Real estate required?

[mcfarmall]

In my Raising Chickens for Dummies book, it states that chicks only need 6 square inches of space each (I can provide page numbers if needed). If you do the math according to their formula you are safe with 24 chicks per square foot. I might be a little bit of a dummy but I'm not a moron.

I think that they really meant that each chick needs an area 6 INCHES SQUARE not 6 SQUARE INCHES (notice the order of the words). Using my formula of 36 square inches (6 squared = 6 x 6) then 24 chicks would require an area of 6 square feet (36 x 24) / 144. Seems a little bit more reasonable don't you think?

Please correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think I am.

 

[CowgirlPenny]

I think 1-2sq. ft per hen is fine. They are only going in there to roost and nest anyway.

 

[Momagain1]

well...we planned our coop for 4 sq ft of space per chicken..thts the *general* rule of thumb around here
and 7-10 sq ft of space in the run per chicken..

now that doesnt take into account anything about your weather etc..if they are gonna be cooped up in there for a while
say due to winters; such as in IL..you need to make sure you give them as much space as you can..or if your weather is great
all year round and they seriously only need it to roost..

 

[weazel922]

I believe you're refering to inside the brooder. Other stuff I've read also says 6 square inches, as newborn chicks. But then that goes up by an inch or so a week as they grow. Until ultimately you move them to a coop. In the coop people say 4 sq feet is the min, but obviously the bigger you can go the better. Especially if yo have long snowy winters.

 

[Momagain1]

oh sorry; did I miss that?? for the brooder?? I'm sorry!

 

[mcfarmall]

Yes, I was referring to a brooder when I used the word "chicks" in several places in my original post. In the future, I will make a note to be more specific and refer to them as "cute fuzzy wuzzy baby chickies" so there isn't any confusion.

*NOTE* THIS A SARCASTIC JOKE*

 

[Momagain1]

lol well I see others refer to their 6 wk old chicks as chicks...even tho they are mostly feathered and outside lol..sooooo...ya just never know!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've kept 28 chicks until 4 weeks of age in a 3' x 5' brooder. This amounts to about 1/2 a square foot per chick. Youu might be able to go a little longer with that spacing, but they were starting to look a bit crowded.

I think where the confusion comes in is that a square foot has 144 square inches in it. A foot has 12 inches in it.

When they are real young, I think they will be OK with 6 inches square, or 36 square inches each. But as fast as they grow, I think you will be better off using 1/2 a square foot or 72 square inches each. I have not read that book so I don't know how long that spacing is supposed to be good for.