Chicken math

[Lulu-vt]

Exactly a week ago I picked up 9 chicks. Then a couple of days ago I had an opportunity to add 3 Marans. Who wouldn’t? I sent my husband to pick them up and he brought them home along with 2 crested cream legbar chicks plus a ccl roo. Omg!!!

So now I have 16 chicks!!!

The plan for my coop is now way too small. I need to adapt it. Would you say that a 10x7 coop will be big enough? I live in a cold climate and we will build a large enclosure or free range. If I add two feet in length to the back, it increases my sq. foot but not all the roof dimensions, etc. I’d also have to add more nesting boxes.

My original plan was for a 5 x 7.

 

[Tookie]

If I were you, I would go a bit bigger. 10x8 will only give each bird 5sq ft of space, and 4sq ft of coop space is the recommended minimum. The reason I would go larger is because you're in a cold climate so your flock will probably spend more time in the coop, therefore more space would be best.
How exactly cold do you get though?

 

[Lulu-vt]

If I were you, I would go a bit bigger. 10x8 will only give each bird 5sq ft of space, and 4sq ft of coop space is the recommended minimum. The reason I would go larger is because you're in a cold climate so your flock will probably spend more time in the coop, therefore more space would be best.
How exactly cold do you get though?

I’m in Vermont. It’s different than it used to be. We regularly would get to -20 but in the last 5 years we see lows below zero degrees for maybe a week.

 

[Tookie]

I’m in Vermont. It’s different than it used to be. We regularly would get to -20 but in the last 5 years we see lows below zero degrees for maybe a week.

Ah, okay. Interesting weather patterns. That's still pretty cold though, so maybe a 12x8 coop would be better, that would give each bird 6sq ft of space. Bigger is always better though, and then there's more room for chicken math, lol!

 

[HollowOfWisps]

-Don’t worry about more nesting boxes. It’s not necessary because they will all end up using the same couple of boxes. Once one lays in a spot the rest all want to lay in that spot too.

-10x7 is pretty bare minimum for that flock size so if you get chicken fever again you won’t have any more room. I personally would go with as much room as you can because it greatly reduces the amount of flock fights, pecking issues and plucking.

 

[aart]

If I add two feet in length to the back, it increases my sq. foot but not all the roof dimensions, etc.

I find this a bit confusing..part of the coop won't have a roof?
Do you have pics of any plans/sketches of the coop and run?

I’m in Vermont.

Go big, you won't regret it once winter rolls around.
Large roof overhangs with open soffits and fascia is the best way to ventilate during winter.

Here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[wrathsfarm]

Seeing you must go bigger, I would go 12 x 8 just for the simplicity in lumber selection as most lumber comes 8,10,12,16' lengths. With that, if your doing sheeting for walls these are 4' x 8' lengths and width so vertical would be 4,8,12' wide, horizontal would give you 8' wide and split one in half to get your 12' for each side.

Edited to fix post as my phone isn't cooperating.