OverEZ Coop - What Size for 15 Birds?

[HorsesRMe123]

I’m going to be getting a coop from the OverEZ brand. Originally, we were going to build a large chicken coop ourselves, but we have way too many other project going on so we won’t have the time to build one ourselves.

Currently, we have 10 full grown chickens who have outgrown their current chicken coop. We ordered Toulouse goslings and Welsh Harlequin ducklings. The goslings are coming in mid April and the ducklings are coming in May. So when all of the waterfowl are full grown, we’ll have 15 full grown birds. Two Toulouse geese, three Welsh Harlequin ducks, and ten chickens.

I’m wondering if the large OverEZ will be adequate enough for all 15 birds? Or do you think that won’t be big enough? Do you think the birds will need an extra large instead? I preferably don’t want to spend an extra $1,000 on the X-large, but if you think that’s what is necessary, please let me know. Thank you!
Large: 74 in x 60 in
X-Large: 98 in x 60 in

 

[Painted Calls]

Neither of these are large enough for 15 birds. Especially some of those birds being geese.

@3KillerBs can explain the dimensions better, and give you a better idea of how large of a coop you'll realistically need.

For that amount of birds, you'd be better off getting a storage shed and converting it into a coop.

 

[HorsesRMe123]

Neither of these are large enough for 15 birds. Especially some of those birds being geese.

@3KillerBs can explain the dimensions better, and give you a better idea of how large of a coop you'll realistically need.

For that amount of birds, you'd be better off getting a storage shed and converting it into a coop.

What size shed?

 

[aart]

Might think about keeping the chickens in the new coop and the waterfowl in the old coop.

 

[crowcrash]

If you have Facebook (I know, yuck), look for local chicken groups. You may find people who will build you a coop with real wood for much less than the pre-fabs, you usually just have to haul it.

 

[HorsesRMe123]

If you have Facebook (I know, yuck), look for local chicken groups. You may find people who will build you a coop with real wood for much less than the pre-fabs, you usually just have to haul it.

That’s a good idea. The difficult part would be hauling it. We’ve had a chicken coop that was built by us and it weighed at least 800 lbs. We had to move the coop since we were moving. We couldn’t barely lift it so we had to call a moving company. They only had 4 guys come, and that definitely wasn’t enough so they had to call more people from their company. One guy hurt his back and the legs of the coop broke. I just don’t know how we would get the coop into our backyard without something happening. It sounds like a lot of work and a bit unrealistic since we need such a big coop. But thank you for the recommendation! I wish we could do that, but I just don’t know if we could realistically do that.

 

[Brooks_]

@rosemarythyme , could you speak to how much OP birds would need the coop? It may help. Climates matter.

 

[rosemarythyme]

@rosemarythyme , could you speak to how much OP birds would need the coop? It may help. Climates matter.

I can for chickens, however I don't have any experience with waterfowl nor their space needs. Since they're larger I would have to assume their space needs are also bigger.

General rule for chickens is 4 sq ft in floor space in the coop. This does not include nests (and the measurements on the OverEZ includes nests). Bantams and docile birds may do fine with less. If you think you might be integrating more birds in the future, I'd suggest going higher than that "minimum." Same with if you're in a part of WA with snowier/colder winters, and are not going to have at least a partially covered run, as birds may not want to come out in the worst of weather, though as a general rule WA weather is milder than most of the country so this is less of a concern.

 

[3KillerBs]

Neither of these are large enough for 15 birds. Especially some of those birds being geese.

@3KillerBs can explain the dimensions better, and give you a better idea of how large of a coop you'll realistically need.

For that amount of birds, you'd be better off getting a storage shed and converting it into a coop.

Thanks for the mention. I'm still shy internet and having a quick peek at the site while waiting for my chiropractor:

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

12 hens

• 48 square feet in the coop. 6'x8' is more practical than 4'x12' since a long, skinny coop like that would be difficult to work inside.
• 12 feet of roost
• 120 square feet in the run. 10'x12' or 8'x15' -- 8'x16' means fewer odd cuts than either of those. 6'x20' is possible, especially if your run is an open-topped, fenced area instead of fully-enclosed with a solid and/or wire roof but risks social problems because subordinate hens need to be able to pass the dominant hens at a respectful distance.
• 12 square feet of ventilation.
• 3 nest boxes.

OverEZ coops are better-built than most prefabs, but are notoriously poorly ventilated and, as always, wildy exaggerate how many birds they suit.

Additionally, waterfowl have different housing needs from chickens and are better kept separately.

IIRC, ducks' space needs are similar to chickens, but geese need substantially more space -- you should probably ask on the goose section of the forums: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/geese.47/

 

[Magnolia76]

I’m going to be getting a coop from the OverEZ brand. Originally, we were going to build a large chicken coop ourselves, but we have way too many other project going on so we won’t have the time to build one ourselves.

Currently, we have 10 full grown chickens who have outgrown their current chicken coop. We ordered Toulouse goslings and Welsh Harlequin ducklings. The goslings are coming in mid April and the ducklings are coming in May. So when all of the waterfowl are full grown, we’ll have 15 full grown birds. Two Toulouse geese, three Welsh Harlequin ducks, and ten chickens.

I’m wondering if the large OverEZ will be adequate enough for all 15 birds? Or do you think that won’t be big enough? Do you think the birds will need an extra large instead? I preferably don’t want to spend an extra $1,000 on the X-large, but if you think that’s what is necessary, please let me know. Thank you!
Large: 74 in x 60 in
X-Large: 98 in x 60 inView attachment 3033928View attachment 3033927

Good Morning! I was curious how you faired and if you got this large OverEz? I just assembled mine and am really concerned about the spacing between the roosting bars and having them basically dropping poo on each other and the back wall. Did you wind up getting it, how many birds did you determine actually comfortably fit? Any issues with roosting bar? Any modifications?