I have just hatched. I am working on my new coop, which I will be posting pictures of soon. It will be approx 8 x 10. So here are my questions. I know these has been asked, like a million times on BYC, but here is my shot. Is my 8 x 10 coop going to be able to handle 15 chickens? If so, what is the best breed of chickens to have for year round egg layers? how long can I expect them to lay for? How much room will they need for there run, when they are not out free ranging in the back yard? I live in central Alabama.
Best breeds for laying year round. Leghorns & Black or Red Sex links. Others are good also, like Rhode Islands and Rocks. These will give you 2.5 years of good laying. Yes these are my opinions.
A run of 200 sf will be minimum. And even with that space, they will take it down to dirt in no time flat.
Hi Tim Welcome to BYC. Here the chicken rule of thumb to follow. 3 sq. ft. per bird inside the coop. 10 sq. ft. per bird in the run. In the coop you have room to grow!! You'll need a minimum of 150 sq. foot run. Bigger if you ever hope to expand your flock. Have a great time with them!! My recommendation for coop ground cover is sand (especially in your climate). You can see the awesome benefits of it on my Coop Management blog post. Enjoy your babies!!
Tim
