Coop size

[Lstumbo]

I am starting to make plans for a coop and run. I am wanting to start with 6 hens maybe move up to 12 when I get the hang of it. Question is I am planning on doing a 8x24 run with a raised 8x8 coop. Am I going overboard? My chickens will be unable to free range at any point because I have a cat with murder mittens!! TIA

 

[Sally PB]

"I wish I'd made my coop smaller," said nobody, ever.

Space will help make a lot of things easier. Integration. Brooding. Sick or injured birds. Storage. And of course, chicken math.

Good luck! Enjoy your chickens.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Can you give more details on plan for the 8x8 raised coop?

Will it be walk in?
Will birds have access underneath?

I highly recommend making it a walk in coop. Tending an 8x8 that the keeper cannot walk in is extraordinarily difficult.
I also recommend that birds not have access under that size of structure for several reasons. If a bird gets sick and hunkers down under it would mean crawling under to retrieve them. It would likely be where a stubborn broody would decide to go....again crawling under for the keeper. Chicks not used to going in at night would be a nightmare to get under that size structure.
Then there is cleaning, gathering eggs...oh yeah...they will make nests in the most inconvenient places.

I am a firm believer that the chicken keeper needs to be able to reach every corner of both the coop and the run.

 

[Debbie292d]

There is no such thing as "going overboard" when building a coop and/or run for chickens. The average square foot per chicken is around 4', but if you live where they may be locked in there for weeks due to subzero temps or blizzards, suddenly that becomes not enough room and they'll start picking on each other.

Here is an excellent article about coop size: https://www.almanac.com/raising-chickens-101-how-build-chicken-coop

Not sure what kind of cat, but generally, cats don't bother full-grown chickens. Little nuggets running around is another story.

 

[chicken mama 0908]

You will love yourself later in life for making a large coop.

 

[tlcmurphy]

"I wish I'd made my coop smaller," said nobody, ever.

Space will help make a lot of things easier. Integration. Brooding. Sick or injured birds. Storage. And of course, chicken math.

Good luck! Enjoy your chickens.

Plus you’re more likely to be successful with “Honey I think I need more chicks” then “Honey I think I need a new coop”

 

[Lstumbo]

Well I wa

Can you give more details on plan for the 8x8 raised coop?

Will it be walk in?
Will birds have access underneath?

I highly recommend making it a walk in coop. Tending an 8x8 that the keeper cannot walk in is extraordinarily difficult.
I also recommend that birds not have access under that size of structure for several reasons. If a bird gets sick and hunkers down under it would mean crawling under to retrieve them. It would likely be where a stubborn broody would decide to go....again crawling under for the keeper. Chicks not used to going in at night would be a nightmare to get under that size structure.
Then there is cleaning, gathering eggs...oh yeah...they will make nests in the most inconvenient places.

I am a firm believer that the chicken keeper needs to be able to reach every corner of both the coop and the run.

I was going to make a large opening on each side for cleaning. However I didn't think about them going under and staying there. That sucks! Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[tlcmurphy]

I’ve had to crawl under my coop to retrieve naughty birds, not fun and mine is only 4’X4’.
For that size you’ll need a walk-in coop on the ground as others have said.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Absolutely! Mistakes on paper are CHEAP, and teach you something. Mistakes in wood and other building materials are expensive, and teach you more things, some of which you don't want to pay to learn.

Yup.

Coop 1 was a horse stall conversion.
Coop 2 was a shed conversion.
Coop 3 was a 4x6 elevated coop.
Coop 4 was a 4x4 raised hospital/grow out coop.
Coop 5 was a 3x5 on the ground broody house with run built to be stored flat....well as flat as 2x3 construction with siding and trim would allow. It is now a raised coop with walk in run that is empty but housed 3 aging bantams.
Coop 6 is an 8x14 walk in that replaced coops 2, 3 and 4.
Coop 7 is an 8x8 that once housed ducks but is now extra space for chickens to use as they please.

Dollars involved.....I don't want to talk about that.

Edited to add I forgot about that 6x8 emergency coop for a group of birds hubs rescued and it's hoop run. It is now a garden shed and the run a patio and garden arches.

 

[EagleEyes]

Sounds like a good size for both coop and run, however like has been mentioned, I'd put the coop on the ground for all of the above stated reasons.
You can check mine out where "my coop" is highlighted.