Official BYC Poll - How Many Square Feet Per Chicken?

[gale65]

in the coop we have about 4 sq ft per chicken. In the run we have about 20 sq ft per chicken. I wasn't sure if the poll was about the run, the coop, or all of it so I voted 4.

 

[kinderhook703]

I have 2.2 ft inside and 10 ft outside but they also free range allday.

 

[ColoradoMike]

I have 4 sq. ft. per hen in the coop and 21 sq. ft. per hen in the run.

Since they are rarely 'cooped up' (only the 3-4 coldest days of the year), they effectively have 25 sq. ft. each, so I voted for 11+

 

[myfivegirls]

1. I have two coops joined together - 4x8 & 6x6 for a total of 68 sq ft = abt 3 sq. ft in the coop. I use "goat feeders" that are on the walls, a water bucket in the corner and the nesting boxes are on the outside of the coop wall.
2. I have a small run that's abt. 14' x 12' and the area under the coops, as well. = abt. 10 sq. ft in the small run. Only during cold, snowy or rainy weather to they stay just in the small yard.
I have a HUGE fenced in area surrounding the coop and small run - I've never measured it, but it's probably 3,000 - 4,000 sq ft, but there's also the "fenced-in garden" that the chickens don't go in, but is located inside the chicken's big area.
So, there Total sq. footage is 11+ sq. ft, even though their coop is only abt 3 sq ft/bird.

 

[EddieH]

In the big coop (12' X 16') we have 27 chickens (RIR and BO hens and pullets) for 7.111 sg ft per chicken. They have 4 yards they use for runs on a rotating basis. Two of the yards have a perimeter fence of 364', and the other two are 264'. Never really calculated the square footage, but assuming the yards were roughly square it would come out to about 306 sg ft in two yards and 161 sq ft in the other two.

In the A frame coop (8' x 9') we have 6 (1 RIR roo and 5 RIR hens for breeding) for 12 sq ft per bird. Their fenced yard is 200' for about 416 sg ft to play in.

In the fresh air coop, (south end open), we have 7 (1 BO roo and 6 BO hens for breeding) for 8.214 sq ft per bird. Their yard is 18' X 20' for a little over 51 sq ft per bird to run in.

After we hatch out some babies, we will probably rearrange things and put all the girls together with the RIR roo (because I want him to die of old age one day) in the big coop and either rehome or eat the BO roo. All the baby boys will go to the fresh air coop. Not sure what the wife will do with the A frame, but I am positive I'll end up building another coop.

We'll also get some BA, BR and Ameuracana (sp?) eggs to hatch out which will change all our numbers. Chicken math seems to always increase.

 

[Oakieridge]

We have 4 sq ft. per bird inside the coop, and 10-12 sq. ft. outside in the fenced run. We have guineas and chickens and use that same formula for both birds.

 

[ontimeborzoi]

Coop #1 has 120 sf of interior space, 144 sf run....6 Cochin.
Coop #2 has 42 sf interior space, 160 sf run....3 Crevecouer.
Coop #3 has 64 interior, 256 run....15 bantam cochins and silkies.

Fair amount of space per chicken. No behavioral issues.

 

[sdeneen2001]

about 5' per hen in the coop (including nest box) plus 20' per hen in the pen - all covered and enclosed due to rain and preditors (including my sweet dog).

 

[maizy'smom]

Our current setup:

1. Inside space per chicken: 3 ft.
2. Run space per chicken: 5 ft.
3. Free-range space per chicken: 200 ft.

They spend the night inside the main "coop" and then have free access to the covered run. The entire setup is enclosed with chain-link fence.

We have an auto coop door from the run which opens up to our side-yard. This is where they hang out during the day.

Coincidently, my set up is about the same, right up to the chain-link fence. Our "sleeping quarters" = 3 ft/per chicken, the enclosed run is about 5 ft/per, and when we are home to monitor their activities, they can free-range to their hearts' content in our 24 ft x 50 ft back yard. (which, by the way, no longer has any lawn left...) Come spring, I hope to add an exterior nest box to the "sleeping quarters," in order to reclaim 2 sqare feet of interior space. They really felt "cooped up" (no pun intended) during the three or four hurricane and/or snow days, we had this past fall and winter. Our next challenge will be to find a super-mutant grass seed that will grow literally over night, so the girls don't eat or scratch it all up before it ever gets a chance to get established. (as if....)

mm

 

[spacepony]

heh. I'm in the process of building my coop, but it turns out that it only actually supplies <2 ft/chicken (about 18 chickens in a 4x8 floor plan)! Another case of under-building! I swear it looked bigger in my head! Ah well, the fenced yard is plenty large (about 1/4 acre), and I am incorporating the former chicken tractor as more floor-space and run space. Plus the gooses coop/shelter.