amount of space they need.

Yup, 4sqft per bird is recommended. Four square feet, is actually a 2'x2' area, which would mean a 4'x4' coop should hold four birds happily.

I only have a 4'x4' area right now for six birds, and there is a nesting box inside there too, and that is definitely pushing the limits based on their behavior. It is a lot easier to heat in the winter, but I'm going to build bigger in the spring.

 

[Wyandottes7]

If you're raising Cornish Cross broilers, most recommendations are to provide 2 square feet per bird (some sources say 1 square foot, but that is way too small in my opinion). However, if given more space than that, they'd probably be happier and more active.

 

[donrae]

with that coop, I'd start with a batch of 15-20 CX and see how things go. For one, that's a lot of poop to manage, and you'll have to have a system for that. It's also a lot of freezer space when you butcher, as CX pretty much all mature about the same time frame.

As far as the run goes....you'll never regret building bigger

. Look at your space, how much do you have available? Fence it all in, I say....but I'm an enabler.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

I second the poop factor i never new something so small could make so much waste seriously that part insane and cornish eat more then your layer breeds and produce more waste.