Square footage for chickens?

[wwarren8200]

My current coop is 8x8 (64 sq feet). I would like to see how many birds I can comfortably keep in my flock. Thanks- Will

 

[mrchicks]

Inside should be at least 4 square feet per bird, outside in the run needs to be 10 sq ft per bird minimum.

 

[wwarren8200]

16 birds just doesn't seem like a lot. The coop has a high ceiling. Any way to get more out of the high ceiling?

 

[mrchicks]

Not really. They will all usually roost at the same level. If you have too many birds in a coop they will start to pick on each other.

 

[wwarren8200]

Well at the moment I have 6 adult birds and 17 5 week old chicks. Just trying to see to it that they have plenty of room.

 

[LanceTN]

Mrchicks is right but he forgot one thing, in addition to the 4 sq ft a bird you need one foot of roost space per bird.

If you have a large coop you can fudge these numbers some, yours isn't large, or if you free range and the birds are only ever confined at night you can increase your population and be alright.

However if you are doing a typical small to medium coop and run you need to give the birds enough space.

 

[wwarren8200]

The run is probably 30 by 30 by 6 so they only go in at night but they like to get close together to sleep anyways. Most of their time is spent in the run. I keep the food in the coop too (hanging feeder) so they go in to eat also. They aren't cramped really at all.

 

[LanceTN]

Sounds like you have plenty of room for 15 to 18 birds assuming you have the roost space for them

 

[mrchicks]

Thank you LanceTN, I knew I was forgetting something.

 

[wwarren8200]

Thanks. I'll probably do a removable roost for them. I saw a guy on YouTube who had 40 chickens and had the same coop and run dimensions I had and he build a big roost in the coop along with two dozen nesting boxes and they had plenty of space. Would you consider doing something like that?