How much space for chickens?

[thebdj]

I'm becoming the question king! My wife finds it amusing that I now have something consuming more time than my Playstation!

I measured the run we allocated for the chickens and it is almost 675 square foot on the nose (just slightly more actually). It is currently inhabited by 3 hybrids (about 20 weeks) and 3 silkies (about 11 weeks). My question is, how much space is considered a good amount for a free range chicken? i.e., how many could I comfortably get in this space?

I am really happy that I am providing the girls a load of space and do not want to ever get to the point where I have so many chickens that I am tripping over them! But I am getting heavily into this and love all of the different breeds of chicken and so am already considering how many I can get

Given the space I have, is 100 square foot per chicken too extravagant? An unnecessary poultry luxury? A comfortable space? Not enough space?

The rather pathetic guidelines laid down by the likes of DEFRA et al as to what is considered free range are not my idea of free range.

Justin

[givingitago]

That sounds like a lot of space for 6 chickens. I believe that being free range is more to do with the chickens having access to outside areas and natural light. They do also get more space than non free range chickens but not as much as you might think. You could probably keep a couple of hundred chickens in your run and still call them 'free range'.

[err0l]

I have two runs that are about 600 square foot each and in one I keep 8 Silkies and in the other 8 Cream Legbars. The space is fine but I wish the same could be said for the grass, or lack of it. My solution is , this summer, to build 2 more identical runs so we can keep some Marans and have a spare run to rotate them with and allow the grass to recover. 675 square foot sounds like allot but really i would say it is ideal for 6 chickens with scope for 1 or 2 more small/ bantams.
Again I am not an expert and I am only speaking from personal experience, there are many factors that effect stocking density like soil quality or the use of wood chippings as a litter material.

Good Luck,
Errol

[happychicks]

Hi

I could never say how much is too much. I have a large garden now with only a few hens in it. I would much rather it be this way round. I suppose with your space you could have quite a few but its better the ones you have, have lots of space then having too many and them falling over each other.

I used to keep several hundered at one time, now a few in a large space. They are far happier this way.

Kindest regards

Simon

[thebdj]

Yeah I've been giving this some thought and I really need to curb my enthusiasm or get a bigger run. I am happy that the chickens I have, have a really good amount of space and I do not want them to become at all crowded. I have the 6 at the moment and there is a maximum of 2 to come but that is it. That works out at over 80 square foot per chicken which I think is a good amount, not stunning, but really not bad at all

[happychicks]

Hey its not bat whatsoever and its also nice that you are giving that amount to a small number. You will have some very Happy Chicks to coin a phrase.

I wish I have that amount lol

Simon