Add on to existing coop or just add a second

[Dumb Chick]

Any suggestions with the size I need will be appreciated. LUV

 

[ChaosMom]

I'm a newbie & started with 3 , now I have 5 more chicks. My coop is for 5. Is that o.k or do I need to add on?

Any suggestions with the size I need will be appreciated. LUV

(Sorry if this looks weird; the quote function isn’t behaving for me)

Chances are, if your coop is a pre-fab from Tractor Supply etc, it’s not even big enough for five.

For traditional wooden coops, the common guidelines are 4 square feet per standard-sized chicken AND 1 linear foot per chicken on the roost bar(s).

So for your new flock of eight, you will want at least 32 sq. ft., which would be something similar to 8’ x 4’, and a total of 8’ of roost bars, so maybe one 8’ long or two 4’ long.

This will probably seem crazy right now with 5 being chicks, but they grow fast. Even if all your chickens do in the coop is sleep and lay eggs (and poop), if you have any extended bad weather - rainstorms, snow, bitter cold - that cause them to stay inside for several days, you might start seeing behavioral problems. A large, covered, and well-protected run can take some of the pressure of that.

Besides, you’ll probably wind up getting even more. Chicken math is real!

- you replied to a 2009 thread. It’s much better to start a new one. A moderator can probably move your posts (and my reply) to a new thread. If you want that, click on Report below left on your first post, and explain what you want.