Official BYC Poll - How Many Square Feet Per Chicken?

[TheKeeper]

I currently have 30 chickens (10 bantams, 20 standard).
Coop is 80 sq ft = 2.6 sq ft per chicken
Enclosed run is 460 sq ft = 15.3 sq ft per chicken
The total for both is 17.9 sq ft per chicken.

The two are connected - they have free range to go in & out of the coop, where they have nest boxes and roosts. They don't get free reign of the rest of the backyard but I give the the lawn clippings as well as daily kitchen scraps.
I feel like I am at max capacity for happy, healthy chickens.

 

[Sprinkles212]

Currently 4.6 sq feet per bird inside coop and 15.8 sq feet per bird in run. 5 acres of free range daily unless we have inclement weather.

 

[andycowboy]

After gaining information from BYC members, local chicken ranchers, and several hatcheries, I use 3SF per bird in the henhouse, with 10-12" of roost per bird, and the new coop will use 8SF per bird in the run.

My current run is only 5-6' per bird, due to my poor figuring, but they don't seem to mind...but keep in mind that my birds are open-range during the day in a 25' x 50' yard unless the weather goes sour - and that will soon be fenced.

 

[crissycriss]

My chickens have 12.8 sq ft per bird in the coop.They have 54 sq ft per bird in run.As soon as i get my fence up they will also be free rangeing on a couple acres also.

 

[ButchGood]

5.3333333333 in the coop
58.5 in the run
5,445 free rage

 

[Chickenhappynh]

2 for the coop, 10 for each bird in the run

 

[HalcyonFlorida]

We are currently building our coop and run. We have 11 chickens (2 are bantams). The coop will be 8x3 with two levels inside. The run will be attached to the coop (they can go freely back and forth, and in Florida they will be out a fair amount) and is 16x8 so about 145 sf. So inside, chicks have a bit more than 2 square feet each. Outside, they will have about 13 sf each.

They will also free range a couple of hours a day on our 2 acre property. We have hawks so I need to be careful.

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

8.11 Sq Ft. per chicken. I think that is quite liveable because they have a huge run too!

 

[Guineasgirl1]

My 8 guinea fowl have 12.5 sq feet per chicken inside their coop. They roost on a chicken ladder we made so they have even more room. It helps with their pecking of each other. During the day they are free range over about 20 acres. They are quite territorial and will chase away coyotes!

 

[BecsBrood]

Currently: (but I have caught the chicken fever and will soon be adding more chicks

COOP: 140 sq ft

BIRDS: 8

RUN: 140 sq ft

COVERED GARDEN (run opens into the covered garden): 1/2 acre

FREE RANGE: 10.5 acres

I do free range field trip days. Usually when I'm outside gardening. Too many crazy predators around here to allow the ladies to free range their way right into some other animal's mouth! The large dog helps keep the predators away...if he isn't sleeping.