Let's talk flock! What is your flock size to yard/land ratio?

[Mrs. K]

NE Florida is a totally different world than mine! And a very good point.

 

[JesNflock]

NE Florida is a totally different world than mine! And a very good point.

Lol I bet. Opposite ends of the spectrum.

 

[aart]

I live in a cold climate so my flock size is dependent on coop size, they can spend days at time not leaving the coop at all.
Coop is 6x16 with an 8x50 run, my birds are confined due to predators and other considerations.
Also have 2x18 roost board area which increases 'floor space' when birds are confined to coop and during integrations.
4x6 area of coop is partitioned off with an 8x12 run for growing out replacement layers in the spring/summer.
12-16 LF in winter.....up to 30 in spring and summer.
Older birds, extra cockerels and some others are culled in late summer, either sold or eaten.

 

[Ridgerunner]

There are so many variables besides just location. Goals, flock make-up, management techniques, the variables go on and on.

My basic laying/breeding flock is one rooster and 6 to 8 hens, but I hardly ever get down to that. Right now I have one mature rooster, seven mature hens, five point of lay pullets, and fifteen week-old chicks in the brooder. There are times I’ll have over 40 total.

My main coop is 8’ x 12’, I have 4’ x 8’ grow-out coop and another 4’ x 8’ place in the netting area I sometimes use for a broody hen and her chicks when the main coop is pretty full. My main run is 12” x 32’ plus I have an area about 45’ x 90’ inside electric netting. While I have all kinds of predators around my main reason for the electric netting is from people dropping dogs off out here in the country. I just lost too many chickens to those people when I free ranged. I don’t blame the dogs, it’s not their fault, I blame the idiots that dump dogs in the country.

 

[JesNflock]

I think I am lucky to have a pretty good setup as far as being able to let my birds free range without too many predator problems, although I have had a few I wish had been avoided.

-What got me thinking about flock size and land space was a conversation I had with someone the other day. They stated that 35 birds is too many birds for my size yard (about 1/2 acre). That all that pooping would make the yard "toxic" (Mind you, this person has never had chickens and doesn't know anything about them, besides what I have told them.) I disagreed. Maybe I was wrong (I don't think I am but....) I was hoping to get some insight from people who DO know about chickens and aren't just guessing because they think chickens are a problem. I feel like the dog poop is more toxic to the ground than the birds. lol

 

[Ridgerunner]

Now that you’ve told us what you are really after maybe we can help. What I’d expect in northern Florida with 35 chicken on a half-acre is that there will be some bare spots pretty near the coop. They will probably spend most of their time in that area. How your shade is set up will influence that some. They like to stay in shade when it is hot.

Those bare spots will come from different causes. Part of it could be a build-up of poop. If they hang out in an area there will be more poop there. Part of it will come from them eating more of the vegetation in the area they hang out in, plus they love to scratch. They will also create some holes to dust bathe in. Depending in soil type they might compact it so it is hard for plants to grow, clay is worse than sand. Your rainwater drainage patterns can impact this too. But the further they are away from the coop or the shade where they hang out, the less the damage will be. With a half-acre and 35 hens in your climate it shouldn’t be too bad.

 

[JesNflock]

I agree that bare spots are to be expected with chickens...They do have their favorite areas to scratch and dust bathe in. lol The thing is, bare spots don't equate to toxic, at least not for people. I think that a lot of people, who know nothing about raising chickens, have a lot of misconceptions about chickens. I've spoken with friends who have refused fresh eggs because they didn't come from the refrigerated section in the grocery store ("That's just not where eggs come from") I laugh at this, but it is a mindset that many people have. I've heard things like "brown eggs are better for you" and "I will only eat white eggs...They taste better"