Confused

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MaBell2001

MaBell2001

In the Brooder
Mar 26, 2016
35
1
36
Indiana
I guess I am bad at math! Do you add coop space plus run space to figure how large to make your pen? I plan on free ranging the birds and keeping 8 to 10 birds . How big does the coop need to be? The run? The only time I can imagine confining them to the coop/run would be when we vacation, for easy to whoever feeds them. I was thinking coop plus run being 8x10 or 10x10.
We have a roofed 10x10 dog pen that has a dog box attached to the outside we made a few years ago. Thinking of doing something similar for the chickens. Thoughts?
I have read posts and still am confused. :) sorry in advanced. Just want a happy healthy flock.
 
The coop space recommendation is 4 sq ft per bird and 1-2 ft roosting space per bird. The run should be 10 sq ft per bird. The coop and run spaces should be added for calculating the size of your pen. You could however, consider raising your coop of the ground to free up run space (i.e. reduce the size of your overall pen). If you go with 10 hens, to simplify the maths, then you would need:

4 sq ft *10 = 40 ft for the coop
10 sq ft * 10 = 100 feet for the run

Total pen size would need to be 140 feet if the coop is to be on the ground and 100 ft if it was raised.

Hope this helps a little

CT
 
CTKen has covered the 4/10 rule of thumb well.
Tho I think that 1 foot of roost per bird is sufficient....the 4/10 rule is a bare minimum in most cases.

Free ranging doesn't really allow you to skimp on coop space unless you live somewhere where it never rains or snows, and run space should be as large as possible if you plan on confining them while gone on vacation....or have a predator event that deems confining to run prudent.

What is your climate? Putting your location in your profile can help folks give better answers/suggestions.

How many birds do you plan to have?
 
aart said:
CTKen has covered the 4/10 rule of thumb well.
Tho I think that 1 foot of roost per bird is sufficient....the 4/10 rule is a bare minimum in most cases.

Free ranging doesn't really allow you to skimp on coop space unless you live somewhere where it never rains or snows, and run space should be as large as possible if you plan on confining them while gone on vacation....or have a predator event that deems confining to run prudent.

What is your climate? Putting your location in your profile can help folks give better answers/suggestions.

How many birds do you plan to have? 
Click to expand...

Hi, I will work on my profile. SW Indiana, so weather is unpredictable. Just bought an 8x8 coop, which is way bigger than I need. I want between 8 and 12 birds. I have 15 chicks now, but not sure how many are roosters that I will need to rehome. It is very solid coop!
 
MaBell2001 said:
Hi, I will work on my profile. SW Indiana, so weather is unpredictable. Just bought an 8x8 coop, which is way bigger than I need. I want between 8 and 12 birds. I have 15 chicks now, but not sure how many are roosters that I will need to rehome. It is very solid coop!
Click to expand...

Funny how many who start with "way bigger than I need" regret not having built bigger ...
hmm.png
 
MaBell2001 said:
Hi, I will work on my profile. SW Indiana, so weather is unpredictable. Just bought an 8x8 coop, which is way bigger than I need. I want between 8 and 12 birds. I have 15 chicks now, but not sure how many are roosters that I will need to rehome. It is very solid coop!
Click to expand...


A 8 x 8 coop isn't too big, I have 6 in a 8 x 9 coop and would only consider maybe 3 or 4 more. Those little chicks grow into big chickens! What seems like a lot of room now won't seems so in a few months
 

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