Coop and run size Q

[cobra2411]

Ok, I've read and read and read and I've seen everything from 2 ft per bird up to 10ft per bird and I'm going dizzy...

I'm going to build something along the lines of the Playhouse coop with a couple changes.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=16313-playhouse-chicken-coop

The coop is a 4x8 pen with a 4x2 coop inside. I'm thinking of a 4x12 pen with a 4x4 coop. I have decided that being Norwegian I'm going to get some Jaerhon's from Ideal. They have a $25 minimum order, or 10 birds in my case. My original thought was 4-6 birds, so I could offer the extra birds up for sale locally or keep them (more likely).

I plan on having a good amount of roosting space inside the pen and coop. Right now they would be sharing the yard with dogs (not at the same time) so free range time would be limited. I am trying to think of a way to divide the yard to get them a free range area that's protected.

Given that they are going to be inside the pen mostly, is that too small for 10 birds?

 

[chookchick]

I was also enamored of this design and my coop is very similar. It is 4 by 8 with an "upstairs" area that is 4 by 4. After I put 4 chickens into it and they started growing, I realized that it really looked kind of cramped, so I built an extra 6 by 8 run. Then I had to move the coop, which wasn't too hard, and built a new 6 by 12 run. I still feel I do not have enough room for the 7-8 chickens I would like to have.

The upshot is that I really think that coop set up is best for only 2-3 chickens, preferably bantam. 10 would be way too much. I wish I had made an actual building that I could stand up in, if you want more than 3, I highly suggest a much larger building and and a separate run area (always go bigger!).

 

[bluie]

I followed the rule of 4 sq feet per bird in the coop and 10 sq feet per bird in the run. Actually, I went slightly over. (I have 7 chickens). I would not want to squeeze one more bird in either space. We also let them out in the yard as much as possible. They got much bigger than I imagined.

 

[cobra2411]

How do chickens and bee hives get along?

I may have an alternative location already... But I have 2 hives there.... I'm not too worried about the chickens snacking on the bees, other birds do it all the time, I'm concerned about the bees stinging the chickens... The bees and dogs get along fine when the dogs are back there...

 

[patandchickens]

It depends considerably on a) your climate and b) what your run will be like. The more weather you'll have when they just do not want to come out of the coop, the more important it is to have an ample coop; the larger and more congenial-in-poor-weather* the run, the more you can get away with squinching the coop space.

*-meaning, like, large area overall, containing a good sized roofed area, with plenty of shade from overhead and west on hot summer days, and windbreaks to make it more appealing for chickens to be out on blustery rainy days and cold windy winter days

Good luck, have fun,

Pat