Idk if my babies have enough space?!?

[SunnySid3Up]

I have around 10 silkies, and I don't have them free ranging due to predators, and other chickens bullying them. The coop I have them in now is about 30x10 ft. Should I add onto it?

 

[DLA]

I have around 10 silkies, and I don't have them free ranging due to predators, and other chickens bullying them. The coop I have them in now is about 30x10 ft. Should I add onto it?

30 x 10 is 300 square feet. Typically it should be about 10 to 12 sq feet per chicken in a run, 4 to 6 sq feet in the coop. So if you only have 10 chickens in a 30 x 10 foot enclosure, I would think that's more than enough room.

 

[SunnySid3Up]

Thank you! Also how many more, do you think I could put in there. I am probably going to make them a little 10ft run at some point for them to be in the grass, but how many more can I have in my current enclosure?

 

[DLA]

Thank you! Also how many more, do you think I could put in there. I am probably going to make them a little 10ft run at some point for them to be in the grass, but how many more can I have in my current enclosure?

If you go with 12 sq feet per chicken to be on the safe side - 25 chickens for a 300 sq foot enclosure. 30 if you go with 10 sq foot per chicken. This is for average sized chickens. If you had Jersey giants or something they'd need more room so I'd say 20. If you have bantams you could probably fit 35 to 38 in there. If it's silkies then about 25 to 30. Meaning you can have more chickens!!! - that's how chicken math works. LOL. Now if they are always in there and don't ever go out, maybe lessen these calculations it by a few and make sure there are places for them to get away from each other once in a while, places to go up or under to avoid any bullying issues.

 

[SunnySid3Up]

If you go with 12 sq feet per chicken to be on the safe side - 25 chickens for a 300 sq foot enclosure. 30 if you go with 10 sq foot per chicken. This is for average sized chickens. If you had Jersey giants or something they'd need more room so I'd say 20. If you have bantams you could probably fit 35 to 38 in there. If it's silkies then about 25 to 30. Meaning you can have more chickens!!! - that's how chicken math works. LOL.

LOL, Im too lazy to do any math right now, but I have been stressing over that for like 3 months

 

[DLA]

LOL, Im too lazy to do any math right now, but I have been stressing over that for like 3 months

No need to stress. That's what this site and we're all here for - to help each other and share info!

 

[saysfaa]

Ten square feet per chicken is a rule of thumb minimum.

It is enough to give a reasonably good chance that most people won't notice overt problems most of the time.

Among the things that make it less likely to be big enough are: long narrow spaces, open spaces, spaces with choke points, breeds that don't tolerate confinement very well (hamburg is one), breeds that tend to be more aggressive with each other (rhode island red is one), polish or silky when mixed with any other breeds.

None of those necessarily make the space not big enough because one might get lucky and have individuals that aren't typical or just happen to really like each other or get a really good leader. And vs vs, one might have none of such things and still have problems because of individual differences, ect. I heard of one flock that had problems because it had two really good leaders - when one was rehomed to a flock that didn't have a good leader, both hens/flocks did very well.

If you are having problems, it either isn't big enough or you need to do more managing. Managing could be one or more of: adding clutter, having multiple feeders and waterers, placing feeders out of sight of other feeders, changing the make up of the flock until you find a compatible combination (particularly difficult without extra space to help integrate new chickens).

Do you know what clutter means in this context?

If not, check this thread out. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/