Can I house more hens in my 8x8 coop?

[roo-many]

Hi! We currently have one large rooster and ten hens, one of which is a bantam. We are looking at adding a few hens with the understanding that our max capacity would be 14-16. I am wondering if we can stretch that by adding perches, to a maximum of how many? They free range over our 5 acres about 340 days per year, and the days they do stay in are not typically consecutive. We do keep a feeder and hanging waterer in there as well as a covered cat box for a nesting box. If we can stretch it, what would max out our rooster? He keeps the ten hens together very well right now are does a great job of discouraging predators. TIA!

 

[Percheron chick]

That's plenty of room for 15 chickens. You should have 2 8' roosts. Only 1 nesting box? I would want 3 total. One rooster is all you want/need.

 

[roo-many]

Thank you, Percheron Chick! Sorry my question is not very clear. I am wondering if I can accommodate more than that. Is it floor space that matters? Can I add a platform to fix that? I was poised to buy four layers when a friend offered us free chicks. I am just wondering if I can make room enough to accept them. It's a community nesting box. We have tried adding another but they all seem to prefer this one

 

[HighStreetCoop]

If all they really do is sleep in the coop and are free range the rest of the time, you can probably get away with stretching your numbers so long as you have enough perch space for them all. I wouldn't go crazy, but I would think you could probably get away with 20 birds under those circumstances.

 

[roo-many]

Thank you so much, High Street Coop. That was the number I was hoping for, but I didn't want to come off as greedy