About this site

Hen & Herd builds straightforward planning tools for smallholders and hobby farmers, starting with space calculators grounded in real welfare standards rather than rules of thumb.

Nine calculators live here so far — pigs, chickens, goats, sheep, rabbits, ducks, horses, alpacas and donkeys — each available for the UK and the US, since the standards genuinely differ between the two. Enter a headcount and get back a floor-space figure you can actually plan a build around, rather than a vague “give them plenty of room.”

Every number traces back to a real, cited source: UK statutory welfare codes and RSPCA Assured standards where they apply, and US industry or university extension guidance where they don’t. The Guides section covers the reasoning and caveats behind each figure in more depth, and every calculator links to the specific standard it uses.

This is a small, independently run site rather than a veterinary or legal authority — the calculators are a planning starting point, and anything that affects an animal’s welfare or your legal obligations is always worth a second check with your vet or local authority. See the privacy policy for what data this site collects, or get in touch with questions, corrections, or a species you’d like to see added.

Standards last checked: September 2026. Regulations and welfare guidance change over time — if you spot a figure that’s gone out of date, let us know.