How many square feet per chicken in the coop?

[MandM Kids]

We live in the city and I built a 3' x 3' (9 sq ft.) coop and planned on getting 4 hens. We have found a lady who wants to sell 5 Buff Orpington pullits and wants to sell all 5. They will have access to about a 40 sq. foot secured run at all times (except in extreme cold). Is my coop just too small for 5? We do plan on letting them range in the back yard when we are at home. I thought about making a "loft" at the taller end of the coop. Would that help?

 

[Noahettes Mom]

We live in the city and I built a 3' x 3' (9 sq ft.) coop and planned on getting 4 hens.  We have found a lady who wants to sell 5 Buff Orpington pullits and wants to sell all 5.  They will have access to about a 40 sq. foot secured run at all times (except in extreme cold).  Is my coop just too small for 5?  We do plan on letting them range in the back yard when we are at home.  I thought about making a "loft" at the taller end of the coop.  Would that help?

This setup should work if they have access to the run all the time, and free range when you are home. You need to have enough "perch" room for them, as they prefer to perch up higher at night. They do not like being on the ground at night. I have some buffs too, they are a bigger and "fluffy" bird. If your coop is 3 feet tall, you can put a perch 1 1/2 to 2 feet off the ground. Round dowels from home depot work, make sure they are over 3 feet long, longer if you are running them from corner to corner. Hope this helps!

 

[kris13]

Not sure how tall it is (pretty tall though) but the base of our coop is 4'x8', I'll have to measure the run (technically, we can alter the run still). If they'll be in the run weekday days, but out /free ranging most of the weekend / evenings, is the coop size big enough for 7? And what sq ft for the run if that's their main deal M-F?
Thanks!

 

[trsutton82]

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...luxe-farm-house-chicken-coop-up-to-8-chickens

I have this coop. I bought 12 chicks (chicken math) and they are 3 weeks old. When I bought it, I was told the coop would hold up to 10. Pretty sure I have 1 rooster. That would leave me with 11. Mix of 3 barred rock (1 possible cockerel), 2 silver laced Wyandotte, 2 Ameraucana easter eggers, and 5 RIR. I am extending the run and plan to have them free range as much as possible. In WV and haven't been having bad winters at all. Would I be able to keep them all or should I get rid of some?

 

[RichM]

Sometimes the chickens will tell you that the coop is too small. My first coop was super small, advertised to hold 4 chickens, but was only 2' x 2.5' feet for a total of 5 square feet. Once my three hens started laying eggs, they won't go inside at night! I have to force them in so the raccoons don't get em. I'm building a 3x4 coop now that is also much taller with plenty of roost space up high.

 

[rosemarythyme]

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...luxe-farm-house-chicken-coop-up-to-8-chickens

I have this coop. I bought 12 chicks (chicken math) and they are 3 weeks old. When I bought it, I was told the coop would hold up to 10. Pretty sure I have 1 rooster. That would leave me with 11. Mix of 3 barred rock (1 possible cockerel), 2 silver laced Wyandotte, 2 Ameraucana easter eggers, and 5 RIR. I am extending the run and plan to have them free range as much as possible. In WV and haven't been having bad winters at all. Would I be able to keep them all or should I get rid of some?

I hate to tell you this but even if you turn the entire structure into a coop by making alterations, it holds 8. The coop structure itself could hold 3, maybe 4? There's no way there's enough roost space inside the coop for 8 birds, never mind 12.

 

[lutherpug]

I hate to tell you this but even if you turn the entire structure into a coop by making alterations, it holds 8. The coop structure itself could hold 3, maybe 4? There's no way there's enough roost space inside the coop for 8 birds, never mind 12.

Agree. 3-4 birds in that setup. Unfortunately, almost all of the prefabricated coops way, way overstate how many birds they can hold. What are the dimensions of the actual coop, not including the run? It looks like maybe 3x4 or so?

 

[trsutton82]

It's 3x7 exterior and 1x3 interior.

Hubs and I have decided to build a 4x8 ourselves and use the existing one for a grow-out pen for our littles. They are 3 weeks old now and I think should be pretty well feathered out by next week so we can put them in it during the day and in at night unless we get a chill all of a sudden. I have an outside outlet that I can use to hook up a heat lamp as well.

 

[rosemarythyme]

It's 3x7 exterior and 1x3 interior.

Hubs and I have decided to build a 4x8 ourselves and use the existing one for a grow-out pen for our littles. They are 3 weeks old now and I think should be pretty well feathered out by next week so we can put them in it during the day and in at night unless we get a chill all of a sudden. I have an outside outlet that I can use to hook up a heat lamp as well.

1x3 interior??? Who designs something that can barely hold 1 bird? I think something like that would be fine to help chicks integrate to outdoor living, or maybe to house a broody hen or a chicken that needs to be isolated for medical reasons, but that's it. Good to see you and your husband have decided to build something larger. Hope you enjoy watching your flock grow up - I think by the time they're 6, 7 weeks old you'll see what a difference the amount of space makes, as it's hard to look at a tiny chick and imagining it closer to adult sized sometimes.

 

[lutherpug]

It's 3x7 exterior and 1x3 interior.

Hubs and I have decided to build a 4x8 ourselves and use the existing one for a grow-out pen for our littles. They are 3 weeks old now and I think should be pretty well feathered out by next week so we can put them in it during the day and in at night unless we get a chill all of a sudden. I have an outside outlet that I can use to hook up a heat lamp as well.

You and your birds will be much happier. That little coop will work great for a grow out pen.