new here have questions on how big a coop and run should be

Hi-

We are just getting started in raising chickens. I have been reading through the forums and coop designs and run designs. My husbands friend has (he thinks) 16 chickens that will be soon coming to live with us. they got out of his pen and so they are roosting everywhere so he is wanting to give them new home. We are in process of building a coop and run. we currently have a 16x16 raised deck that is not being used that we were thinking of using as base then putting floor over the deckboards and building a coop with a storage section. I'm wondering how big should the coop be to hold the 16+ chickens plus and new ones i might want to get? We live in central illinois and are trying to figure windows ventilation ect so we don't have to build tear apart rebuild ect...

Also on a run if we have the room its ok for it to be BIG? They will be able to free range when i am home but several days a week they will be in run.

Thanks for any suggestions you all have!

What breeds are the chickens you will be getting?

Can't go too big!

Do you really want them that close/attached to the house ... They create quite a lot of dust ...

5+ square feet per bird ... "Should be enough" space in the coop ... Depends on breed (temperament) and size (bantam or large fowl {regular sized}) 20 square ft in the run will allow them a bit a space, more won't hurt at all!

Do you plan on have some of the run covered? To give them winter time space outside, they don't mind the cold, but don't have snowshoes!

I don't know. The guy we are getting from doesn't know either As soon as i get i was going to take pics. The ones i saw are white, black, blackish with grey and red and brown. they are bigger chickens.

@123RedBeard the deck is a ways from the house it was there when we bought house and not sure why there is deck out there. We have never used it, we use the one attached to house!
I don't think these are bantam birds that we are getting i believe they are regular sized chickens.
Yes we were planning on covering and also putting up wind block in winter.

Larger breeds need a minimum of 5 sq ft of coop space per bird, and at least 12 sq ft of run space. If the coop is going to be their only shelter from winter weather, then you're going to need it to be extra big so they don't start getting on each other's nerves after being cooped up for a few days or weeks at a time. Lots of roosts at different heights is always a good idea. 2x4s with the wide side up work really well for roost bars in cold climates. They can keep their feet completely covered to avoid frostbitten toes. Ventilation should be as close to the roofline as possible, and there should be lots of it. Moist air inside the coop, in the winter, time will cause frostbite. Lots of ventilation, high up, is key to preventing it. Using windows as ventilation can cause a problem with drafts.

@junebuggena we are planning to have a run that will be covered over part of it and also will have wind/snow blocks up for winter.

I have a 16 x 16 shed with the coop built inside 6' of it, my winter population has been about 15 and it's worked well, I do have roost boards so that helps with 'space'.
Only used 6' of it because of several reasons, one being needing part of the shed for storage.
Check out My Coop page linked under my avatar.

OK, sounds like maybe there was once a pool or kids playground there ...

What size coop and run did your friend have?

@123redbeard he had a homemade hoop coop (not sure of size) which we are moving here but we want something a little sturdier. His run was extremely long and on either side of the coop.