Stocking density
A shed holds a weight of chicken, not a number of birds. Put the dimensions in and get the ceiling for your target weight, house type and season.
The shed
The flock
20,000 birds at 2kg is 35.9 kg/m² — over the 32 kg/m² ceiling by 2,163 birds. Crowding at the end of the cycle costs more in FCR, mortality and downgrades than the extra birds are worth.
Density is a limit on weight, not on bird count — a shed holds so many kilograms of chicken, and the count falls out of the target weight. Summer ceilings are lower because heat load, not floor space, becomes the binding constraint.
Maximum birds
17,837
at 2kg, 32 kg/m² · 0.67 sq ft per bird
TYPICAL COMMERCIAL CEILINGS · CHECK ANY BUYER OR WELFARE SCHEME YOU SUPPLY
Plan the next placementCeilings used here
| House | Summer | Winter |
|---|---|---|
| Environmentally controlled | 32 kg/m² | 38 kg/m² |
| Open house | 24 kg/m² | 30 kg/m² |
TYPICAL COMMERCIAL PRACTICE · BUYERS, EXPORT SCHEMES AND WELFARE CERTIFICATIONS OFTEN SET LOWER LIMITS — CHECK YOURS