square footage for hen house

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littlelune810

littlelune810

Chirping
Nov 6, 2015
106
4
58
Washington State
I am looking at some coops that are I guess you could say prefab... Its a kit actually, they're made locally and seem to be pretty good quality. My question though is about square foot per bird. I have read that you will want 2 sq ft per bird. Is that inside the hen house only or also including the run? Do you include the nesting boxes in the calculation? The coop I'm looking at says it's for 6-8 birds (the people who make them also raise chickens) but if I look at the square footage just of the hen house and not including the nesting boxes, it seems it would be better for only 3-4 chickens. Square footage of hen house only (without nesting boxes) is about 7.5 sq ft. Hen house plus run (without nesting boxes) brings it up to about 30 sq ft . I guess the nesting boxes would add about 2-3 more sq ft... So what do you think? Could I put 6 birds (mix of Ameracauna, Plymouth rock, Welsummer, Australorp) in there or closer to 4?
 
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The run should have 10 sq ft per standard sized bird or close to that at least. 2sq ft per bird is okay in the coop but some recommend 4 sq ft per standard size bird. Coops often say they hold more birds than the recommended amount. Though it could fit 6 chickens, possibly without problem, it is a higher chance they would be cramped, might cause behavior issues.
 
Zinniah said:
The run should have 10 sq ft per standard sized bird or close to that at least. 2sq ft per bird is okay in the coop but some recommend 4 sq ft per standard size bird. Coops often say they hold more birds than the recommended amount. Though it could fit 6 chickens, possibly without problem, it is a higher chance they would be cramped, might cause behavior issues.
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Ok. So this coop would be perfect for 3 or 4 birds?? I do plan to let them out for a few hours each afternoon in our yard as well. I would like to build our own coop, but I'm clueless when it comes to that kind of thing and I love my husband but it would probably never get finished by the time we get our chickies next spring... Even if he started now.
1f609.png
 
Please read reviews on premade kits for chicken coops. Since you bought yours locally, it might be different than the ones that they sell online. The ones online are pretty small inside. I wouldn't put more than 4 bantams in them or 2-3 normal sized birds. Most people spend a few hundred dollars for those and then end up selling them within six months. I see people selling them on craiglist for pretty cheap.

I've noticed that many people disagree on how many chickens per square foot per bird. The next town over passed a law that if you are going to keep chickens, you have to get a permit. They actually come out and look at the coop before you can buy the chickens from the local feed store. For the coop alone, you have to have 4 square feet per bird. Talking to the local feed store, they find that notion ridiculous.. especially if the chickens free range all day. I raise bantams and polish.. they are smaller than other birds so my experience will be different than most.
 
littlelune810 said:
Ok. So this coop would be perfect for 3 or 4 birds?? I do plan to let them out for a few hours each afternoon in our yard as well. I would like to build our own coop, but I'm clueless when it comes to that kind of thing and I love my husband but it would probably never get finished by the time we get our chickies next spring... Even if he started now.
1f609.png
Click to expand...

Yes 3 or 4 birds should be fine
 
izziebean said:
Please read reviews on premade kits for chicken coops.  Since you bought yours locally, it might be different than the ones that they sell online.  The ones online are pretty small inside.  I wouldn't put more than 4 bantams in them or 2-3 normal sized birds.  Most people spend a few hundred dollars for those and then end up selling them within six months.  I see people selling them on craiglist for pretty cheap. 

I've noticed that many people disagree on how many chickens per square foot per bird.  The next town over passed a law that if you are going to keep chickens, you have to get a permit.  They actually come out and look at the coop before you can buy the chickens from the local feed store.  For the coop alone, you have to have 4 square feet per bird.  Talking to the local feed store, they find that notion ridiculous.. especially if the chickens free range all day.  I raise bantams and polish.. they are smaller than other birds so my experience will be different than most. 
Click to expand...


Can I post a link to the coop I'm looking at so you guys can give me a better idea... Or is that taboo?
 
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