Total chickens for a 10 x 6 run?

[chickensr4closers]

Good afternoon, fellow chicken lovers! So, I am curious what your thoughts are on how many chickens I can comfortably fit in a 6 x 10 run. The coop is attached and is 6' x 4'. Our girls have access to the coop and run at all times. They also can free range whenever I am outside with them, which is fairly often when the whether is nice enough for them. Currently, I have 2 splash cochins, an ayam cemani, and 2 silkies. All hens, no roos. I would love to add few more, and was wondering if that is wise. I know 8 -12 square feet is best for standard chickens, but considering i only have 2 standard hens (the AC is pretty small too, somewhere in between a bantem and standard in my opinion). I'd like to add a maran and an easter egger to the flock, if possible. Thoughts?

 

[Frankiegirl]

Hi there and welcome! While I am not an expert since I am working with my first flock as of this spring, everything I have read since joining BYC, the bigger the better and the rule of thumb is 10sf of run space per bird. Many will tell you to go bigger due to “chicken math”. If you have the room...go bigger.

Good Luck!!

 

[aart]

Good afternoon, fellow chicken lovers! So, I am curious what your thoughts are on how many chickens I can comfortably fit in a 6 x 10 run. The coop is attached and is 6' x 4'. Our girls have access to the coop and run at all times. They also can free range whenever I am outside with them, which is fairly often when the whether is nice enough for them. Currently, I have 2 splash cochins, an ayam cemani, and 2 silkies. All hens, no roos. I would love to add few more, and was wondering if that is wise. I know 8 -12 square feet is best for standard chickens, but considering i only have 2 standard hens (the AC is pretty small too, somewhere in between a bantem and standard in my opinion). I'd like to add a maran and an easter egger to the flock, if possible. Thoughts?

By minimum 'rule of thumb',
4sqft per bird in coop and 10sqft in run,
you could fit 6 birds.
BUT......
Integrating more birds works best with lots of space.
So your run is predator and weather proof?
Is the coop 6x4 not including nests, feeders, waterer, etc?
Pics might help here.

Welcome to BYC! @chickensr4closers
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[aart]

Oh, and, tips about.....
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[chickensr4closers]

Hi there and welcome! While I am not an expert since I am working with my first flock as of this spring, everything I have read since joining BYC, the bigger the better and the rule of thumb is 10sf of run space per bird. Many will tell you to go bigger due to “chicken math”. If you have the room...go bigger.

Good Luck!!

Hi there and welcome! While I am not an expert since I am working with my first flock as of this spring, everything I have read since joining BYC, the bigger the better and the rule of thumb is 10sf of run space per bird. Many will tell you to go bigger due to “chicken math”. If you have the room...go bigger.

Good Luck!!

Thanks so much! Chicken math is a real thing, isn't it? Lol.

 

[chickensr4closers]

By minimum 'rule of thumb',
4sqft per bird in coop and 10sqft in run,
you could fit 6 birds.
BUT......
Integrating more birds works best with lots of space.
So your run is predator and weather proof?
Is the coop 6x4 not including nests, feeders, waterer, etc?
Pics might help here.

Welcome to BYC! @chickensr4closers
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
View attachment 2282414

Hey there! Thank you for the reply. So I am located south of Seattle Washington. I will be sure to update my account with that information, so thank you for that! I only have five chickens right now, so I was posting this to see if adding more is a good idea because I would like more.

By minimum 'rule of thumb',
4sqft per bird in coop and 10sqft in run,
you could fit 6 birds.
BUT......
Integrating more birds works best with lots of space.
So your run is predator and weather proof?
Is the coop 6x4 not including nests, feeders, waterer, etc?
Pics might help here.

Welcome to BYC! @chickensr4closers
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
View attachment 2282414

By minimum 'rule of thumb',
4sqft per bird in coop and 10sqft in run,
you could fit 6 birds.
BUT......
Integrating more birds works best with lots of space.
So your run is predator and weather proof?
Is the coop 6x4 not including nests, feeders, waterer, etc?
Pics might help here.

Welcome to BYC! @chickensr4closers
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
View attachment 2282414

To answer some of your questions here, yes the run is fully covered and predetor proof. We have an apron attached. The coop has an external nesting box, so it does not take away any of the space in the coop. the food and water are placed in opposite corners of the run and most of their space is vertical. I'll have to take some photos to post them and will do that when I can get out there

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you really want more, I'd expand the run at the very least. As aart noted integration takes up space... adding clutter/obstacles takes up space, and birds need to be able to get away from each other within the open spaces between those.

 

[chickensr4closers]

Thank you! Well I don't have any mature chickens they're all chicks right now. And I was thinking that I wanted more total so now would be the time to get them so that they're all close to the same size and age.

 

[jewelg]

Oh, and, tips about.....
Integration Basics:

Oooh, all of this is great and just what I’ll need in a few weeks- thank you! Juicy juicy info!

 

[whiteboy]

Yes, you would be fine to add 2 more.