Is this seriously not enough space??????

[wjallen05]

I posted pictures of my new coop and run. The coop is 10x8 and the run is 20x8, actually I think it is 25x8. I have 18 chickens in it. 2 are Silkies, 6 are Leghorns, and the rest are other small-medium size breeds. I am tired of people telling me it is too small, not big enough, I need to make it bigger, they need more space, etc. How is this not enough space?!?! I made both more than twice the recommend size.


edit: I measured the run today and it is actually 30 feet by 8 feet.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

As long as your birds are healthy, I say it's fine.

 

[calicokat]

The info I was told is 4 ft. of space per chicken in the run, and 3 ft. in the coop. You are well within those numbers. Don't know who "everybody" is, but tell them to leave you alone, LOL!

 

[CoopCrazy]

I dont see any problem with your dimensions ... I have found that you cant listen to everything other people say ... I love BYC and all its folks but some people dont have realistic ideals on how to care for animals.. I personally cant afford what many on here THINK my animals need... But I have had and raised, showed, bred, animals for years and KNOW that you dont have to what others think you need... We are all different and so is our situations.. Watch them for pecking , crowding, sickness if you dont have these issues then your fine...

And dont let any others get you down...

 

[joyous]

I am pretty new myself, but everything I have read is that you should at least have 3 square feet per bird. If your coop is 10 x 8, that would be 80 square feet, divided by 18 birds that would be about 4.4 square feet per bird not even counting your run! Sounds like a chicken spa to me! I have 14 chicken and guineas in a 12 x 10 coop( 11 feet tall), and a 11 x 10 feet covered run. I also let them free range when the weather is good, and we are home to supervise. I think you are doing great!

 

[wjallen05]

well not "everybody" just a few people but I'm just like geez I was really happy with it and thought it was more than enough space. There are so many people that keep chickens in cages, and then commercial laying hens share a cage with 4 room mates for their entire life... gosh I thought mine had it pretty good.

 

[CoopCrazy]

One thing with talking on the net is you cant HEAR the inflections in others' voice.. It makes a question seem more like a critic.. and a innocent comment sound rude or unkind... I try very hard to look each reply and go " HMM I wonder if that was a compliment or a stab?" If someone comes off mean I try to PM them for clarification... I took a look at your coop and think it's amazing .. And your Silkie roos are gorgeus...

 

[mrsengeseth]

Looks like plenty of room to me, keep an eye on them, they're all individuals, like we are. I am sure you'll find that they are happy with what you have provided them with (i know I would be if I were one of the hens). A few might test their space by jumping out, but that can be remedied as well later if the need arises. But from the looks in the pics you seem to have a handle on their needs and built a wonderful area, both coop and run for all your chickens.

 

[wjallen05]

Thank you for all the support and kind words, I appreciate it. I'm really not trying to make a big deal of it, I'm just surprised at how opinionated and critical people can be.

As far as the run, the baby's run is covered, but we haven't gotten to the "big girls" yet, they have always free-ranged anyway and I'm not as worried about them but yes we do plan to cover it today, we saved enough fence.

 

[elmo]

If your run is too small, then so are the runs of most people posting on this forum.

No matter how big anybody's run is, though, we still have to keep an eye on how our chickens are interacting in there and intervene if too much squabbling is endangering one of the chickens. Free ranging chickens can get away from a bully, but chickens in a pen often have very little or no place to hide.