70 square feet

[3LilBirds]

The area we are planning on building a coop and run is 70 square feet. Is that enough for 3 chickens for both the run and coop?

 

[bnjrob]

Yes. Figure 4 sq ft space in the coop for each bird and 10 sq ft in the run for each bird.

 

[mikecnorthwest]

The 4 square feet per bird figure for the coop can be misleading in that some people include run space within the coop in that figure. For me, 2.5 to 3 square feet per bird in the house works just fine. Of course they get run space in addition to the house space. Either way you have plenty of room for 3 birds.

 

[potluck]

By my calculations you can have 5 - So go get 2 more

Here in Minnesota I need that 4 square foot per bird in the coop because they spend a lot of time in there in winter. In Southern California you may want to go with smaller coop and more run .......... or just figure the 4 square feet for three then Go get 2 more!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

We have 2.5 square ft per bird for coop. We don't heat the coop, in the cold north, and let chickens out every morning no matter the weather. They do great and prefer to be outside as long as they've a wind shelter. Plan on as much run space as you can get, elevating the coop will give that added space for run under it too. 4X4 coops are easy to construct as exterior sheathing comes in 4X8 so there's no waste. I've had 7 chickens in that space and could easily had another. Gives you space to grow your flock some. Use the entire 70 sqft by elevating the coop, makes cleaning out easier too, less bending over.

 

[3LilBirds]

Thanks everyone! I was planning on making it elevated. I guess my S-Father-in-law used to raise chickens and suggest using chicken wire as the flooring in the coop so poop falls through to the ground. My thought on that is I'd then have to put a heat lamp in there because we get some really crazy winds where I'm at in the winter. I would think the wind would come up through the bottom? Also if the bottom is like that is that enough ventilation? or should I still put a vent up top on the south side?