Chicken coop, help please?

[backyardjack]

Hi guys you've been so helpful so far, so I've got a question! This chicken coop (pic below) says online that it can house from 5 to 8 chickens I was just wondering how many it can really house, Thanks in advance Jack

 

[lovemy6hens]

General guideline is 4 sq ft per hen in the coop & 10 sq ft per hen in the run.

 

[backyardjack]

Well they will get to free range most of the day, and what does that mean it will really fit 1.5 chickens in it? I dont no if i have worked it out properly! Someone help ahaha

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I have this coop and run but only use it as a grow out coop for chicks when they move out of the garage and outside for the first time. I also have an additional run on it too. I have had my two Amber ladies in it once when I had to clean their coop and really I wouldn't put more than those two in as in a large hen. They are a lot smaller when you actually get them put together than you think. Also I would add more ventilation holes to it there are not enough.

 

[lovemy6hens]

It's a very small coop and I don't think it could possibly house 5-8 standard size chickens comfortably. However, every situation is different.

coop pictured 80 cm x 75.5 cm = 60.4 m2
(2.63 sf x 2.48 sf = 6.52 sf)
run pictured 137 cm x 75.5 cm = 103.435 m2
(4.5 sf x 2.48 sf = 11.16 sf)

 

[Trefoil]

Looks like 2 chickens max, Try craigslist for a used one. They are more likely to have a usable coop reasonably priced.

 

[WthrLady]

I grabbed that exact same coop last week at a local farm store as an 'i need it right this second' coop for a quarantine situation. As it was only 145$

I have one bird in it-6 month old rooster. NO WAY i would even put two birds in there, let alone the 4-6 the company says fit. I even have the divider out of the next box area to increase the floor space.

The wood is crap, quality of balsa.

The nest box has a large gap between roof and coop wall-rain hits coop, flow right into the nest box. I fixed that.

two roost bars provided are teeny tiny thin. I left mine out. There is no good place in there for a 2x4 roost without being in the way of the people access or pop door or slide out tray.

huge gaps around the tray. I covered in plastic with windbreak on the outside, so that fixed that.

gaps inside around the tray open to the run,and breezes below. Again, exterior wind break stops that.

duct tape inside under bedding on coop floor stops drafts and falling bedding materials.

small access door on coop has large gaps around it, allowing drafts. I fixed that.

nest box has gaps when you close it. I fixed that.

no proper ventilation for the coop ( drafty gaps are not ventilation) i fixed that.

ramp takes up a good deal of run space. So it cannot be counted as space for chickens in sq footage. One you add foot and water, that space shrinks even more

clearance under coop is too low.

barrel locks are misaligned...not fun to fiddle with when fingers are bare and it's 4' out

good enough for an emergency, but would never Ever use it for a primary coop. Makes me sick to think they are, and recommended for so many birds!

 

[WthrLady]

Oh and my model had no pop door! I made one.

At least the roo is not directly available for anything that wanders in the poorly constructed run.

Wouldn't take more than a toothless, old age coyote with a limp to get through the coop walls though.

Mine is surrounded by a hearty hot wire fence, a motion activated smart phone app alerting security camera...and momma's a dead eye shot.

 

[backyardjack]

If I doubled the amount of room inside the coop by moving the nest box wall out and putting a new bit floor, 2 bits of wall and roof on it (if you know what I mean). The run is going to be more of a safe area for them as it will be open all day, I reseved this for Christmas and I am trying yo make the most of what I've got whilst all being as greatful as possible! So what do you think, would it help?

 

[WthrLady]

Still doesn't hold 6-8 birds.

If they are free range, still only hold 2 or three birds. And some day you'll want one nesting area, which lowers living space.