Free Range Chicken Square Feet

Certified humane free range.

Free range chicken square feet.

We d class free range as chickens that each have at least 25 square foot of outside space. 60 sq ft coop size. After you determine how much space you have in your garden for a chicken coop outside pen and free ranging you can figure out how many chickens you can optimally have. They say the chickens must be allowed access to some outdoor space.

I know the words free range evoke images of chickens scratching through the grass of an open field but this is just not the case in the commercial. If we give them 6 8 square feet per chicken that would be 60 80 square feet total. The usda sets the standards for a chicken to be sold as free range. Instead they use a much smaller yard.

How much space do 6 layers need. Having the right size chicken coop is not only efficient but also dictates the quality of life for your flock. Chickens must be outdoors for at least 6. Birds must be able to go outdoors for at least 6 hours a day.

And that s just for one chicken. This label requires at least 2 square feet about 0 2 square meters of outdoor space per bird with vegetation for grazing. Unless you have a chicken coop in your backyard or the access to and budget for farm fresh eggs every day you re probably spending some. I minimum square feet for happy chickens.

If you plan to create permanent runs and fencing use 250 square feet per bird or more. Few people can devote such acreage to a fenced chicken yard. Each hen must have access to 2 square feet of outdoor space which does not need to have growing vegetation. An acre has 43 560 square feet so your lovely grass yard needs to be at least 545 square feet per chicken or a square 23 feet on a side.

So an 8 8 or an 8 10 foot coop would be adequate assuming that you provide fresh ground regularly. Before you build or buy a chicken coop you need to make sure it s going to be the right size. A rule of thumb for free range space is 250 to 300 square feet per bird.