Square feet Per Chicken?

[Daisy8s]

I think if your runs are covered and the birds have free access to them all the time then you can count the run as part of the coop space--really no difference to the chickens.

I'd also say that bird personality is a big factor. My birds free range over a 1/4 acre all day long and I had a hen that still caused problems. Got rid of her and the whole flock dynamic changed, everyone happier, less picking all the way around.

 

[salt and pepper]

Thank you! I'll soon be making a large, 1/4 of an acre area for the chickens to range in all day, i am also thinking about making my coops two stories to give them more room

 

[salt and pepper]

OK, I have changed my plan. There will be 4 in the small coop, and 5-6 in the large coop, I will then build a third coop under the large one for the other 6. This way each bird has at least 3 sq ft in the coop, and 10 in the run. How does this sound?

 

[3riverschick]

Quote:

 

[JackE]

It sounds like you have one common run, that all the birds use. What if they don't go into the coop you want them to go in at night, and choose another? Are you going to supervise and direct each bird to the coop YOU want them to roost in? They ALL might decide they like one coop over the others, and all pile into it at night. Why not just build ONE coop for all of them, or shove together and combine the coops you have already?
Jack

 

[salt and pepper]

Thank you, the only reason I'm doing that is so that I wouldn't feel bad if they don''t get to free range. A couple of my birds in my breeding program are used to a lot of room, and get stressed if kept confined for long.