Run and coop size

[ramz8435]

I have 2 layers 1 roo 5 pullers plus my wife wants to get 2 mores layers and she just bout 7, 2 week old chicks I have a I think a 10x10 that's about 7 feet tall at the peek and a 10x10 area for them to be in now I just bought a 30 ft piece of fence with gate will that be enough space for them

 

[fischnchix]

A 10×10 is more than enough for 17 chicks. If possible id go bigger on the run though if they are not allowed to free range.

 

[ramz8435]

I live really close to the highway I am afraid to let them range freely

 

[Teila]

Hey ramz8453

I agree with fischnchix the bigger the run the better, depending on your climate you may find your chickens spend the majority of their time in the run and only go into the coop to lay and roost; that is definitely the case with mine.

I mainly wanted to reply with regards the free range.

Granted, I only have bantams, but I have very low fences around my property and in the two and half years I have had chickens, they have never tried to jump the fence. They very rarely wander out of sight of the coop/run.

However, because of neighbourhood dogs and cats, free range is always supervised and for a couple of hours each weekday afternoon and the majority of the day on weekends.

I totally understand your concerns about the highway and that is similar to my concerns about the neighbourhood pets, but, if you wanted to, you could try letting them have a supervised wander and if you do this over a period of time they may be like mine and learn not to stray too far.

When I used to catch the bus to work every day, there was a house across the road from the bus stop who had a couple of Turkeys and heaps of chickens wandering around in the front garden with a very low fence; I used to sit there every morning watching them all peck around, totally unconcerned by the number of cars, buses etc speeding past.

That was not intended as a criticism of your decision to not free range them, just a suggestion if you did want to let them out for a wander.

Spending a Saturday or Sunday in the garden with little chicken helpers is very enjoyable

 

[ramz8435]

Hey ramz8453

I agree with fischnchix the bigger the run the better, depending on your climate you may find your chickens spend the majority of their time in the run and only go into the coop to lay and roost; that is definitely the case with mine.

I mainly wanted to reply with regards the free range.

Granted, I only have bantams, but I have very low fences around my property and in the two and half years I have had chickens, they have never tried to jump the fence.  They very rarely wander out of sight of the coop/run.

However, because of neighbourhood dogs and cats, free range is always supervised and for a couple of hours each weekday afternoon and the majority of the day on weekends.

I totally understand your concerns about the highway and that is similar to my concerns about the neighbourhood pets, but, if you wanted to, you could try letting them have a supervised wander and if you do this over a period of time they may be like mine and learn not to stray too far.

When I used to catch the bus to work every day, there was a house across the road from the bus stop who had a couple of Turkeys and heaps of chickens wandering around in the front garden with a very low fence; I used to sit there every morning watching them all peck around, totally unconcerned by the number of cars, buses etc speeding past.

That was not intended as a criticism of your decision to not free range them, just a suggestion if you did want to let them out for a wander.

Spending a Saturday or Sunday in the garden with little chicken helpers is very enjoyable 

my wife and I are very new at this so unless you say something very rude I won't think of it as critic we are very much appreciatetive of advise I thought about letting them wander i. The mornings with my dogs put up I would like to have a bigger run on the front we are putting one one the back cause of the shade trees because our summers are very hot and humid I have been wandering about the electric chicken fences and if they really work to put on the front I'll put a pic of the outside of my coop to let you see what I mean

Oh yeah both my dogs have been bringing us a lot of black bird presenta this year is why I'm also afraid to let them free range

 

[ramz8435]

 

[crazyhen]

Hens should have 4 sq ft each inside and
12 square ft in the run appiece. otherwise they will piick on each other. Alittle extra room really pays off and one more thing the hens love is I love my droppin ng boards too. with dt earth on them to htlp with the odor . Lots of fun builduing The poop catcher under the roost, It easy to clen vlrom under ther roost.
.,.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Electricity works really well to keep predators out when it is set up correctly but does very little in keeping chickens in. Their feathers insulate them so they do not get shocked unless they happen to touch it with their comb and wattles while their legs are grounded. I have electric netting and the baby chicks just walk right through that with no concerns. Do not count on electric fence to keep chickens in.

You can follow the link in my signature for my thoughts on room for chickens. We are all so unique in our flock make-up, management techniques, climate, and set-up that there is no one “per square foot” number that works for all of us. The size of your coop or the size of your run is less important than the total space available to them when they need it. That space can be coop, coop plus run, or free ranging. When they need it is when there is a conflict, if there is a conflict. The weaker needs enough room to get away from the stronger or just avoid them.

I’m an advocate of providing as much space as you reasonably can. I find the more space I give them the fewer behavioral problems I have to deal with, the more flexibility I have in dealing with problems when they develop, and the less hard I have to work. I’m all about making my life easier so I give them a pretty large amount of space.

Your coop sounds more than adequate but knowing your climate might make it easier to access that. Even in a fairly snowy climate where your chickens are forced to stay in the coop for extended lengths of time you will probably be OK. If one or more of those chicks turns out to be another male you may need extra space, especially outside.

One problem you might have is integrating those young chicks. The more room you have for that the better. From the time you integrate them until they reach maturity and can make their way into the pecking order they will probably form a separate flock, trying to avoid the older chickens as much as possible. They need some room to do that. You might have enough room for that but I think for integration you will be better off if you can give them more room.

Each flock is unique and our management techniques are all different. If you are going to be integrating much or letting a broody hen hatch eggs and raise the chicks with the flock more room, especially in the run, would probably be a good thing. A real good thing.

Good luck!