Will this be enough space?

[RaraAvis]

I'm getting my first chickens soon! Yippee!

I am currently in the throes of designing my coop/yard...wondering if I am allowing enough space.

I plan on a flock of 6-12 birds...probably Rhode Islands and/or Barred Rocks or similar varieties. I'm looking at building an 8x8x8 coop, and a run that will be about 14x20. Chickens will be kept in the run while I'm at work 8-5, and let out to range in the yard when I'm at home in the evenings, working in the garden or riding my horses.

I've done the sq foot math and know this fits in the generally described "minimum" space requirements, but from a practical, everyday standpoint, is this situation adequate?

 

[Tanichca]

it should work.

 

[cafarmgirl]

I have 8 birds in roughly the same amount of space, they are also let out into my pasture for 2 to 3 hours a day and they do just fine.

 

[elmo]

Try it first at the 6 bird stocking level to see how you like it. Once you've gotten your feet wet, so to speak, you can decide then if you want to add more birds later, or if 6 birds are plenty.

You'll never be sorry to have more room, only the converse.

 

[obaan1]

I agree. Start with a "short stack" and go from there.

 

[Rose66]

Quote:
Okay, maybe I'm misunderstanding this sqft stuff. According to Storey's book, the minimum open coop space for full grown heavy birds is 4 sqft per bird. An 8x8 coop has 64sqft in it so wouldn't that fit 16 full grown heavy birds comfortably? And then I've read where each bird should have 10sqft of outdoor run and a 14x20 is 280sqft so that would hold 28 full grown heavy birds comfortably? Math has never been my strong point so please correct me if I'm wrong.

Of course, I know that just because you may have the room for "x" amount of birds doesn't mean you "have" to have that many birds but I need to know if I'm figuring the sqft correctly or not. Thanks!

 

[Lbrad7]

You will have more than enough room for that amount of birds especially since you plan to allow them free range time when you are home. As far as starting with a fewer amount then adding more....I would go with the full amount so they will be raised together and have a set pecking order. When you add birds to an established flock there is a settling down time that I like to avoid whenever possible. The re-establishment of the pecking order can be brutal and a pain in the back side. Either idea will work fine...that is just how I would recomend doing it.

Good luck to you! Keep us posted on how it goes.

 

[farmer_lew]

Quote:
Okay, maybe I'm misunderstanding this sqft stuff. According to Storey's book, the minimum open coop space for full grown heavy birds is 4 sqft per bird. An 8x8 coop has 64sqft in it so wouldn't that fit 16 full grown heavy birds comfortably? And then I've read where each bird should have 10sqft of outdoor run and a 14x20 is 280sqft so that would hold 28 full grown heavy birds comfortably? Math has never been my strong point so please correct me if I'm wrong.

Of course, I know that just because you may have the room for "x" amount of birds doesn't mean you "have" to have that many birds but I need to know if I'm figuring the sqft correctly or not. Thanks!

You have done the math correctly. An 8x8 coop will accomodate 16 hens, max (at 4 sqft each). 6 - 12 hens should be very comfortable in a coop that size.

 

[gsim]

Sounds good for coop. But I would make run double the size you mentioned at least. For one person, 6 pullets are going to provide enough eggs.

See 'My BYC Page' for ideas, floor plan, etc.

Gerry