Brand new

[splum]

My dad surprised me with a store bought coop. It's looks like a little barn, has three nesting boxes and an open area.
The instructions said I could keep six hens comfortably but it seems like a small space for six.
How many should I keep? I could let them out during the day but what about dogs, our neighbors, several of them, just allow their dogs to roam.
I don't need a big operation. I'm looking for two dozen eggs a week.

 

[Slvdh2000]

For your hens to be comfortable, there needs to be at least one nesting box for every three hens. 6 hens sounds perfect! But does your coop have a run? An adult chicken needs at least 4 to 5 square feet of space. And you may want to ask your neighbor if their dogs will atack anything that is about the size of a cat. Otherwise, don't free range! Your hens will be eaten!

 

[splum]

Thanks, I have a dog pen I can use as a run, how high does the fence need to be to keep them in?