Newbie here... Please help

[yngfireman]

I'm new to the forum and I have a question that I'm sure has been asked over and over. I know this because I have search the web to help with this question. I have a coop that is 4x8 and I have a area of fenced area of 110 square feet. What I don't understand is it the size of the coop or the size of the area that determines the number of chickens you can keep in that area. Or can someone tell me how many chickens I can have in that area? Thanks in advance for the help, and I'm sorry to ask the question..

 

[Big Bubba]

Well, both are important. The coop is where they spend their evenings and you don't need as much space since they're basically sleeping. Your fenced in area is their run for daytime activities.

The coop and run area you've described I would say would give you the ability to host 4-6 chickens.

 

[yngfireman]

Thank you Big Bubba for the information. I thought I could get more chickens.... well back to the drawing board.

 

[sn0wwhite]

Depending on the breed you might be able to get a couple more. Will the chickens get any yard time or will they just be in the coop or the run all the time? I like the rule of thumb of 4 square feet per chicken in the coop and 10 square feet per bird in the run.

 

[aart]

4x8=32/4=8 chickens
110/10=11 chickens
That's the math for the rule of thumb that sn0w cited.
but
there are other considerations...climate, predator load,etc...so some reading-filtering opinions/situations/experiences.
or
start small and maybe add more later.

 

[yngfireman]

Thanks for the info snowwhite and aart. I have went to a lot of trouble to keep as many predators out as I possibly can. My entire run is made with 1/2 hardwire. But I want to get as many chickens as possible with out causing any problems. Thats why I am asking, to see if I need to make the coop larger to match the run or vice versa