Question about bantams and coops

[jeremy]

Do bantams need the same square footage per bird in a coop that LF chickens do?

More specifically, how many bantams would a 4 X 4 coop comfortably house? Or how many could you "fit" inside it, with it still being a healthy living environment?

Thanks!

 

[OkChickens]

I would recommend about 5-6 at the max if there is a good sized run also accessible. What kind of bantams do you have?

 

[jeremy]

I don't have any right now, but I was thinking about MF Cochins in the spring.

The coop will be raised so I can create run access underneath, as well as probably a 3' to 4' covered/enclosed run off of one side.

 

[OkChickens]

I would make the run as big as possible. Probably about 4x10 or 5x10 . You would want about 6-7 sq ft of run space for a bantam. Plus chicken math can multiply things. 4 Bantams one spring could lead to 8 in the fall the 12 in the spring on and on. The more space the better. Are you going to let them free range? Are you on some land or in a neighborhood?

-Nate

 

[jeremy]

Hm. Chicken math... yes I know first hand how that tends to work...

I'm in a very urban neighborhood, but I do have a large amount of property. They will only free range while I am at home supervising them, otherwise they'll be confined to their coop and run.

Would 4 X 8 be sufficient?

 

[OkChickens]

It all depends, there is not a magic number for bantams, with a 4x4 coop and a 4x8 run would be 48 sq ft. That's about 12ft per chicken and that's good. 4-5 would be max for that size coop and run.

-Nate

 

[elmo]

I use the same "rule of thumb" minimums for bantams as for the standard breeds (4 square feet indoors per bird, plus 10 square feet outdoors per bird) It's not as though those minimums are exactly roomy, anyway.

I have 9 tiny bantams in an 8' by 8' coop attached to a 16' by 8' run. I don't feel like they have too much room; actually, I'm wishing I had the room to have built the run larger. The coop itself is working out as a good size, though.

 

[teach1rusl]

Quote:

I agree. Could you FIT more?? Sure. But since you stipulated "comfortable" and "healthy living environment," that's as many as I'd put in that situation. I built a small coop just a little bigger than yours, and am working on the run currently, which is going to end up being about the same size as yours, and am considering 3-4 bantams for it. They will free range eventually for the most part, but I want to make sure they have ample room for the days (winter time/snowbound and weekends away from home) when they won't be able to freerange...