How many chickens could I have in a 10X10 coop?

[CrazyTalk]

That 4 square feet in the coop with 10 square feet in the run guideline is based on a small backyard flock of just a few hens all about the same age. No roosters. No integration. No broodies raising chicks with the flock. The further you get from that model the less valid it is. I believe the vast majority of integration and broody problems on this forum stems from the chickens not having enough room.

This is exactly it - the 4 square feed is a guideline for the typical 1-4 hen flock that is going to be used for breakfast eggs. The numbers really break down when you start getting bigger. Flock dynamics are important, how many roosters you have is important ( a flock with 1 rooster is usually more peaceful than a flock with no roosters, but a flock with multiple roosters can be a mess), free range vs run makes a difference. Vertical space does make a difference (as it increases available roosting spots, and allows birds to get away from each other).


There are people on this forum keeping birds at 2sqft/bird, and doing great, and people keeping them at 6, and having all sorts of problems. Watch your birds, watch how they behave, and moderate based on that.

 

[lazy gardener]

Will your flock dynamics be changing with the seasons? If so, 25 would be a decent number for the warmer months, and you might want to thin the herd a bit as you're heading towards winter. They will strip your run of vegetation, but the coop size should be fine.

 

[chicken farmer]

Thanks,I don't put doors over the chicken door so that they can go out and in anytime they want such as in the morning they can come out early as they want because I trust my pen and it's very secure and never had a problem with it yet. And I have 10 roosters plus hens in the 4X4 foot coop and I know that is waaaay to many and were building the coop ASAP but they aren't seriously fighting and pulling feathers or anything,I mean there's a little chasing here and there but nothing serious. Like I said I know that is way to many but were workin on the coop and trying to find homes for 7 of the extra roosters. And the run is fine like I said they have stumps,roosts,logs,and other things to keep them busy plus I'm gonna make them a dust bathing area soon and the free range they get every now and again. I probably will have about 20 or so chickens by this spring all together so I wanted to get good ideas on it. Thanks everybody for your input!!

 

[aart]

Thanks,I don't put doors over the chicken door so that they can go out and in anytime they want such as in the morning they can come out early as they want because I trust my pen and it's very secure and never had a problem with it yet. And I have 10 roosters plus hens in the 4X4 foot coop and I know that is waaaay to many and were building the coop ASAP but they aren't seriously fighting and pulling feathers or anything,I mean there's a little chasing here and there but nothing serious. Like I said I know that is way to many but were workin on the coop and trying to find homes for 7 of the extra roosters. And the run is fine like I said they have stumps,roosts,logs,and other things to keep them busy plus I'm gonna make them a dust bathing area soon and the free range they get every now and again. I probably will have about 20 or so chickens by this spring all together so I wanted to get good ideas on it. Thanks everybody for your input!!

Your chicken wire pen is actually not very secure, lots of predators can get thru chicken wire....
....and I'm surprised it held up under the snow load you probably had last year.

Great that your chooks will walk on snow! Mine do not.

 

[chicken farmer]

Your chicken wire pen is actually not very secure, lots of predators can get thru chicken wire....
....and I'm surprised it held up under the snow load you probably had last year.

Great that your chooks will walk on snow! Mine do not.

I shook all the leafs off so the snow wouldn't build up and we only have coons,possums,hawks,things like that cause coyotes and fox don't come near the house cause of the dogs

 

[Free Feather]

Raccoons are the ones you would have to worry about the most with your pen. A grown raccoon is usually at least as strong as a five year old, and definitely could rip that wire. They also can stick their little hands through the holes.
I say you could have twenty five in that coop, but ideally you should have less, like 20. They would need a lot of run space to have more. Even if there were no issues, they would happy with more space, especially outside space.

 

[lazy gardener]

We caught a coon in a trap which was expanded with 1/2" hardware cloth. That coon rolled the trap 50' across the lawn before he ripped right through the MIDDLE of that hardware cloth. So, if he could rip through hardware cloth, chicken wire would be child's play to a coon. Same thing for a dog. IMO, dogs are the most dangerous predator of all, in terms of number of deaths caused to poultry.

 

[aart]

We caught a coon in a trap which was expanded with 1/2" hardware cloth. That coon rolled the trap 50' across the lawn before he ripped right through the MIDDLE of that hardware cloth. So, if he could rip through hardware cloth, chicken wire would be child's play to a coon. Same thing for a dog. IMO, dogs are the most dangerous predator of all, in terms of number of deaths caused to poultry.

Hardware cloth is not really that strong IF they can get a tooth into the mesh on a fold, bend or edge.
That's why it needs to be fastened securely with screws and washers at small intervals and/or have the edges covered in substantial wood trim.

 

[chicken farmer]

Here's the new coop it's almost done the roosts are in there and all it needs now is nestboxs,air holes,and glass windows and there ready to move in

 

[Free Feather]

Nice! Large and functional, your chickens will be happy.