What do YOU feel is the minimum space per bird?

[ruth]

I agree with Elderoo - more and more and more outside space per bird is best. Inside coop they just go to sleep so not really an issue unless you leave them locked in coop all the time. BUT...outside is a different story. Mine all freerange our farm - fence free. They have all the space they want. While there is a possible predator loss (a good guard dog helps) I don't have any issues with them pecking or picking on one another, no feather eating issues, no cannibalism, no egg bound issues - no fighting whatsoever and I mix new baby hatchlings and every age group together and they all get along - even with the ducklings and ducks. Even had someone drop off some chicks and put them in with the rest and still no problems. Also have a 4-month old chicken that hatched with a deformed leg and must hop to where she wants to go and then lay down, can't roost, and not only do they NOT pick on her, many of them can be seen laying next to her as if to keep her company. I've never seen anyone pick on her.

I truly believe it is all because they have so much space and no one has to be in another's personal space and they have so much to do with running around all day long they don't worry about fighting with each other.

 

[asher]

I have never had the pecking issues that I remember, but some birds that I just got back from my stock did. Apparently they were too crowded. Poor things are not in the best shape, lots of missing feathers and pecked at skin. :-( Needless to say, that's why this subject came up.

For those that free range during the day, do you clip their wings to keep them from flying away or do you leave them as is so they can get away from predators or...?

 

[Wildsky]

Quote:
No, I don't clip wings, mine don't really want to leave

I have in one or two spots really low fencing (will be replaced when our house is done being sided etc.) the fencing is around 3 ft... the chickens couldn't be bothered to exert THAT much energy

 

[wynedot55]

1 to 2ft of coop space is what i allow.because my birds freerange 12hrs a day.

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Quote:
This is usually something that I find to be completely circumstancial. I may only be able to house my birds in a very small cage, but I take them out every so often and allow them time to scratch around in a pet pen.

Where as, someone else may believe that they need 10sqft per bird, but then their birds don't ever get out of the coop.

It all depends on what kind of birds you raise, what makes your birds happy, and what keeps them healthy. If you supplement with regular exercise outside of the cage, then the requirements on cage size are much less. If you don't then they are more.

How many farms have you been to that actually have a pen built to the precise guide books specifications? It depends on each farms circumstances....

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
OK . I have 34 chickens from AGE 13 - 14 weeks , to 8 - 10 months old .


Our coop is 8x12 and our run is 12x20 and its plenty space for all .

we never measured by sq. ft. per bird . HUBBY just built this and its plenty of space ....


NOW , you do have to have PLENTY ventilation

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
No, I don't clip wings, mine don't really want to leave

I have in one or two spots really low fencing (will be replaced when our house is done being sided etc.) the fencing is around 3 ft... the chickens couldn't be bothered to exert THAT much energy

We CUT all the wings on our chickens .

we had one chicken that was LOOSE and she flew up on an 8 ft. cage .

we cut wings until we could totally wire the top of the run . OUR run is 12x20 and 8 ft. high and totally wired across top of the run . SAFE territory for all ..... We even buried 1ft. wiring in a trench around the full diameter of the coop and run , so they hav e full access and shaded area under the coop .... Works very well for us .

 

[sBrickmanHouse]

We have 20 hens and a roo, and they happily free range on a fenced acre.

Their coop is only 6 x 8, but they're in at dusk and out at dawn, so the only time they're in is to sleep. They do have a 12 x 24 run attached to the coop for the rare occasion (garden party, or whatever) that they're better off safely confined.

I think the 4 sq ft/10 sq ft rule of thumb works as a safety gap when you don't really have a good idea how your chickens will spend their time, but if you have a clear, firm idea of where they'll be and when, you can adjust depending on lifestyle.