Beginer Coop design/ how many chickens????'s

[bruced267]

So were getting started on coop design and have some ????'s

We have selected Plymouth Barred, and NH reds for our area (Mass) and we are try to figure out how many chickens we can get vs take care of. I have read the sq ft of coop and runs and Im still not sure.

I have a area of 5' 6" x 11" 55/60 sq ft
The run area I have plenty of room 10" x 12" 120 sq ft more if needed?

Being this coop is long and narrow, and nesting boxes will likely all be on one side. How many chickens could I get? and how high could the nesting boxes be? Can they stack over one another? Any design ideas?

I read 2 to 3 sq ft inside
4 to 5 sq ft outside

By the math its 18 chickens? seem like a lot
I was thinking 12

Any thoughts?......Thanks

 

[joedie]

I think 4 sq ft inside and 10 sq ft in the run. The more room the better. That would leave room inside for 15 chickens. My nesting boxes are stacked, I bought them that way. The are the aluminum ones with 2 tows of four. I think the bottom row is about 18 inches off the ground. Make sure you have room for the roosts.
BTW, I grew up in Reading, not too far from you. I miss the food soooo much!

 

[mikecnorthwest]

I've gone as low as 2.5 square feet per hen inside the house and there was still more room. I think anywhere from 2 square feet per hen and up is fine. The often quoted 4 square feet per hen is a very generous number that ensures your hens will have plenty of room but it certainly isn't the minimum. Of course this is assuming a person has plenty of run space which it sounds like you do.

 

[bruced267]

Sounds like I am close? What I really need is a design!

My son is very anxious to get building! We a local person who sells and shows chickens at the fair, she has a free course in 3 weeks, we hope to get chicks then, I would like to get a head start on the coop!

Thanks

 

[WI FarmChick]

i just came across this, you could change the dimensions a bit to fit your size needs. should help you get started anyway.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...plan-nice-one-too-on-the-purina-mills-website

 

[Kaitie09]

I don't know where you are located, but you can get away with 2-3sq ft. per bird if they can spend most their days outside. My birds won't go outside if it is raining a lot, or even really windy. Last year we had a blizzard, and the run was filled with 2 ft of snow for a week. The 4sq. ft really helped because they weren't cramped inside their coop that whole time.