Need help with size of area for chickens (big area)

Basicly the lay of the land is 80 acres total.

It is split by a large irrigation canal.

The house side is about 30 acres of pasture? And that is divided with 7 acres in one area and the house one about one with the rest (22 acres?) in one fenced area. This part has a very low grade to it. May 2-3% at the most.

Then I am guessing 5 acres is wasted by the canal.

And the other 45 acres is sagebrush hilly and all natural. Only good for cattle grazing if I fence it more or less?

I watched a few of Joels videos. I am not sure I like the moving the coop thing around. Plus he said in order to make that work you really need 50+ acres. Realistically I only have 30 to work with. I am thinking if I get 10 new birds a year and end up having a total of 40-50. And plan on culling any new males their first year and after a few years start in on the older birds but always getting new ones each spring.

So with his ideas for my area it sounds like I should have a permanent coop with a smallish run area and once a week let them out for the day to roam the whole area? The more I think about it the more I am liking it. I just can't wait to close on the house and move up there.

But I like his ideas on sub dividing up the area to use as pens to rotate the animals. I might have to seriously consider doing cattle or pigs?

Anyone know of any good general farm forums? or books? I am mostly a city boy so LOTS of learning to do.
 
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True, chickens like the grass shorter so if you can't get grazers at first then bail it. If no way to bail it yourself have someone do it for your for a share of the crop.
 
I noticed with my birds they rarely venture too far so they'll never range the whole thirty acres unless some go feral on you. An organic farmer in CA moves his flock around to 4 acres parcels once a week as his birds won't venture beyond that if that helps you figure out spacing. If you keep them stationary an idea I liked that saves you from your chickens strip mining is to put the coop in the center of say 4 acres and quarter it off then rotate them around the coop once a week. An idea anyway. ;)
 

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