So..... what's the most amount of chickens that could fit in.... :P

[Fred's Hens]

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That's the generally recognized minimums suggested. Lesser measurements come into play, because you have to factor in commercial chicken industry standards (which is pretty much turn around room only inside, and no outside space for most). So compared to THAT - 2-3 ft. of indoor space and 5-8 ft. of run space seems roomy. It's not roomy for normal chicken behavior, but in comparision it must seem that way.
For somewhat normal chicken behavior, limabean's numbers are what is most often quoted. Of course many chicken owners give a lot more than that. Mild winter areas can get by with a really small indoor space, as the chickens are literally never indoors except to lay and egg and roost, so roost space is important. For those folks, a really large run is more important. But in areas that get winters, and therefore the birds spend quite a bit of time indoors for a few months, 6-10 sq. ft of indoor space (per bird) is not out of the question.

Soooooooooooooo agree. Those "formula" statements of 3 or 4 square feet per full sized bird make little sense, in the real world of long winter days. 8-10 square feet during the winter, far less in the summer.

 

[limabean]

Hmmm, wish I'd known that a few weeks ago. Though I am planning to reduce my 6 to 4 so that will leave 8 sq feet per chicken indoors and 9 per outdoors

 

[morelcabin]

Quote:
3 square ft per bird is enough, really. Go ahead and get your 8. I have often kept birds at three sq ft and they are fine. If you go visit some of the farmers around you you will see that they practice the general rule of 2 square ft per bird. Some of them have issues, some who really care for thier flocks don't if they free range during the day.
Start with the 8 that you have your heart set on and if you find in time that it is too crowded for your liking then downsize a little. you may not have any problems...after all you do have a nice big outdoor run

 

[teach1rusl]

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A 4 x 12 (48 sq. ft.) run is not a big outdoor run - especially for EIGHT birds!?!? That's about a 30 inch x 30 inch outdoor area for each bird! For 4 birds it's adequate...maybe even five if they are mild mannered birds.

 

[smokeykk]

Well, I have 6 now and 2 look like roosters. I didn't really post this asking to be yelled at. But I think that 4 of my chicks are roosters, and 2 egg layers until next year is not enough. I was looking for some other pullets about 8 weeks, (the age that I will hopefully be able to definitly tell the difference.) so, I was looking to sell 2 roosters and trade 2 roosters. Then next year I was going to get 4 more chicks.... And becides, I know in the commercial farms, the chickens are in cages that are about 9X7 INCHES, and this is what the setup was going to be. The coop is 4X6, and the nest boxes are at floor level, but there is going to be a lip to seperate. Then there will be a 4X6 (I could probably get my dad to make it bigger....) area that is not covered in the run, and the other 4X6 part will be under the coop. I think I could get the run to be a bit bigger, would that make it "chicken friendly?" as in "your standards" teach1rusl?????!??!?!?!?!?!?!?! I'm sorry but it is making me upset to hear you say this. The coop is already built and we can't change the inside. And I will have it so the chickens can free range while I'm outside and my neighbors dogs aren't. We don't have fences between our yards, but I will figure something out. I really would like to order some chicks next year and start over, and I'll get some different breeds, I guess it will be from My pet chicken since their minimum is 3......

 

[TDM]

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You will be fine with what you have for eight birds. Many people up here in the Michigan Upper Peninsula and NE Wisconsin allow two square feet per bird inside the coop.

 

[VelvettFog]

The most amount of chickens that can fit in ....


do you mean dead chickens or live ones?

 

[Kikiriki]

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You're better off with a little crowding than in going with an open top on the run, I think. The postings about predators have me shaking in my boots. I think you have a nice setup, and you care about your chickens, which is the most important factor. Strong opinions are still just opinions...take it for what it is worth and don't let it get to you. As you gain experience, you are the one who will decide if it is necessary to reduce your flock, expand your run, or do nothing if everything is working well for you.

This summer is going to be a hot one down south...daytimes are getting up in temp by you, now, too so do you have a tarp for shade, or is there shade I didn't notice?

 

[teach1rusl]

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[smokeykk]

Ok, thank you. I enjoy hearing your opinions sorry if I came off snappy, and i would also like to add that the current chix I have are, 1 New Hampshire Red (pullet, so far) 3 production reds (at least 2 are roosters, one looks like a pullet) 1 silkie bantam and one silkie bantam cross. I do love my chickens very much, and I hope I can get them in the coop today. I'll post a picture of the finished coop later. (mind you it doesn't have a roost yet, and the nest boxes are not separated yet. (they won't need the boxes till ,at the very soonest, august.) I will show a pic of my chickies enjoying their coop later. I do love them sooooo much. and I need to change my signature. Eggbert is a boy, George is a girl (unless I got them mixed up. I did go away for 2 weekends....

) Chrissy looks like a girl, and Charlie/Charlotte looks like a boy.