Ask three regulators, four certifiers, and five farmers about the space needed for free range chickens and you’ll get a spread from 2 square feet per hen to 108 square feet plus a warning that birds rarely wander more than 50–100 meters from shelter unless there’s cover. The number you choose drives welfare outcomes, pasture health, predator risk, and egg or meat yields per acre.
If you want a direct answer: plan from 40–150 square feet per hen outdoors to keep ground cover without rotation, or 108 square feet if you want to match common “pasture raised” labels; with paddock rotation, you can use smaller active areas but must schedule rest. Below, you’ll find the main standards, the biology behind space use, and practical layouts that actually work.
What Different Standards Require
European Union “free-range” eggs require no more than 2,500 hens per hectare outdoors about 4 square meters (≈43 square feet) per hen and a maximum indoor stocking density of 9 hens per square meter of usable floor (≈1.2 square feet per bird). The outdoor area must be mainly covered with vegetation and available during most of the bird’s life. Many EU producers aim for better than the minimum (e.g., 6–7 hens/m² indoors) to reduce pecking and crowding.
Australia’s national free-range egg standard allows up to 10,000 hens per hectare if hens have meaningful outdoor access and the label discloses the density. That equates to 1 square meter (≈10.8 square feet) per hen outdoors. Critics argue vegetation is hard to maintain at this density without rotation or heavy replanting in dry climates; defenders point to shaded, irrigated ranges and flock management that spreads birds.
In the United States, “free range” is not tied to a numeric space requirement by the USDA for eggs; it mainly refers to outdoor access. Third-party programs add numbers: as of 2024, Certified Humane “Free Range” requires at least 2 square feet of outdoor space per hen and daily access; “Pasture Raised” requires 108 square feet per hen with mobile or distributed shelters. American Humane’s “Free Range” is more expansive than 2 square feet (commonly cited at roughly 21.8 square feet), and its “Pasture Raised” also uses 108 square feet. Program manuals do change, so confirm current figures if you need label compliance.
What Birds Actually Use And Why It Matters
Hens do not distribute themselves evenly across a field. Most foraging occurs within the first 10–50 meters of the house unless there is shade, windbreak, or shrub cover that extends the “comfort zone.” Where trees or artificial shelters punctuate the range, birds use more of it; without cover, hawk vigilance keeps them close to exits. Practically, placing shrubs or shade every 20–30 meters can double the proportion of birds seen in the far third of the paddock during daylight.
Behavior and health are tied to density but also to design. Indoors, the EU maximum of 9 hens/m² is a legal limit, not a target; many farms see lower feather pecking and fewer keel bone injuries around 6–7 hens/m² with perches and partitions. Outdoors, cramped yards (under about 20–30 square feet per hen) tend to become bare, increasing dust and parasite exposure; at 100+ square feet per hen with cover, you typically see cleaner plumage, lower footpad dermatitis, and more natural foraging. Evidence on the exact thresholds is mixed across breeds and climates, but the direction is consistent: more usable, sheltered space reduces stress behaviors.
Pasture condition sets a practical floor under any free-range number. Without rotation, continuous occupancy often scalps turf below about 40–60 square feet per hen in temperate climates; in dry regions, even 100 square feet can go bare. With paddock rotation that provides 2–4 (or more) weeks of rest longer in wet, cool weather where parasites persist vegetation can rebound at 30–80 square feet per hen of active area. Sunlight and drying help break coccidia cycles; shade and dampness prolong them, so rest periods should lengthen during rainy seasons.
Planning Space By Outcome
Backyard flocks (5–20 hens). For sleeping and laying, allow roughly 3–4 square feet per hen in the coop, 8–10 inches of perch length per bird, and at least one nest for every 3–4 layers. For the yard, if you want grass to survive without rotation, aim for 40–100 square feet per hen, with at least 20–30 percent of that area shaded (trees, shade cloth, or a pergola). If your lot cannot spare that, accept a “sacrifice area” of bare ground and manage it as deep litter or sand to control mud and parasites; then let birds roam a lawn only a few hours daily.
Small farms (100–1,000 hens). Choose a target based on your goal: label-compliant minimal outdoor access (often 2–22 square feet per hen) yields the highest eggs per acre but requires meticulous range design to avoid crowding at doors; vegetation-preserving free-range (50–150 square feet per hen) balances welfare and pasture; pasture-raised branding (108+ square feet) prioritizes grazing behavior and aesthetics. Rotation is the force multiplier: divide your range into 4–8 paddocks, move or close access when sward cover falls to 50–60 percent, and rest for 3–5 weeks. Many farms keep water within 25 meters of where birds congregate so they don’t camp only at the house.
Layers vs. broilers. Layers range farther and spend more time exploring; broilers are heavier, heat-prone, and less mobile, so they use shade and edges more than open grass. For broilers on day-range (not tractors), plan 75–150 square feet per bird if the area is static, or smaller active areas with 1–2 week grazes and 3–4 week rests. Keep shade and water extremely close within 10–20 meters or birds will loaf near the building, concentrating manure. For layers, 100–200 birds per mobile shelter with 108 square feet per hen outdoors is a common pasture-raised configuration that keeps grass intact with weekly moves.
Layout, Predation, And Weather Constraints
Ranging fails when exits bottleneck. Multiple pop-holes spread along the length of the house reduce crowding and encourage timid hens to go out. Doors should open onto dry footing; a 2–3 meter apron of gravel or wood chips prevents mud slicks that birds avoid. If only one side of the house has doors, the first 10–20 meters on that side will bear most of the wear, so place portable shade and feed farther out to pull birds across the paddock.
Predator pressure shapes real space use. Overhead raptors deter ranging unless there is cover; aim to provide punctuated shade/cover “islands” at 10–20 meter intervals using shrubs, low tunnels, or shade structures, and keep grass at 8–15 cm height to balance insect habitat with line-of-sight. Perimeter fencing reduces fox and dog losses; in high-risk areas, add a hot wire at 15–20 cm and 45–50 cm heights. Some farms string kite lines or lightweight monofilament across small yards to discourage hawks; effectiveness varies by site.
Heat, cold, and rain change the usable area. Shade can drop ground-level temperatures by 5–10°C in summer, making far paddocks attractive; windbreaks (hedges, snow fencing) extend use in winter. Provide at least two watering points outdoors for flocks over ~150 birds so dominant hens don’t monopolize the closest drinker. In wet seasons, double rest periods to let soils drain and sunlight sanitize surfaces; otherwise parasites and bacteria accumulate even if your nominal square feet per bird look generous on paper.
Conclusion
Pick your number by purpose: for basic free-range with live vegetation, plan 40–150 square feet per hen (static) or use rotation with 30–80 square feet active and 2–5 week rests; for certification signaling robust outdoor life, budget 108 square feet. Then make the space usable multiple exits, frequent shade and cover, close water, and predator barriers because birds only benefit from the area they actually occupy.