I strongly suggest a deep bedding system of at least 12 inches or more. Take into account how thick you want your bedding pack to be when you design new coops. Unlike with trough systems, I’ve never had a chick drown on a nipple valve, and I’ve never seen a flock not take to a valve system.
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As a side note, as you’re looking into how to raise baby chicks, remember that day one is a perfect time to start birds on a nipple valve system. I’ve seen some suggest up to 15 hens per valve, but more the merrier in my opinion. If you’ve made the transition to nipple valves, which is a far better system in so many ways, you’ll want one nipple valve per every 10 hens. This measurement rule includes round bell water dispensers and steel double-wall waterers. If you’re using an open-trough-style waterer, you’ll need to supply at least one inch of linear trough space per bird. Unlike floor space and nests, everyone seems to be on the same page with the three-inch rule for feeder space. Regardless of the type of feeder, there should be three inches of linear feeder space per bird to avoid competition between birds. Feeder Spaceįeeders come in all shapes and sizes. Be sure to have enough roost and nest boxes for your hens, otherwise, you may stress the girls out.
Most commercial operations shoot for one nest per six hens, so again, the ideal number is up for debate. Penn State Extension Service suggests one nest box per every four hens, although Virginia Tech suggests one box per every five hens. Having room for new hens to escape the floor and evade aggressive pen mates will help ease the transition. Having plenty of roost space is particularly important when introducing new chickens to an existing flock. Be sure to supply six linear inches of roost space per bird in the flock. I’m fond of using a good old two by four for a perch because they’re cheap and sturdy.
Roost SpaceĬhickens like to roost, and roosts add space to your existing barn or coop. When you’re deciding how to build a chicken coop, knowing how many birds you want in a flock will help determine the size of your coop. The University of New Hampshire recommends two square feet per broiler bird if you’re growing meat birds.
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The Merck Veterinary Manual suggests a whopping three feet squared per hen, so somewhere between those two numbers is likely best. An adult hen should have at least one and a half square feet of space according to Penn State Extension Service. Floor Spaceįloor space per bird is a debated topic these days, and the answer is dependent on who you ask. It’s okay to run a hobby flock, but if you want your flock to at least pay for its self or turn a buck, then understanding some basic business chicken math will help and guide you along your journey. Then there is the financial side of a flock. This is the math behind the basic operation of a happy flock. Things like square floor space, linear feeder space, birds per nest box and how many birds a single water nipple can serve all represent important physical chicken math. If you’re looking to start a flock that may even (gasp) turn a profit for a small farm or youth project, then this article should serve you well. For those of us who want to expand our home flock enough to feed more than just ourselves, there’s some vital chicken math to calculate. Chicken math is more than counting your eggs before they hatch.
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