Will a 4 by 6 building hold 25 8- 18 week olds chickens?

[catdaddy66]

Sorry BarredBuff. Got wound up in me...I would build your tractor bigger as 24 sf will fit 6 at 4 sf/chick and 12 at 2 sf/chick.

 

[Keri78]

I think it would be fine!

I have a "chickie barn" that is about that size and there is tons of room! It just has two "shelves" that run around the walls of the building. One on top and one underneath with a ledge so the eggs don't roll off. Then on one wall there is a little section on nesting boxes about 9(they really haven't even slept in them yet they prefer to just hundle together with their sleeping buddies) And I have a few that prefer the floor! I could even add more nesting boxes or just shelves to the back wall if I wanted to. I just figured out where they poop at night and placed sticky lam.tiles in those spots so it's easier to wipe the poo off in the morning. And the rest of the barn and ledges and boxes and floor is covered with hay and it smells good like a barn! When they get snowed in is the only time they stay in the barn the rest of the time they love to be out free ranging around(even in the rain...I think they are part duck?)

Are you planning to free range or are you attaching a run? I started out with one chicken tractor which led to a second tractor which led to the barn!

I LOVE my barn and just letting them do their thing! I still use my one tractor for a rowdy roo boy that needs to learn better mannors...it will be the "breeding pen" this spring. And the other tractor will be for my young chickies when they are old enough to be outside but not old enough to join the flock yet. Soo...my tractors(with attached hutches for sleeping) do come in handy but it's WAY easier to maintain the barn ...so much cleaner when you just let them run around and "fertilize" your yard!

Blessings,Keri PS. I have 15 chickens now and plan to double that this spring!

 

[speckledhen]

My original coop was 8x8. I had 10 hens, added a rooster, and that seemed the perfect number in that space; we added some birds the following year, but it became apparent that there would have to be an addition ASAP. A great rule is to build a bit larger than you think you will need. This is a hobby that tends to snowball; we ended up with too many birds at one time, then downsized a bit and things were sure alot easier to keep clean and dry.

 

[Manok-Tao]

I'm in the process of building a fixed coop with a foot print of 6X8 (48 sq ft). After I subtract a storage closet (accessed from outside) nest boxes, feed area I actually have 40 sq ft. I was originally going to go with 10 pullets but am going to drop that down to 8. This will give a little space to allow me to add a bird or two (before the additions to the coop start, Just getting started in this and belive that I will get addicted and add on already)
My suggestion on starting out with a large group of birds in a possibly cramped space is this.
I've researched and researched the pros and cons of a coop, tractor, fixed, small, big etc. I think I looked at every coop design in the coop area on this site, made notes on what I liked. I realized that I had to make things easy for ME first, the birds are much easier to please. I don't want an eye sore in m y yard either. A tractor was ruled out very little of my property is level. A fixed coop had the best potential to make things easy on me and great for the birds. ( I had 4 RSL hens a couple years ago and they taught me alot).
For me the things I had to have
1. Has to look good
2. Easy access to water & electricity
3. Easy access to feed, clean, harvest, enjoy
4. Placed in the yard for best sunlight, least winter....
5. Have contained storage
6. Have easy egg access
7. Hassle free to add lights for increased daylight in winter
8. Able to completly insulate so I don't need heat in winter and can vent well in summer
9. Able to withstand any inclement weather
10 Easy to clean
11. Able to attach a huge fully enclosed run without interfering with other yard activities
12. access to area for free range
13. easy to add on to
I feel the more I research and learn the happier I'll be when I go pick up my pullets.

Maybe build the tractor your planning and start with less birds, see how the tractor works for you and then go from there?
John