Small runs vs amount of chickens= confusion?

[Ms. Cluckingly]

So I have been ALL over this site looking at different coop layouts, runs and such, and I see all these really cute "garden" coops/run or whatever they are called, where the chicks live upstairs and the run is directly below them... with nothing else. It makes me wonder... why are these type of coops ok with their small runs and my run which is 36sqf isn't ok for 6 full size chickens. I mean, they are young now and we can totally add another run to it later on, but I just don't understand why "those" runs are ok with 4-6 chooks, but mine isnt. I took pictures, but then realized that my usb cord thingie is the wrong one for my camera, and I can't find the real one. My run is 4ft tall, 4 ft wide, and 8 ft long.

Sorry if I seem like I'm whining. Coop burnout has set in, and I find that my last chore, of making the ladder to the roost bars seems like I'll never get it done right now.

 

[Imp]

The guideline of 10 sf per bird is just a rough guestimate for runs. If chickens are crowded there's a greater chance of pecking, boredom etc. If you free range you can easilly get by with less. And if your chickens are happy, healthy, and get along you can get by with less. It is really your choice, if it is not a problem for you or your chickens, then it is not a problem.

Imp- sorry you are feeling burned out.

 

[patandchickens]

"Okay" is relative. You *can* keep a chicken in a 1-2 sq ft cage. How much better quality of living than that you choose to provide is a matter of personal taste and conscience. And how many of what type of problems you don't mind the possibility of dealing with.

You may notice that most of the people who are giving their chickens only like 4-6 sq ft apiece in the run, are letting them OUT for most or all of the day.

There are also people giving them only that space *period*, and sometimes you can get away with it.

<shrug>

Only YOU can decide what is okay for you.


Pat, having seen how they act with a lot more space available, and never going to keep them with less than that, as it clearly DOES matter to them, but, to each his own

 

[CityChook]

Sure. You could keep 6 chickens in 36 sq. feet. And I'm sure they'd be fine. To each his own.
My run is beside my coop, not under it. It has 12 sq/ft per chicken and I'd give them twice that space now if I had the luxury of starting over again.
Pat's right - you do see a difference when they have more room. Like most all living creatures, I imagine.
More=Better.

 

[TwilightMom]

Hi, I've had chickens for 2 months now and my chickens are in the same size coop/run as yours. It is beginning to get a little crowded so I let them free range in my backyard as much as I can. I have seven chickens BTW. Try putting some roosts in the run area, giving them more personal space vertically, perhaps. In hindsight I should of made a bigger run, then again, we could always add on like you mentioned, as they grow. My husband keeps rolling his eyes at the suggestion

. I got more chicks then we agreed to. They were so darn cute!

 

[chics in the sun]

My coop/ run is also 4 feet by 8 feet, with the roost a sort of "loft" in it. I have three chickens now, and will probably get two more. I let them free-range in my fenced in back yard as much as I can (at least once a day, usually more on the weekends), and they are all quite happy. If it seems crowded when I get the other two birds and they are all full-grown, I may add more run space. (The open design is to keep it as cool as possible down here in Central Florida - which also means they can free-range year-round)
Twilightmoon - good idea on adding a "downstairs" roost in the run - I think I'll do that.

 

[tammyd57]

A 4' x 8' run is 32 sf. That is the size of my coop and I only have 5 chickens in there. My run is 12' x 30'. Theoretically, I could put about 36 chickens in there. But I feel they would be very overcrowded. I will be adding a few young chickens soon to that coop/run, but I won't until I get the run expanded and add another coop.
You can get by with a lot less space, but you will find your birds to be a lot more comfortable with plenty of room. They won't pick each other or fight or eat their eggs.
Not to mention how much easier it is to rake or shovel with room to turn around!

 

[Keri78]

Just give them free range time and then the run size becomes a non-issue.

I have coops that size and I would say four standard size birds would do ok...but mine tend to go a little stir crazy...they start pacing and just want to get out and roam free. I'm a big advocate of free ranging all day ...less poo to clean!!!

 

[TwilightMom]

It's me again...my seven chickens have 24 sq ft in the run and they all perch or lay together side by side. They don't seem to want to sit alone. Even when they are free ranging in the yard, when they rest, it's side by side. It's not all togetherness, happy happy 24/7 because someone always gets pecked now and then, but they do seem to enjoy sitting and sleeping together. So I think your coop/run will be okay. Just give them some excercise time

 

[grandmaof5]

Are you confusing 'coop' with 'run'? The coop is the building they roost (sleep) in, or spend time when they can't (or won't) go outside. The run is the area where they go when they are outside. Conventional wisdom here says 4sq ft per bird for the coop, and 10sq ft per bird for the run; that is for standard-sized birds...if they are smaller or lager, the dimensions would be different. From what I understand, in most cases birds probablywill be ok with less than this, but if they DO start feather-picking (from stress), it is almost impossible to stop it.