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Author Topic: House space ?????  (Read 2559 times)

paulsou

  • Joined May 2009
House space ?????
« on: August 01, 2009, 12:17:46 pm »
I have a chicken house which is 4ft x 4ft & 5ft high, could someone tell me how many chickens i can keep in house this size?

jameslindsay

  • Joined Feb 2009
  • Nr St Andrews, Fife
  • "Blossom" one of my Pygmy Goats
Re: House space ?????
« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2009, 12:37:14 pm »
I would say 6/8 at the very most?

shetlandpaul

  • Joined Oct 2008
Re: House space ?????
« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2009, 03:24:40 pm »
depends on size of hen. i made my first one 4x4 for six. built others the chickens seem to like being crowded. some times we have to drag another half dozen out of there. but 4-6 would be a good number.

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: House space ?????
« Reply #3 on: August 01, 2009, 08:46:54 pm »
I assume they will free range and just sleep / lay in the house. If so, you'll need a nest box for every four / five hens and 9-12" perch space per hen.

BlackRocks

  • Joined Jul 2009
  • Wokingham, Near Reading, Berkshire
Re: House space ?????
« Reply #4 on: August 02, 2009, 08:11:55 pm »
When I was researching before getting my hens I read that they only actually need 8 inches of perch space each (full sized hens)as they like to huddle together. So I guess the overall perch length is the critical factor. You have to have them all on the same level though so that they don't pooh on each other at night ! Does that sound right to others? :)

DJ_Chook

  • Joined Jun 2009
  • Mid Wales
  • Chicken mad, nothing else just chickens.
Re: House space ?????
« Reply #5 on: August 02, 2009, 08:45:19 pm »
Some say 1 to 2 square foot floor space per bird. I allow 2 square foot, so I would put 8 hens in a 4x4ft house. At the moment, one of the coops I have is 24sq ft, but the 12 girls all cram into the 4 nest boxes and sleep piled ontop of one another. Leaving enough room for me to sleep in the coop.  ;D
Chicken nutter extraordinaire.

 

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