Can a coop be "too big?"

[Oakville Shooter]

OK, I am new to all of this. I have 12 2 week old RIR chicks in a brooder and no coop. I have been reading quite a bit lately trying to decide what I want to build and hoping that the snow will go away in time for me to finish construction before they outgrow the brooder.

Initially, I was thinking of something in the 8X12 range with a run. Then I started looking at 8X16. Reading on here about how addictive this can be, and knowing that I already want more than what I have, I am now thinking about 10X16. That way, I can partition off a portion for feed storage and maybe a section as a brooder that could later be incorporated back into the main coop if needed in the future.

One downside that I am thinking about is that it may be harder to keep a larger coop warm in the Winter if I don't have a lot of chickens. My thoughts on the partition(s) is to just use chicken wire or welded wire, so the entire area would be the same temperature and need to be heated.

So what are your thoughts?

 

[trilyn]

If you can afford it-GO BIG. Bigger than you think-I am kicking myself for not giving in and making mine bigger. This spring, I will be expanding my run and building another coop! Poor dh.........

 

[95yj]

bigger is always better, ALWAYS!

 

[valentinebaby]

Absolutely go as large as you can afford! I wanted something to "tuck in" to a section of my backyard and was more concerned with it being tall enough for me to stand in and look pleasing from my back porch. Then after I built my coop, I realized that I rarely go inside since it's elevated and I can easily do housecleaning from the outside. I should have made more square footage and less height (you can see my coop in it's beginnings on my BYC page). I went from 8' to a 7' slope in the back and really didn't need to go much more than 6' to 5' - I'm only 5' 10 1/2". Oh well! So plan on going large!

 

[Oakville Shooter]

Quote:
This brings up a great question. How tall are the interiors of your coops? (A general question, not directed at valentinebaby) With the size coops that I am looking at, I will obviously have to go inside to clean it and I am 6 foot tall. So I was thinking of 8' walls if I use an A-Frame roof. Or a 8' to 6' slope if I go with a flat sloped roof. I have yet to decide which style roof I want to use. Are their any advantages or disadvantages of either style?

 

[teach1rusl]

And even if you don't end up using a heat lamp or some other heat source next winter, you can always add a temporary huddle box to reduce "space" seasonally. I've never heard anyone complain of having too big a coop...only too small.

ETA roof info... We have a peaked roof, and the ceiling is insulated. Although our coop is smallish (6 x 8 walk-in), it's large for our five chickens. To reduce space and conserve heat, we added a temporary drop down ceiling made of framed panels w/more insulation stapled in. It's just held in w/ wooden brackets screwed into the walls. We're going to test whether it's better to leave it or remove it come warm/hot weather....not sure which will give us better air flow yet.

 

[M To The Maxx]

The bigger the coop is the more chickens you can get!

 

[Oakville Shooter]

Y'all are starting to scare my wife.

 

[Ms~Silkie~Girl]

Bigger is better, go as big as you can afford! that means MORE chickens!!

 

[ChicksR4Me]

We started out with 13 chickens. Converted our shed to a coop. Put in windows and a chicken door and run. 1 1/2 year later we now have 3 coops and have built on to the original coop and are up to 43 chickens. I still want more but don't want to over crowd them but thinking of sectioning off part of the barn. I guess I'm hooked.