only 3 eggs in 3 weeks from 21 hens! help!

[tiajavier]

How big is coop and run for 22 birds?

The coop is 8'x8'and the run is 12'x8'

 

[aart]

Quote: Ahh...those numbers sound good!

ETA: too small for 22 birds.....got mixed up with another thread with less birds.
Even tho it was right there in the quotes<shm>

 

[21hens-incharge]

???
That means inside the coop each bird has aprox 3 sq ft of space. In the run only 4.3 sq ft of space.

If the food and water and nest boxes are there somewhere that number ends up even lower.

I think it is much to small. The run should be more like 200 sq ft or more. Not the 96 sq ft it is now.
The coop should measure out more like 88 sq ft not the 64 it is now.

They are young yet but in time fighting will happen.

 

[junebuggena]

The coop is 8'x8'and the run is 12'x8'

That coop is a bit on the small side for some many birds. The average recommended coop space per bird is amount 4 sq ft. That run is way too small. You need a minimum of 10 sq ft of run per bird, you only have about 4. Over crowding stress will cause a drop in production.

 

[tiajavier]

I let them free range for several hours a day each day and they are supervised because we don't have a fence yet. But we go plan on building a fence to allow them to always be free range. If not, we will build another coop and separate them. Whichever is cheaper.

 

[junebuggena]

I let them free range for several hours a day each day and they are supervised because we don't have a fence yet. But we go plan on building a fence to allow them to always be free range. If not, we will build another coop and separate them. Whichever is cheaper.

Do you ever get storms? Cause the only shelter they have from wind and rain is a too small coop. Unless you free range 8 to 10 hours a day, that run is going to be a big cause of stress.

 

[tiajavier]

Do you ever get storms? Cause the only shelter they have from wind and rain is a too small coop. Unless you free range 8 to 10 hours a day, that run is going to be a big cause of stress.

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When it storms they go in their coop. They have two perches that they roost on. I live in Virginia and we haven't had any terribly bad weather. I've had them since March. Like I said, I'm really new to raising chickens. I started off with 12 and I convinced my sister to get 10 but she found out she couldn't have them in her neighborhood and I took in hers. So my coop was originally for only 12 chickens

 

[junebuggena]

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When it storms they go in their coop. They have two perches that they roost on. I live in Virginia and we haven't had any terribly bad weather. I've had them since March. Like I said, I'm really new to raising chickens. I started off with 12 and I convinced my sister to get 10 but she found out she couldn't have them in her neighborhood and I took in hers. So my coop was originally for only 12 chickens

It's not going to be big enough come winter. It's too small as it is, in good weather. If they have to be all crammed in that coop for more than a day or so, it's asking for problems. Overcrowding stress is serious. It can cause all sorts of problems from poor production, to feather picking, to cannibalism. Yes, they can get so stressed from being in with too many birds, in too small a space, that they start eating each other. The easiest solution would be to rehome at least 6 birds.