Animal welfare and poultry-keeping requirements vary between Australian states, territories and local councils. Check what applies where you live.
Welfare Standards Guide
The Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Poultry are nationally endorsed by state and territory agriculture ministers. They're intended to form the basis of nationally consistent animal welfare regulation, but it's each state and territory that puts them into effect through its own legislation — so the specific legal requirements, and how they apply to backyard (non-commercial) flocks, depend on where you live. Local councils may also have their own rules for keeping poultry. At Coop Castle, we've aligned our calculators to these national guidelines as a sensible planning baseline.
The National Guideline: All poultry (over 1 week old) should have at least 6 hours of darkness in every 24-hour period, with at least 4 of those hours being continuous.
The Fix: Ensure solar or security lights aren't bleeding into the roost. Whether this is a legal requirement depends on your state or territory's animal welfare legislation — but it's good practice everywhere.
The National Guideline: Provide at least one nest area for every 7 hens once they reach point of lay.
The Fix: If you have 8 hens, plan for 2 boxes. Our Coop Design Calculators automatically account for this ratio.
Coop Castle's Recommendation: Legal space requirements vary by jurisdiction and mostly target commercial operations, not backyard flocks. As a practical starting point, we recommend 1m² of clear run space per bird.
The National Guideline: Provide a suitable substrate (litter, shavings, or rice hulls) to allow for natural foraging and scratching behaviours.
Getting your setup right doesn't have to be complicated. Run your numbers through our calculators and check your breed selection against the National Climate Suitability Guide. For the specific rules that apply to you, check your state or territory government's animal welfare legislation and your local council.