Max birds for my coup space

[chicken crazy]

I have built a coup that is 24 Sq/ft and am getting Standard sized chickens. ie. Brahma, Australorps and live in northern Alberta with many cold days and nights. What are the max number of chickens I could have in this coup? They will also have a big run.

 

[peeps7]

6 maybe 7 but since your getting standards I would say 6.

 

[Flufnstuffs~FluffySilkies]

NOT GOOD WITH MATH,
Isn't that like a 4X6 foot coop?

How do you get square footage???
width times the length???

If so I had 4X8 pens one of them had 13 silkies in it last winter.
they were to crowded and it was hard to keep clean and keep them clean.
This year I won't put more than 9 silkies in a pen that size.

 

[FutureChickenMan]

These are the numbers I went by when drawing up my coop.

Type Sq Ft/Inside Sq ft/Outside
Bantam 1 4
Laying Hen 1.5 8
Large Chicken 2 10
Quail 1 4
Pheasant 5 25
Ducks 3 15
Geese 6 18

http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/poultry/factsheets/10.html

Square feet = Length X Width

Tool: http://www.gardenplace.com/content/calculator/area_calc.html

 

[bigzio]

Yep, i agree with 6 as a max. The large run will help alot with stress, although during bad weather they won't use that space. I would try 6 and see how it goes. That may even be too many, and you will be able to tell if the hens seem cranky. The more space the hens have the happier they are. Good Luck.....

bigzio

 

[skatcatla]

Uh oh. I'm starting to think my henhouse and run are wayyyy too small for four birds..

 

[BantyChickMom]

I mostly have bantams and have them in 6 X 7 pens. I am in the process of building small coops (3 1/2 X 2, 28in at front and 22in at rear) to put on each pen. Right now I have 2 bantams per pen and plan to hatch some out to add to my #'s once they start laying.
I figured I would keep 5 or 6 per pen.
As for my standards (polish, BR, and jersey giants) I plan to have 4 each in a 8 X 12 pen and add maybe 4x8 coop.
I may decide to add a few more hens of each but I am trying to plan ahead on my #'s, especially where the giants are concerned because they will be huge.

My bantam pens are attached to each other and the whole structure is 12 X 28, (the 12ft side is divided in half, and the 28ft side is divided into 4 sections.
Here's a pic of the structure:

Since this pic was taken, we have added curved trusses and covered it with a tarp to rain will run off.
I have also got the first coop built and attached to the pen on the left.

So, how am I doing?
Are my #'s good for my pen size?

 

[WoodlandWoman]

For standard chickens, I've gone by the recommendations of 4 sq. ft. for the coop and 10 sq. ft. for the run, as minimums. I actually prefer 5 sq. ft. for the coop and a whole lot more for the run, as a personal preference.

 

[spottedtail]

I've always liked 8 sq ft per standard size hen.

spot

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
Wow, that's some tight spaces to calculate by.

There are no hard and fast rules and you have to judge depending on how your future birds will act and how much time they will HAVE to stay in their coop and pen. If they free range all day, you can get by with less, but if you have to keep them inside for three months due to weather, increase the space.

I like to say for standard sized hens, go with 4sq feet inside with 18in roost space each, with 10sq outside.