Chook House

[daveandsally]

Hi all, we are currently raising 10 chicks for egg laying. We are going to build a new house for them. The chicks are totally free range and range over a 1/4 of an acre so will not be shut up all day and night in the house. My question is what is the ideal size of the house to cater for 24 birds who free range every day? Cheers, dave

 

[imnukensc]

4 sq ft per bird is the generally recommended space required so that would be 96 sq ft. An 8' x 12' coop would work.

 

[The Lazy L]

4 sq ft per bird is the generally recommended space required so that would be 96 sq ft. An 8' x 12' coop would work.

 

[FlyWheel]

Even if you free range there will be days your chooks simply will not want to go outside. Especially if you live in an area that has cold winters, it snows or has days of heavy rain. So the more space / things to do you can have inside their coop the better. Remember things like nesting boxes and roosts do not count as floor space.

 

[aart]

The chicks are totally free range and range over a 1/4 of an acre so will not be shut up all day and night in the house.

Yeah...well.....

Even if you free range there will be days your chooks simply will not want to go outside. Especially if you live in an area that has cold winters, it snows or has days of heavy rain.

This^^^

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[daveandsally]

We live in the north of sunny New Zealand. When it rains or gets a bit windy our current hens and roosters just perch under an open (but roofed) structure, very rarely do they go and perch in the houses, except to lay. They love to play and dust themselves in the bamboo which, also provides shelter.

 

[JDN]

You don't need 4 sf a bird if you truly do free range them at your pleasure. a 2 or 3 will suffice...4x8 with two roosting bars is a convenient size given the dimensions of most lumber.

 

[daveandsally]

You don't need 4 sf a bird if you truly do free range them at your pleasure. a 2 or 3 will suffice...4x8 with two roosting bars is a convenient size given the dimensions of most lumber.

Thank you, I think yo are correct re the size of the house as the chooks hardly use the house, totally Dave free range.

 

[jthornton]

Hi all, we are currently raising 10 chicks for egg laying. We are going to build a new house for them. The chicks are totally free range and range over a 1/4 of an acre so will not be shut up all day and night in the house. My question is what is the ideal size of the house to cater for 24 birds who free range every day? Cheers, dave

If the only function of the coop is a place to roost then you just need enough roosting space for your birds. That is the way mine ended up, I feed, water and the nest box is in the covered enclosed with welded wire run so my coop is just a place to roost. Mine is 4' x 5' with 11' of roosts and I've seen 7 full size hens on one 4' roost and sometimes they just roost all over. So I'd have at least 24' of roosts far enough apart so they can't poop and peck on the neighbor hen across the way.

Make it a walk in coop (roost box) with good ventilation and good overhangs!

JT

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Go big, 4 sf per bird is the minimum I would go 10 sf per bird at least that gives room for a brooder, area to separate if needed. Size matters Bigger is better.

Gary