I am a kid trying to convice his parents to have chickens! Please help!

[SwedishDude99]

I did. It is definitely more expensive than buying a pre-built one, but so worth it. Mine cost me around $600.00. That cost includes the run (the outdoor area for the birds).

 

[Papas Chickens]

Im happy to hear you might be getting chickens in a couple of months. I have Plymouth Barred Rocks, Silver and Gold Laced Wyandottes, White Rhode Island Reds, a Rare Exotic that I think may be a Americauna ( pic on my avatar ) and five Pearl Guenea Keets. Feeder is the best option for you because it reduces your work load, I only throw a handfull of feed on the ground were I want my girls to scratch at for ahwile. Dont forget a waterer that holds 3-5 gallons and check it a few times a day especially on hot days. I built my own coop as well.

 

[ILoveChickens01]

Im happy to hear you might be getting chickens in a couple of months. I have Plymouth Barred Rocks, Silver and Gold Laced Wyandottes, White Rhode Island Reds, a Rare Exotic that I think may be a Americauna ( pic on my avatar ) and five Pearl Guenea Keets. Feeder is the best option for you because it reduces your work load, I only throw a handfull of feed on the ground were I want my girls to scratch at for ahwile. Dont forget a waterer that holds 3-5 gallons and check it a few times a day especially on hot days. I built my own coop as well.

Thanks for the info!

I did. It is definitely more expensive than buying a pre-built one, but so worth it. Mine cost me around $600.00. That cost includes the run (the outdoor area for the birds).

Wow, thats a huge coop! I was looking at something really small. How many chickens will that hold?

 

[Papas Chickens]

The basic rule is three to four square feet per bird.

 

[ILoveChickens01]

The basic rule is three to four square feet per bird.

Cool!

I was looking at a 8x3x4 coop. I was going to put 5 birds in, so you are saying I could get up to 6/7?

 

[SwedishDude99]

With the 4 sq ft rule, it would hold 20 birds. However, you want 10 sq ft per bird in the run and I have 84 so I can only fit 8 birds in my coop.

 

[SwedishDude99]

Your coop could fit 6 birds

 

[Papas Chickens]

With the 4 sq ft rule, it would hold 20 birds. However, you want 10 sq ft per bird in the run and I have 84 so I can only fit 8 birds in my coop.

A coop is for egg production and to keep your chickens safe from foul weather and from predators at night. If you have 84 chickens and can only fit 8 birds in it you need to expand your coop by alot. Also with nest boxes I go by a 1x4 rule what I mean is one nest box for every four chickens. I have 40 chickens and I use 10 sometimes 12 nest boxes when one of my girls get grumpy.

 

[ILoveChickens01]

The last dimension was height. Believe me, you could NOT get 20 birds into that coop lol. That would be problematic.

 

[SwedishDude99]

A coop is for egg production and to keep your chickens safe from foul weather and from predators at night. If you have 84 chickens and can only fit 8 birds in it you need to expand your coop by alot. Also with nest boxes I go by a 1x4 rule what I mean is one nest box for every four chickens. I have 40 chickens and I use 10 sometimes 12 nest boxes when one of my girls get grumpy.

No I mean I have 84 sq ft lol sorry I should have been clearer. I have 9 birds.