How big is an 8lb chicken?

[sqweek01]

Hello Chook Peeps

Before I think my chook house is built & ready to paint I'm wondering if the pop-hole will be big enough.

I've been looking at breeds on the omlet website but nothing says how big the chooks are, so I looked at Hendersons Chicken Breed chart and this mentions birds in poundage.

The birds I like are: Cochins, Orpingtons, Plymouth Rocks, Marans & Sussex. From what I've read all those apart from Marans have bantam versions. Apart from looking at plucked ones in the freezer I have no idea of what size pop-hole any of these birds would need. (Well a frozen chicken wouldn't really need one!)

Please can anyone advise?

Regards

Clare

[Bramble-Poultry]

Theres a maran bantam, there is however not a cochin bantam!

Biggest you are looking at there is a cochin or orpington, I suggest a 10"w x 12"h hole would be sufficient, most of our holes are a foot square (its an easy measure) and all of our birds are fine. Even goiath our massive cockerel stray and Nick our black cochin cock - I think those are about our 2 biggest.

[Snadger]

I have three cockerels now and they barely get through the pophole, even while stooping!

It really depends if you are going to be keeping cockerels or not because compared to the hens they are massive.

Whilst agreeing with BP about the width 12 inch should be adequate I don't think mine would get through a 12 inch height! My pophole is 15 inches high and the cockerels are struggling at the mo. 18 inches would be more comfortable for them as they stand 30 inches high!

For hens though, a 12 inch X 12 inch would be adequate!

[Bramble-Poultry]

yeah. goliath (stands 26" tall) can get through the pop hole, but he does have to stoop. Nick or Cochin cockerel is around 24" tall if he stretches and he stoops as well. however, we could build larger pop holes, but we experience a lot of wind here from across the fields (there are 46 acres of grass between me and next door) so the wind really hits us hard. Therefore we opted for a smaller pop hole to try and keep the draughts in the coop down.

a smaller pop hole will therefore help the birds regulate the temperature in the coop better but you will find if its too small then they may end up squeezing through and scraping their fathers against the sides!

a "standard" hen will fit easily through a 12 or 14" square hole.

With regards to a cochin bantam, you are probably reading that in an american publication as they refer to the Pekin as a cochin bantam.

pekin's and Cohin's are unrelated and are not size forms of each other - they arrived in the country at completely different times, the only link is that they were both introduced from China during the Victorian era.

Queen Victoria was reputed to have a fine collection of Cochin's which cemented there popularity during those times.

[HayleyB]

Jeepers 2.5ft Cockerels - Scary

[sqweek01]

Thanks Peeps,

I'd love to have a cockeral but I'm not sure my neighbours would think so I did have a look at the supermarket last night and the biggest chicken I could find was 2.5kg, maybe I shoud've waited til the turkeys were in!

My pop-hole is 10"(w) x 16"(H) at the moment, so I'll extend it a couple of inches just in case. I never thought how big cockerals could get, those are huge! (must resist temptation for jokes!)

Regards
Clare

[HayleyB]

look at the supermarket last night and the biggest chicken I could find was 2.5kg, maybe I shoud've waited til the turkeys were in!

ROFLMAO, so funny *wipes tears from eyes

[Bramble-Poultry]

clare thatw ill be fine as a pop hole - you can always extend it later if tehy are struggling but realistically it should be fine.

Hayley - yep hes a big boy - if you're gonna have one have a big un!!!

[Hilary B]

Thanks Peeps,

I'd love to have a cockeral but I'm not sure my neighbours would think so I did have a look at the supermarket last night and the biggest chicken I could find was 2.5kg, maybe I shoud've waited til the turkeys were in!

My pop-hole is 10"(w) x 16"(H) at the moment, so I'll extend it a couple of inches just in case. I never thought how big cockerals could get, those are huge! (must resist temptation for jokes!)

Regards
Clare

2.5Kg = nearly 6lb, and that is 'carcase weight'. 8lb live weight is probably a little smaller than that (in fact, if it was a 'without giblets' carcase, the live weight was probably nearer 12lb).