10X10 coop, how many chickens does that comfortably hold?

[sara]

Quote:
Or start building

That's what I'm going to be doing soon.

 

[Bairefoot]

Yeah in the middle of building coops for my new bird's that are coming. I live in S.C. and everytime I get started the weather changes, my have to house them in my shop for a while.

 

[TumbleGrump]

Chickens need at the minimum 4 sq ft per bird inside AND 10 sq ft outside in a run.

10ft x 10ft = 100 sq ft / 4 sq ft/chicken = 25 chickens.

I Kinda dont understand the calculation:
1 person says a chicken need 10 SQUARE feet per bird, another (see above makes the calculation of 10x10/4 = 25 chickens?

I thought that a chicken need 10 square feet PER bird, that means 25 chicken x 10 square feet = 250 square feet. This equals a cage of 15x16 + a coop of 4 square feet per chicken, what is 25 x4 = 100 square feet and makes it 10 x 10 feet.
So for 25 chickens you need a 10x10 feet coop and a 15x16 foot cage. (considering that the chicks are not free ranging) Thats a total of 350 square feet...Right???!

Am I overdoing this, or am i right? Please advice!

My chicks have 20 square feet (200 square feet cage) and 32 square feet coop.
I would save a lot if the 10x10/4 calculation stands....
thnx

 

[Ryguy3684]

I Kinda dont understand the calculation:
1 person says a chicken need 10 SQUARE feet per bird, another (see above makes the calculation of 10x10/4 = 25 chickens?

I thought that a chicken need 10 square feet PER bird, that means 25 chicken x 10 square feet = 250 square feet. This equals a cage of 15x16 + a coop of 4 square feet per chicken, what is 25 x4 = 100 square feet and makes it 10 x 10 feet.
So for 25 chickens you need a 10x10 feet coop and a 15x16 foot cage. (considering that the chicks are not free ranging) Thats a total of 350 square feet...Right???!

Am I overdoing this, or am i right? Please advice!

My chicks have 20 square feet (200 square feet cage) and 32 square feet coop.
I would save a lot if the 10x10/4 calculation stands....
thnx

The minimum recommendation is 4 square feet, per bird, for the coop, plus 10 square feet, per bird, for the run. Obviously, the bigger the better. There are lots of variables, including free range time, size of birds, and the layout of your coop/run. Your weather will also influence these numbers. If you get a lot of snow and rain, you'll want to make sure to have plenty of dry space for them. Then, you have to take chicken math into account.

 

[cmobley]

Just do like my neighbor does she uses the sardine method. If the coop door closes there's plenty of room. I have 9 in a 10x10 yard and they have a 4x6 repurposed duck box plus a 4x8 coop outside the yard butted up to the fence. I usually only keep around 6 birds but build my flock up this time of year to sell eggs and bittys. I could put alot more birds in my setup but then it becomes more like work than enjoyment. Sitting here looking out at my yard 20 birds would still be comfortable in my setup but the ocd in me would make the yard bigger.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Hello, my name is Mahonri and I am a chickenaholic.

Welcome, Mahonri, we don't judge (much) here. I'm at 50, plus 12 in the incubator. Had 29 at the start of December.

I Kinda dont understand the calculation:
1 person says a chicken need 10 SQUARE feet per bird, another (see above makes the calculation of 10x10/4 = 25 chickens?

thnx

@TumbleGrump you've met the "rule of thumb", gets offered a lot around here, I do it myself. Assuming no special conditions, and assuming typical management practices, and assuming typical clock sizes and mixes (yes, there's a lot of assumptions there, which is why this is a "rule of thumb", not a law of physics), each chicken in your flock needs 4 sq ft of coop space AND 10 sq ft of run space. Within the coop itself, each bird needs 1 sq ft of free ventilation, and approx 1 linear foot of roost space (this is open to much debate).

Likewise, the rule of recommend is one nesting box per four hens, and for consistent breeding purposes, a ratio of one rooster to ten hens. Both of those are far "squishier" recommends, subject to much broader ranges.

All of those are rules of thumb/recommends, subject to specific circumstances which can make broad changes. Some examples -

I've a young rooster covering 20 hens right now, and still seeing 92%+ fertility rates in incubated eggs, but if I needed near 100% fertility, I might go to one rooster per 5 hens.

Banties need less space in the house, 3 sq ft/ is a more common recommend, while particularly large breeds often see 15"/bird or even 18"/bird for roosting space. High intensity management practices can reduce coop space to 2 sq ft/bird. Particularly hot, humid climates can benefit from more free ventilation. Rooster flocks generally recommend between 35 and 50 sq ft/bird in run space, to reduce social frictions. Very large flocks need less space per bird, because they tend to naturally pack together, while very small flocks often need MORE space per bird to make room for feed bowls, water bowls, and nesting boxes...

If your combined run/coop is only for housing overnight as predator protection and a shelter in highly inclement and transitory weather (as opposed to months of deep snows), while they free-range the rest of the day, you cant treat them as a combined space and reduce significantly the total square footage. If your flock has multiple, or different species (as mine does, see sig below), other adjustments need be made.

Essentially, start from the rules of thumb, then adjust for your specific circumstances.

 

[Fryslan Boppe]

I have as a rule of dumb 165 acres for 36 chicks, but the 36 is variable throughout the season, depending on other creatures living in the same space. However, this flock I started 31 years ago and they have kept themselves alive and going with sometimes new chicks & roosters from people who gave up on care for their own. At the most we had around 120 a couple of years ago. If your chicks are confined in a cage and coop it is more important to see their health and happiness than some math wizard. Some breeds need way mure space than others and like bantams as mentioned before. But I agree that the math of the ladies comment didn't made any sense to me either. Lol

 

[TumbleGrump]

The minimum recommendation is 4 square feet, per bird, for the coop, plus 10 square feet, per bird, for the run. Obviously, the bigger the better. There are lots of variables, including free range time, size of birds, and the layout of your coop/run. Your weather will also influence these numbers. If you get a lot of snow and rain, you'll want to make sure to have plenty of dry space for them. Then, you have to take chicken math into account.

Yeah, i know the math, but i didnt understand the math from the lady... i thought i was going bananas

 

[TumbleGrump]

Just do like my neighbor does she uses the sardine method. If the coop door closes there's plenty of room. I have 9 in a 10x10 yard and they have a 4x6 repurposed duck box plus a 4x8 coop outside the yard butted up to the fence. I usually only keep around 6 birds but build my flock up this time of year to sell eggs and bittys. I could put alot more birds in my setup but then it becomes more like work than enjoyment. Sitting here looking out at my yard 20 birds would still be comfortable in my setup but the ocd in me would make the yard bigger.

Love the neighbor like yourself!

 

[TumbleGrump]

I have as a rule of dumb 165 acres for 36 chicks, but the 36 is variable throughout the season, depending on other creatures living in the same space. However, this flock I started 31 years ago and they have kept themselves alive and going with sometimes new chicks & roosters from people who gave up on care for their own. At the most we had around 120 a couple of years ago. If your chicks are confined in a cage and coop it is more important to see their health and happiness than some math wizard. Some breeds need way mure space than others and like bantams as mentioned before. But I agree that the math of the ladies comment didn't made any sense to me either. Lol

Chickens need at the minimum 4 sq ft per bird inside AND 10 sq ft outside in a run.

10ft x 10ft = 100 sq ft / 4 sq ft/chicken = 25 chickens.

If they have no outside run you need to consider far less chickens.