Bored Chickens make a not so fun time

[ShrekDawg]

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

Just the coop or total? The coop alone needs to be at least 80. The square footage in the run doesn’t count towards that number. The total space including run should be 280 square feet minimum.

 

[ShrekDawg]

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.

Whoops, you beat me to it lol x2. I think a lot of people call the whole thing the coop but it’s really just the building, like you said. I think some people may get that idea cause the premade ones just mention total numbers and don’t differentiate between inside and outside.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Honestly in this case, since cost and time seem to be big factors, I'd say sink the materials and labor into the coop and free range without a run. You still can't cheat on coop space too much, but this at least gives the flock an outlet. Yes there may be some losses, but the benefits in giving them more outdoor space outweigh the possible losses in this situation IMO.

 

[Cryss]

Honestly in this case, since cost and time seem to be big factors, I'd say sink the materials and labor into the coop and free range without a run. You still can't cheat on coop space too much, but this at least gives the flock an outlet. Yes there may be some losses, but the benefits in giving them more outdoor space outweigh the possible losses in this situation IMO.

 

[Cryss]

Whoops, you beat me to it lol x2. I think a lot of people call the whole thing the coop but it’s really just the building, like you said. I think some people may get that idea cause the premade ones just mention total numbers and don’t differentiate between inside and outside.

Very good point!

 

[starri33]

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

That gives you a 9' x 10' coop.. my kids now have a 8 x 24 ft coop.. I've got 17 chickens and getting more.. just went to check on them, they've got plenty of room.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Very good point!

Thanks! I wish manufacturers would be more honest both in the dimensions as well as the actual capacity.

 

[starri33]

Thanks! I wish manufacturers would be more honest both in the dimensions as well as the actual capacity.

Would be wonderful if they would, but I don't think they'd sell as much, Hubby and I bought one of those 300.00 TSC pre-fabs, said 6 to 8 chickens, we got it home, I took one look at it and told him it made me claustrophobic, there would be no way I would put more than 2 chickens in it and that would be pushing it. I had 12 chicks at the time.. a new coop was built before the most recent and the TSC will be used for emergency housing like a broody or a sick chicken.

 

[Cryss]

That gives you a 9' x 10' coop.. my kids now have a 8 x 24 ft coop.. I've got 17 chickens and getting more.. just went to check on them, they've got plenty of room. View attachment 1713431

That's perfect. Well done.
Please note that 0P says "coop" referring to the entire unit which includes the attached run. In the henhouse, or the building portion, OP intends to make it 1 square foot per bird.

 

[starri33]

That's perfect. Well done.
Please note that 0P says "coop" referring to the entire unit which includes the attached run. In the henhouse, or the building portion, OP intends to make it 1 square foot per bird.

I had to explain the idea to my husband that "coop" meant building/hen house and that the run was something totally different, perhaps she isn't being clear enough.. the way I understood was that she was talking about the "coop" not coop and run. I'm sure that none of us were pros at this chicken thing when we first started, I know for a fact I wasn't.