So many chicks!

[gaa2970]

I put in an order for chicks last all and forgot all about them and placed another one in the spring. So I just received 26 of them and they are doing great (all Cochin pullets). I'm supposed to also be getting 21 more at the end of May (a variety of pullets) and my husband showed up with 18 of them from the feed store (Rhode Island Red pullets) and those are now 4 weeks old. I intend on selling a lot of them when they are about 4-6 months, but I still need to be able to house them. How big of a roost do I need for them? They will have an enclosed area for a while before I let them be free range.

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi and welcome to BYC.

By around 20 weeks of age your birds will be pretty much full sized, and need around 4 square feet of coop space, and around 10 square feet of run per bird. Younger and smaller birds will require less, but they will grow very quickly. Sounds like chicken math hit you guys bad!

 

[gaa2970]

If I use a structure that has multiple roosting poles can i use less space? I am unsure of the actual size of the structure I need since i am planning on using multiple roosts in the building and also, how many nesting boxes do i need per laying hen?

 

[1muttsfan]

You might find this Learning Center article helpful

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-much-room-do-chickens-need

Crowding birds has a lot of negative consequences. Plan your space based on the total number of birds that you wish to keep as adults, and don't try to put more than that into small an area.roost space is not a substitute for adequate floor space.