Coop and Run Question- We want more chickens

[gerberagirl]

We would like to get more chickens, and I’d like to get some advice on our setup.
3 years ago, we got our first chickens and built a coop and covered run for them. About a year and a half later, we got a new batch of chicks, so we built a smaller coop and run for them to live in until we could integrate the flocks. Once the flock was integrated, all the chickens started sleeping in the large coop, and we now use the little coop for storage. We have connected the 2 runs with an automatic door to give the chickens more room. The combined runs are a total of 726 square feet, so we have plenty of run space and in fact, the chickens rarely use the smaller run.
We now have 26 chickens.
The coop they all sleep in is 8x8 with 6 roosting bars that run across the coop. We live in a mild climate, so the chickens only sleep and lay in the coop.
We are thinking of getting 10-15 more chickens. We would raise them in the little coop, which is 5x5, until they are old enough to be integrated with the flock.
I was hoping for some opinions on their sleeping arrangements once we integrate them. The 8x8 coop has plenty of space on the roosting bars to fit more chickens but I know we are past the limit of advisable space for the chickens. But since they only sleep in the coop, could we get away with having the new chickens sleep with the flock? Or should we keep the little coop open to give them a choice of where to sleep.
I took a panoramic photo of our setup which you can only see if you click on the photo

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I personally wouldn't add anymore to that set up. If the flock was all bantams, maybe, but standards need more room and things to do.

It isn't about if you can physically fit more, it's about the birds feeling crowded which will cause aggression. In a wild flock of chickens when the numbers reach more than the territory allows than some will be driven out. In a closed system they can't leave, so you will get birds picking and plucking each other. Than you have a mess.

 

[kattabelly]

I'd be less worried about the coop, if it's only used for roosting and laying, and more bothered about run space.

You have just under 28 sqft per bird at the moment. Adding ten chickens brings that down to 20 sqft each, and adding fifteen chickens brings it down to less than 18 sqft each. Either figure can be rounded to losing roughly a third of the space they have now. Even just visually, you can tell from that photo that adding another 10-15 chickens will make it feel a lot more crowded.

 

[gerberagirl]

I'd be less worried about the coop, if it's only used for roosting and laying, and more bothered about run space.

You have just under 28 sqft per bird at the moment. Adding ten chickens brings that down to 20 sqft each, and adding fifteen chickens brings it down to less than 18 sqft each. Either figure can be rounded to losing roughly a third of the space they have now. Even just visually, you can tell from that photo that adding another 10-15 chickens will make it feel a lot more crowded.

That photo isn’t showing the smaller run, so here’s one showing its location a bit better. We could make the run bigger, I just don’t want to have to enlarge the coops. They also are usually let out of the run each day to roam around the yard, but we are having some hawk issues so they have been staying in the run unless we have time to sit outside and monitor them

 

[kattabelly]

If they could have more run space and/or enough time outside the run, it might work but I would definitely leave both coops open to give them the choice of where to roost. How much actual roost space is in the smaller coop?

 

[gerberagirl]

If they could have more run space and/or enough time outside the run, it might work but I would definitely leave both coops open to give them the choice of where to roost. How much actual roost space is in the smaller coop?

We have 2 roosting bars that are 5 feet each. We could add another since the coop is tall enough for us to stand in

 

[rosemarythyme]

I think run space is okay but I don't think you have enough coop space for more. It's not just about the roosts. You'd need to increase the ventilation as well as an additional 10-15 birds is a LOT of added moisture.

 

[gerberagirl]

I think run space is okay but I don't think you have enough coop space for more. It's not just about the roosts. You'd need to increase the ventilation as well as an additional 10-15 birds is a LOT of added moisture.

The floor of the coop is just plywood, and we scrape the poop up every day

 

[Mother of Chaos]

The floor of the coop is just plywood, and we scrape the poop up every day

True, but chickens go into overdrive at night for pooping. It’s a lot of moisture being added at exactly the wrong time of day.

Do you ever have severe, sustained winter weather, where they might just not want to leave the coop for the run? I’m thinking of cold/wet plus high winds, stripping off their natural layer of body warmth.