What is the square footage needed per chick - now one week old?

[katejerdan]

We are adding to our flock of 70 birds. Have built two additional coops, have fenced off an acre with lawn, brush/pine trees and pasture. Now the question: we have two small coops: one is 4'x6' and the other is 4'x8'. How many 7-day old chicks will each hold? and how long before they would outgrow them....how much time do we have to build a bigger coop?

 

[Judy]

One sq ft apiece is fine at 7 days, but you don't have long before you must increase it, up to the 4 sq ft by somewhere around 12 weeks. I used to have a chart for this but can't find it now. If I put 56 week old chicks in those two coops, I believe I'd want more space for them within 2 or 3 weeks at most.

Maybe someone else will come along.