Why does every single retail coop seller lie about how many chickens their coops can hold?

[TOMTE]

Actually , most prefabs are 1 or 2 square feet per bird, the minimum often quoted here is 4 sq feet. 10 feet is excessive and this is not something we want the government to give two hoots about. I don't want them to regulate anything to do with my birds, personally.

10sqft per chicken isn't excessive imo, especially if the birds don't free range or have a large enough run. If they're spending most/all of their time in their coop, bigger is of course better.

4sqft per bird I think is fine as long as they don't spend much time in the coop.

The appropriate coop size is circumstantial but 4sqft per bird should be the minimum that's allowed to be advertised and sold.

I don't think the government should have anything to do with it, but reputable animal welfare and other such organizations should have more of a say in what's allowed to be sold.

I cringe every time I see a fish in a bowl, for example. Why get an animal just to torture it? Unfortunately most people just aren't aware of how fish should be kept. They're (relatively) cheap and replaceable so just pop a goldfish in a bowl for your kid and spend 2 bucks on a new one when that one dies within the month. Proper goldfish care requires 100 gallons per fish. Might seem excessive to anyone who doesn't know or care about fish keeping, but they grow very large and live very long lives when properly cared for.

 

[Logar]

Actually , most prefabs are 1 or 2 square feet per bird, the minimum often quoted here is 4 sq feet. 10 feet is excessive and this is not something we want the government to give two hoots about. I don't want them to regulate anything to do with my birds, personally.

I think that is including the “run” that most prefab coops come with.

 

[aart]

most prefabs are 1 or 2 square feet per bird

Yep, and that is the industry standard for commercial poultry...
..so they aren't "lying" in the legal sense.
But when has advertising ever had integrity?
They just want to sell, so its buyer beware.
....and as P.T. Barnam said:
There's a sucker born every minute.

 

[PimsGarden]

10sqft per chicken isn't excessive imo, especially if the birds don't free range or have a large enough run. If they're spending most/all of their time in their coop, bigger is of course better.

4sqft per bird I think is fine as long as they don't spend much time in the coop.

The appropriate coop size is circumstantial but 4sqft per bird should be the minimum that's allowed to be advertised and sold.

I don't think the government should have anything to do with it, but reputable animal welfare and other such organizations should have more of a say in what's allowed to be sold.

I cringe every time I see a fish in a bowl, for example. Why get an animal just to torture it? Unfortunately most people just aren't aware of how fish should be kept. Proper goldfish care requires 100 gallons per fish.

I really agree with all of this, I think 4sq ft can work, but it is circumstantial. And these organizations/businesses, not the govt, should be clear on how to translate that information to the consumer.

 

[StinkyAcres]

I have thought about getting a job at Tractor Supply just to educate customers buying their prefab coops about space and ventilation requirements...I have a feeling I would get fired pretty quickly.

 

[McChooky]

Why has NO ONE ANYWHERE done the due diligence of simply researching a TEENY TINY BIT and discovering the 10 square feet rule. Why has NO ONE gone beyond the '4 square feet' of *commercial broiler guidelines*????

I am pissed about this - just was browsing around this morning... I don't need a new coop but I enjoy looking at them and how cute they are and just enjoy 'window shopping' for chicken things as a morning coffee routine and man I am irritated in the extreme.

How can we help change this? How can we as a community help *CHANGE THE DIALOGUE* and get the correct information out there?


If we can somehow manage to change the understanding, we're going to have a LOT LESS PROBLEMS with backyard chickens. The more room these birds are allowed to have, the happier and healthier they are. Full stop.


People just simply DO NOT HAVE this information - because every single business that is selling chicken coops has the 4 square foot rule in place, not the 10 square foot one. How can we disseminate all the knowledge built up here? Sitting on a forum isn't enough. It's just simply not enough. What is the greatest avenue for getting information out to people? Is it freaking Martha Stewart? lol

Just catching the people who *happen* to come here and ask questions just isn't enough. The knowledge built up here should be COMMON knowledge at this point, not some mysterious gatekept chicken secrets held fast only if you're willing to google and make a forum account and be willing to learn, etc etc

The fact that no one outside chicken nerds really knows any of this needs to change. I'm disgusted that the people trying to sell coops by and large don't even care to learn more than what is "industry standard for commercial farms".

