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In my dwelling in the city I have a yard about 2000 sqft. Of that, about 1600 is paved with concrete and 400 has dirt. On the dirt I have about 10 fruit trees so they are quite packed, leaving less space between trees.
With this setup, do you think it's possible to keep some free-range chicken to provide my own meat? How many can be kept for a space like this?
And if I want to eat 2 chickens per week, how big a flock do I need to ensure continuous supply of chicken? I heard it's 2 months to get to slaughter weight.
I don't think you have enough room for it. Chickens can be pretty messy, especially in a confined space. Definitely would not call them free-range chickens. You might be able to have a very limited number for eggs. We used to have about 10 chickens and the coons and snakes were pretty tough on them.
Robert...I can't help but grin at some of your posts...you really need to get out of the Bay Area if you want to follow your dreams. I think back to my own dreams from the "back to the land movement" of the 60's and 70's....that took me from the Bay Area to a remote farm in the Ozarks....what a trip. Mother Earth News has been a good source for homesteading/backyard farming information for decades.
In my dwelling in the city I have a yard about 2000 sqft. Of that, about 1600 is paved with concrete and 400 has dirt. On the dirt I have about 10 fruit trees so they are quite packed, leaving less space between trees.
With this setup, do you think it's possible to keep some free-range chicken to provide my own meat? How many can be kept for a space like this?
And if I want to eat 2 chickens per week, how big a flock do I need to ensure continuous supply of chicken? I heard it's 2 months to get to slaughter weight.
In a coop you need about 4 square feet per bird or they'll start pecking each other to death.
Cornish cross chickens will reach butcher weight at about 10-12 weeks. If you're figuring on eating 2 chickens per week, you'll have to figure on replacing chickens at 2 per week.
If you start with a flock of 20 birds it will be at least 2 months until you can start eating them, o you'd need to start another flock of 20 when you start eating the first bunch.
That's assuming no disease, rats, cats, dogs, raccoons, hawks etc don't get some of them before you do.
On my ranch I figure in at least a 25% loss. You're results may vary.
If you want fresh chicken for supper it will mean butchering twice a week. Or you could grow your flock to size, process them all at once and freeze. That would free up space for the next flock.
Free range in a small space like you're talking isn't really feasible, but a nice coop with a small yard for exercise, fed extra garden scraps or extra fruit from your trees, you'd get pretty much the same results.
Hi Robert,
I have raised chickens for a long time but I’m no expert.
I slaughter a couple many years ago.
I just hated doing that so never again for me.
I raise for eggs.
My magic number that works for my family is 3.
I’ve done the big coop thing before as well but 3 works the best for our egg needs.
Backyard chicken forums is nice place to learn things.
We did the amazon chicken coop thing but they are rather tiny.
When they say that they can hold 6 hens expect them to work for 2 hens.
Tractor supply has nice coops.
Which ever route you go do it as easy as possible.
The water system should have nipples.
The food system should be the kind where they have to put their heads into.
No mess at all and keeps labor/food costs way down and is much more sanitary which means healthier birds.
In my dwelling in the city I have a yard...do you think it's possible to keep some free-range chicken to provide my own meat? How many can be kept for a space like this?
You say you live in a city. What does the city say about keeping chickens?
Or do you not plan to tell the and wait to see if someone complains about the smell and noise?
You need a rooster, if you are not going to want to have to keep buying chicks...
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