Square feet per bird

[DarkWolf]

Given your climate and security of the run I'd say the bulk of the time they will be inside would only be at night. You'll want to pay more attention to roost space in this case, but given that ducks and geese don't roost, you won't need more than 8' of roost space.

Not real sure how well ducks and, moreover, geese will get along with chickens in the same run/coop. But that'll have to be answered by someone with more experience than I. I just recall that geese cam be mean as crud.

 

[patandchickens]

Ok, so in a pleasant mild climate your setup sounds reasonable -- I still would not go more birds than that though (and I dunno about mixing geese with chickens?) unless you are a gamblin' type person and don't mind dealing with cannibalism/pecking problems, which can be awful hard to do anything about once they start.

I realize that commercial operations provide considerably less square footage; however, a) most backyard people have chickens to *improve on* factory-farm conditions, not duplicate them, and b) look at what happens to factory-farm chickens, having to be debeaked to not eat each other alive and pulling out all their own and each others' feathers and being highly stressed all the time.

My chickens have 15 sq ft apiece indoors (plus run) and I do not consider that especially palatial or excessive, I really would never go below 10 sq ft apiece indoors... although in a climate with nicer winters I probably would. But not *much* below. They really do ACT DIFFERENT at low stocking densities... more natural and relaxed, having their own things to do... I don't knwo how to describe it, but I've tried it both ways and really there IS a difference.

JME, good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

Quote:
We have a coop and run that has geese with our chickens and they get along great.

 

[DarkWolf]

patandchickens: Yup.. Most commercial operations clip beaks to nullify the damage possible due to pecking, so they can squish birds into tight cages.... Kinda sick.

B. Saffles Farms: Really? Huh.. I wouldn't have thought they'd get along. Where do the geese sleep as apposed to the chickens?

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

The chickens sleep in the coop on the roost, and the geese sleep on the ground. We have a pretty big run and leave the coop door open 24 hours a day. So they have plenty of room. We used to have ducks with them too, but we moved them to different pens, no problems just, wanted to keep the different breeds of duck seperated.

 

[Stamper]

Quote:
Yes, I want conditions above (way, WAY above) factory farming, I hope I didn't imply otherwise. It just seems to me that having a 4 square feet in a building where they really just spend their time roosting, was maybe not necessary even when trying to provide *good* living conditions. I do know about the problems that come along with living in confinement too, they are awful.

I guess I just really brought it up because I don't know anyone, in real life, who has that big of a coop and all their chickens seem quite happy and healthy, getting to spend their days outside and then going in their (small) coops at night. I really do appreciate all the replies, I think I have a better understanding!

My neighbor had ducks, geese, and chickens all in a small coop (but out in the yard during the day) and they got along great! No problems at all. I hope that raising mine all together will help with any issues but I guess only time will tell. I do have the option to split up the coop if it becomes necessary.

Thanks again for all the advice everyone!! It's really my dream to fence in all four acres to keep the raccoons out at the chickens/ducks/geese in.... one 50 foot roll of fencing at a time, I guess

 

[DarkWolf]

Well, figure it this way.. If you do end up building something that ends up being a bit larger than they actually use you'll have space for storage then, such as a metal trash can full of food.. cabinets for oysters, treats and whatnot as well as a place for cleaning supplies..

Far as fencing all four acres.. Kewl beans! Wire up an electric fence and have fun..

 

[CityFolk]

If my coop is 4 ft by 4 ft and about 3 feet tall in the back and 4 in the front can only have 4 chickens?

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
height doesn't really affect chicken population meaningfully; a 4x4 footprint would be enough for 4 chickens if you want to provide 4 sq ft indoors per chicken, or 8 if you want to go down to 2 sq ft per chicken; I don't think trying to go lower than that is worth contemplating at all, unless you live in like Hawaii and they will *literally truly exactly* only be in there to sleep.

Have fun,

Pat

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Well, if you live in like Hawaii or comparable conditions, and they literally truly exactly-correctly WILL only be going in the coop to roost at any time of year, certainly there is more tolerance for a smaller coop.

I have to say, though, that I have had chickens at 4-5 sq ft per chicken (and less in a tractor), and also kept those self-same chickens at 15+ sq ft per chicken, and you know what? THEY ACT DIFFERENTLY. Really truly. There would be no way of knowing this without actually seeing what they're like at the lower stocking density; it is not like they were attacking each other in the tighter quarters. But it is a really noticeable difference, to me. They seem more relaxed and casual, do a wider variety of things, are more apt to go off by themselves and indulge individual 'hobbies' (dunno how else to describe it)... they just act more natural and relaxed, you know?

So I do think space makes a difference even *above* the point where they are not picking each other apart (and as far as I can tell from sort of mentally graphing what people describe here, it is a continuum, with larger quarters giving less chance of cannibalism, not a sudden change at 3 or 4 sq ft per chicken). Personal choice what to do.

Have fun,

Pat