How much space?

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OldForum
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How much space?

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Emma 17.04.07
Hi everyone,

My husband and I are working slowly towards keeping chickens. We're in the process of securing our garden and are getting to know a local breeder. We've brought a 2nd hand chicken coop and run (my afternoons are spent brushing and scrapping the thing!) but from what I read and heard, I'm still hazy on how many chickens we could keep in the coop.

The coop is 120cm x90 x to about 90 (pointed roof) and has three nesting boxes. We plan to let the chickens have run of the garden when someones about, or in the run if not.

We were only thinking of between 2-4 chickens, but based on some books we COULD house more like 10.

Is the maths right? More importantly would that be ok for the chickens?

If the coop could fit 10 and we only keep say 4, is there any down side to that?

Thank you for any advice you may be able to give, Em

Mo
I think (just my feelings) that if the run is about the same size as the coop 10 would be crowded when they couldn't go out. Image a hen taking up the space of the nest box and you'll get an idea how much room to move around they'll have.
On the other hand if you only had 2 and one of them stopped laying (broody / moult etc) you would be very short of eggs.
I think Richard has given dimensions (is it 10" of perch / bird) somewhere else on the forum or Site.
I'll go out and measure my arc later and post again.


Jill
Emma
I have 8 hens in a 6'x4' shed. I could keep alot more than that according to the 'rules', but I wouldn't keep more than 10 in there. They also have a run which is 2m x 1m which is far too small. We are building another one 3 times the size. They also have the run of the garden most afternoons, although this will have to be curtailed now the veg is going in.
In a coop your size, i wouldn't keep more than 3 hens of average size. The run would have to be 3 times that size for them to really have a good time.
The more room they have to roam around the less chance of bullying.

Richard
Hi Emma,

You could indeed have up to 10 in there (12 is at the one per square foot theory), but as said, it's a tad overcrowded and will get a bit smelly and 'dirty' quick - much cleaning etc.

They do huddle up together and I did write somehwre one per 10" of perch.
In fact, althought they have ample perching space to spread out a bit, mine still sit tight against each other.
Guess it's for warmth, security and simple companionship etc.

But as said, the Run is the thing and 10 chickens would soon decimate the area. I assume you're moving it around every few days?

Three would be perfect I reckon, 5 maximum.

There would be no down sides, they'll be happy wherever.

Good luck!

Keep us up-dated.

Bye for now, Richard

Emma
Wow! Thank you for such helpful responses, and so quickly too!

Yes, we were planning to move the run about, seems a sensible thing to do. And even if the welfare of the chickens wasn't reason enough to keep the numbers down, saving myself extra cleaning in the coop would be

I had vague plans for building a larger run during the summer anyway, and that looks to be one of my better big daft ideas!

Thanks, Emma

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