Bullying or Pecking Order?

[Tandrae87]

Thank you for the link I will take a look and get creative! This morning went really well, my bigs and littles were eating treats out of my hand at the same time! I will look into expanding my coop, the rooster moves out this upcoming weekend, and there is about 80% unused space in the coop since the 3 bigs sleep pretty much on top of each other (no it's not cold, they will be panting and still laying on top of eachother...) Since I was originally only going to have 2 birds it was plenty, we are looking at where we can relocate them to in the yard to build bigger!

 

[Folly's place]

Agree that things are going well, and that your coop and run are too small. Post pictures! If the run is predator proof and roofed, the entire structure can be 'coop' and will work much better. As it is, TINY!
Mary

 

[Tandrae87]

What is a good rule for how much space they need in the coop? When I built it I was under the impression that 2-3 sq. feet a "regular" bird was good for the coop and 8-10 sq feet for the run. What are better numbers to work with? I don't have a lot of space, but I also don't want them cramped so I will have to come up with a better plan and don't want to make the same mistake again!

 

[aart]

What is a good rule for how much space they need in the coop? When I built it I was under the impression that 2-3 sq. feet a "regular" bird was good for the coop and 8-10 sq feet for the run. What are better numbers to work with? I don't have a lot of space, but I also don't want them cramped so I will have to come up with a better plan and don't want to make the same mistake again!

There really are no hard numbers that fit all situations.
Most common there days around BYC is 4sqft per bird in coop and 10sqft per bird in run,
that IMO is a bare minimum.

 

[Tandrae87]

Thank you! I will find a better option and get rebuilding! I don't want my birds feeling crowded when they start laying

 

[Folly's place]

Most of us think that at least four sq. ft. per bird in the coop is minimum, and larger is better, as mentioned above. We have more space per bird, and that includes with some bantams.
Also, narrow isn't as good, because the birds want wider personal space, so four ft. wide isn't good either.
Build big!
Mary

 

[Tandrae87]

That settles it, gotta sell this house and buy a farm! LOL

 

[Folly's place]

Living in the boonies is great! No HOAs! No problem with rooster ownership! Out our front window, no other houses, just fields and trees!
Mary

 

[rosemarythyme]

I know space can be tough in a backyard setting but I'd recommend a 10x10 run for even a small flock. Gives them enough space to get away from each other if needed, and room for you to maneuver. The coop can be inside that space as well, elevated slightly to keep floor space open and available.

 

[BDutch]

An elevated coop gives the chickens more space when they can scratch underneath the roost area and laying nests. Btw
2 laying nest is enough for 4 chickens.
But you probably need one nest for the Silkie (rarely roost). You can train the bigger hens to roost.

If you have a high run you can make a platform in it too to provide more space/ hiding places. Small bushes (if you have a run with netting and no roof) or a bench can provide shelter too.

@Tandrae87 Can you make a picture of youre setup? Maybe some of us can give you a few ideas for improvement when we see it. Would be a waste to buy a whole new coop if this can work with a few adjustments. A wooden coop is often easy to expand. And just for roosting you’re coop is probably big enough.

A lot of inside space is important in cold climates. But if you live in a mild/warm area like near California you don’t need much space inside the coop as long as the chickens have a safe attached run where they can go 24/7.

edit: language