my old barn shed 8 feet by 12 foot long

[megan f]

Could i make this in to 4 coops that have 1 rooster and maybe 3 huns in each coop and each will have there own outside run will that be enough room for them to live happy

 

[Folly's place]

That's 96 sq. ft., less dividers, doors, etc. So up to about 20 large birds, max, plus planning for outdoor runs. Sounds good as far as space is concerned. Spend time planning the layout, ventilation, windows, available doors, because it's a pain to redo structure later. More birds happen! Especially if you're breeding enough chicks to select the best. Grow out space, and if raising chicks under broody hens, individual pens for them. Fun! Mary

 

[megan f]

I have silkie cochin 2 of them and a silver lace wyandotte roosters and thought about getting them some girls and selling there babys just to make enough to cover there feed and stuff not to breed for making lots of money and we let them all free range we have times set up for then so they all get time out side but we also have nice big runs all ready up i would say there runs r like 10 by 10

 

[megan f]

And i was thinking about letting the hens hatch there own is that ok to do or will the rooster kill them

 

[Irishhenman]

I would be more worried about the other hens killing the chicks (but the cockerel might also). if a hen went broody it would have to be moved to another house separate from all other birds and give her fresh eggs to sit on. There would also be a problem with other hens laying in the same nest box as a broody hen and then that would become a problem because you could have chicks developing at different stages and the hen would most likely leave the nest after the first one or two chicks hatch.

 

[megan f]

So it would be safer if i hatch them and put them in there own area

 

[Irishhenman]

If a hen goes broody in the coop, she should be moved to a different coop on her own to sit on the eggs for three weeks and let her raise the chicks until she becomes uninterested (usually when the chicks are around 8 weeks) You should collect their eggs every day any when a hen goes broody put fresh eggs underneath her.