Bored Chickens make a not so fun time

[rosemarythyme]

At least 4 square feet per bird in the run, at least 1 square feet per bird in the hen house, and at least 1 nesting box per 3 chickens.

Need to go MUCH bigger. 4 sq ft in the coop, 10 in the run (minimum).

 

[Amer]

So 80 sq foot coop. That doesn't sound too bad.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I am making sure that the dimensions of the new coop will have more than enough space for 20 chickens. At least 4 square feet per bird in the run, at least 1 square feet per bird in the hen house, and at least 1 nesting box per 3 chickens. I have been doing a lot of research on this

So 80 sq foot coop. That doesn't sound too bad.

Their post did not indicate 80 square foot coop.

They NEED at least an 80 square foot coop but indicated what sounds like much much smaller.





At 1 square foot per bird in a coop they would literally be shoulder to shoulder. I don't see chickens that need to eat saying "excuse me please" to every chicken between them and food.


WiccanKC,
Please take it seriously that they actually NEED an 80 square foot coop. That means an 8x10 coop. They actually really do NEED a 200 square foot run. That means a 10x20 run.

 

[SilkieNation]

Hi OP -
Okay, so you have a really challenging situation that you are trying to fix. With a little more information, maybe some of the members can provide options that are realistic for your situation. I am wondering:

• What state do you live in and have the floods people have alluded to subsided? (Also, knowing your location, I might have a few ideas)
• Do you have the funds to purchase materials now, or are you saving?
  
• Is there a farm, animal shelter/rescue that can take your hens temporarily while you build them new quarters?
• Does you father have a garage where you could temporarily put them? On tarps covered with shavings? Maybe clear out a section?
• Will your father help with the project?
• Do you know of anyone who can recommend a high school student or an odd job person to help? Do you have any funds to pay someone, $10-$15 an hour?
• Can you save money on the project by using salvaged materials so that you can pay a helper? Can you post flyers around the community for a helper?
• Any friends that can help? Make it a weekend event with food, music, a fire, etc.?
• I think someone suggested pallets - easy to find free - I'm no builder, but you could connect them (I'd probably use a heavy gauge, galvanized wire, because that's how I build things...!) making one section double height, and put lots of rocks around the exterior perimeter so coyotes, dogs raccoons, etc can't dig under and get in. You could wrap the thing in chicken wire, but that could be a waste of money because you really should use hardcloth on the permanent structure. But - chicken wire is pretty cheap and will add security and should extend a couple of feet beyond the perimeter, dug in a bit, and covered with the rocks. Use sturdy branches for roosts and cover a section with tarps (the cold weather is departing - but if that's not the case where you live, create areas of deep straw, not hay, it is insulating). Heck, you could even cover a refrigerator box or a few heavy, large boxes with a tarp or plastic sheet of some kind, all around, set it(them) inside the enclosure on cinder blocks and add bedding as a temporary 'house'. You can use many things as temporary nesting boxes.
• https://www.pinterest.com/pin/814307176345731160/?lp=true . Ideas
  
• Craigslist can be a place to find used materials. used chain link, metal poles, used fencing, metal roofing panels, doors, windows.... Someone mentioned a chainlink dog run - that too can work. Sometimes people post metal swing sets - free- you could make an A-frame run and cover part with a tarp.
• Just some crazy ideas, maybe.
• Try to get some people to help you with this project!

 

[SilkieNation]

Need to go MUCH bigger. 4 sq ft in the coop, 10 in the run (minimum).

Yes please, much bigger! If you can't handle an 80 sqft coop (and you could go even bigger), then please, please consider reducing the size of your flock.

 

[Cryss]

I am making sure that the dimensions of the new coop will have more than enough space for 20 chickens. At least 4 square feet per bird in the run, at least 1 square feet per bird in the hen house, and at least 1 nesting box per 3 chickens. I have been doing a lot of research on this

@WiccanKC please understand, 1 square foot per bird is 4 TIMES TOO SMALL! the bird is that size, how will they move? These are not sardines! 20 birds time 4 square feet per bird equals 80 square feet minimally. That is NOT the size for the run, it is for the coop! The run needs to be 10 square feet times 20 birds equals 200 square feet.
I really hope this was a typo or something in your post. You say you did a lot of research but your dimensions do not say that. No one would ever reccomend such dimensions.

 

[-BOGGS-]

Still not adequate space..but a definite improvement from what they are experiencing right now..build what you can and try to add on later or really consider making your flock smaller..decisions,decisions

 

[Gypsi]

First of all OP has stated they are fathers chickens, not OP's. OP is trying to learn so as to help. Hindsight is 20/20 but when you are new you believe what you are told by anyone including prefab coop manufacturers. OP is now realizing this and is asking for help. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

@WiccanKC I am betting you have the same coop as me. I was able to make a temporary adjustment for my 7 birds. You are going to need to get a bigger coop fast! Pallets are free and you can build from them. Hoop coops are a good. Meanwhile, can you enclose the coop and make a temporary run? Here's how I made my tiny coop a bit better. It still won't be anywhere near big enough for your flock but with a run it might help while you get really really busy building bigger.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/altering-my-terrible-ts-coop.1267790/

I bought 10 baby chicks because I had no clue in 2010 and my grandkids were going to help me build a coop. And we were building a 2 ft by 3 ft coop (to be enclosed in a 4 ft by 8 ft run). And we got them under their little roof in a day. With chicken wire around their little run, and I got on backyard chickens and learned how to build a coop and the grandkids and I spent every weekend for 4 weekends building a much bigger coop, and a larger run that attached off of the original one, that 8 ft by 12 ft, and coop is ventilated and has a rainbow painted on the front by my granddaughter. it isn't perfect, but it's housed multiple generations of chickens. I have an additional 3 tier roost under the roof in the run, the birds sleep where they want, I only close them up in deep winter. By the same token my stocking load max is 10, and that's plenty, I have 9 hens and gentle older mutt rooster. (buckeye, barred rock, americauna and I'm not sure what else.) 5 birds sleep in the coop, 5 on the roost in the run

I prefer about 6 or 7 birds in this coop but the wind took out my gates on the lot with my other coop on the 13th, and my neighbor's dog had chicken for breakfast. So for right now, I have 10 in here, 4 in the rooster coop that normally just has a young and ornery rooster. It will be fixed soon, the 2nd roost, under the roof on the right, was built for situations like this and hot summer nights.


Having done the 2x4 framed run I strongly recommend doing a hoop run around your original coop, it's fast, easy, you can stretch hardware cloth or 1 inch chickenwire over it, and do as Cryss did in altering her terrible coop and just letting them sleep anywhere in there. Material wise my hens LOVE old shovel handles for perches. you just need a good base and support so it doesn't fall over and we break enough shovels to keep them going.

 

[WiccanKC]

So 80 sq foot coop. That doesn't sound too bad.

The dimensions I am setting up will turn out to be 90 square feet

 

[Cryss]

The dimensions I am setting up will turn out to be 90 square feet

Is that the run or the coop? And just to be clear, when I say 'coop' I am referring only to the building they sleep in. When I say 'run' I am referring to the outdoor area fenced in for safety using 1/2 inch hardware cloth.