Thanks for listening to my Ted Talk.

I am going to actually try and research and figure out what I can do, to help educate. These forums are too passive. It's not enough.

If you think that's bad look at some built by carpenters who know a lot about building but nothing about chickens

 

[McChooky]

I think that is including the “run” that most prefab coops come with.

Yes they're more like awnings

 

[Squawkers]

Actually , most prefabs are 1 or 2 square feet per bird, the minimum often quoted here is 4 sq feet. 10 feet is excessive and this is not something we want the government to give two hoots about. I don't want them to regulate anything to do with my birds, personally.

I kind of agree with this. In the past I've had one of those way too small prefab coops, but my chickens free ranged all day. I couldn't afford to get a bigger run, and would have been annoyed if I had been required. We shouldn't be regulated on our own private affairs. But I definitely agree that keeping chickens in 4sq all of the time is torture, and I personally believe 10sq is still too small.

 

[Nym]

I have 2 local people near me that I get my shrubs from. I need to plant omg I'm so behind - they are still in their tubs haha

okay so I asked gemini (google's AI assistant) what I could do;

1. Educate and Advocate:

• Create Informative Content: Develop blog posts, articles, and videos that highlight the benefits of providing 10 square feet per chicken. Use scientific studies, expert opinions, and anecdotal evidence to support your claims.
• Social Media Campaigns: Utilize platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to share your content and engage with the community. Use relevant hashtags to increase visibility.
• Online Forums and Communities: Participate in online forums and communities related to backyard chickens. Share your knowledge and engage in discussions.

2. Partner with Influencers and Experts:

• Collaborate with Chicken Experts: Connect with veterinarians, poultry experts, and experienced backyard chicken keepers who can endorse the 10 square feet per chicken standard.
• Leverage Influencer Reach: Partner with popular chicken-related influencers to promote your message to a wider audience.

3. Engage with Retailers:

• Direct Outreach: Contact retailers that sell chicken coops and explain the benefits of the 10 square feet standard. Provide them with educational materials and suggest ways they can incorporate this information into their marketing.
• Offer Incentives: Consider offering incentives, such as discounts or promotional materials, to retailers who adopt the 10 square feet per chicken standard.

4. Lobby for Regulatory Changes:

• Advocate for Local Regulations: Work with local government officials to explore the possibility of implementing regulations that require a minimum amount of space per chicken in backyard flocks.
• Support Industry Standards: Encourage industry organizations to adopt the 10 square feet per chicken standard as a recommended guideline.

5. Leverage Consumer Power:

• Encourage Consumer Education: Empower consumers to research chicken coop requirements and advocate for the 10 square feet standard when making purchases.
• Support Businesses That Align: Promote businesses that prioritize the well-being of chickens and adhere to the 10 square feet per chicken standard.

I highlighted the ones I think that I can do in purple.

I am legit sick of this being something you have to correct instead of something that everyone just knows, because it is the default information, when you first begin learning how to keep chickens. We can effect change.

A lot of people don't like reading too much info these days, but they love a guessing competition! It's fast, fun and competitive! You could start one on social media. Upload a coop pic and have ppl guess how many birds it could fit. You could do a different coop each week. You could also start a petition on one of those activist site and share it for ppl to support. Good luck, I love what you're doing, stay on fire!

 

[Appalachickens]

There was a really good native NC grower but they just got slammed by Helene and are not currently in business I think. Idk how far you are but Tennessee Naturescapes is an incredible one and they have a lot that would be native to NC too! It can be surprisingly hard to find natives, which is insane cause they should be used most often for ease and habitat benefits!

You know if you accidentally knock a flat of something like ivy on the ground at Home Depot or Lowe's they usually just throw the plants away...

I LOVE Tennessee Naturescapes. I never leave without several boxes of native plants.