Coop big enough?

[mattc102]

This is my coop its 5 by 5 in the coop and the run is about 5 by 8 and like 4 foot high. I have 7 chickens and 1 on the way , 4 rir , 2 americaunas , 1 barred rock and 1 polish hen on the way

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

Chickens need around 4 sq ft of floor space in the coop and 10sq ft in the run, than 1 nesting box for every 4-5 chickens and 8in of roost per chicken that it's tallest point is taller than the nesting boxes. To start the birds laying add fake eggs or golf balls in the boxes, they will lay right by them

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

That's just a guide line, every situation is different.

 

[trailrider330]

No. If you want to know the truth, your coop is not big enough if you go by the general rules of raising chicken. Those rules say the coop should be 4 square feet for every bird and the run should be 10 square feet per bird.

A coop your size is not recommended to house more than 6 birds while your run can only handle about 4 birds. So, you really should not have any more than about 4 birds total given those dimensions.

Looks like chicken math struck again!

Any chance you can at least double the size of the run to give them some more room?

 

[trailrider330]

Another option might be to allow them to free range if you are concerned about it.

 

[mattc102]

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

I have a proper coop but don't have a run for them yet, mine are only 2 and 3 weeks old, when they get older and can defend themselves better I will let them run in my other two stalls and than in the spring more of a free range I will have 45 birds total

 

[mattc102]

Another option might be to allow them to free range if you are concerned about it.

I let them freerange everday supervised only though for a couple hours

 

[mattc102]

No. If you want to know the truth, your coop is not big enough if you go by the general rules of raising chicken.  Those rules say the coop should be 4 square feet for every bird and the run should be 10 square feet per bird.

A coop your size is not recommended to house more than 6 birds while your run can only handle about 4 birds.  So, you really should not have any more than about 4 birds total given those dimensions. 

Looks like chicken math struck again!

Any chance you can at least double the size of the run to give them some more room?

They freerange everyday and get along just fine . I was thinking of doing a bigger run but i wanted chain link fencing anyone know of it is cheap?

 

[trailrider330]

They freerange everyday and get along just fine . I was thinking of doing a bigger run but i wanted chain link fencing anyone know of it is cheap?

I was looking at the chain link kennel panels from Menards, reinforced with hardware cloth, and covered, to make my runs. Otherwise, CL is always an option.

If you free range everyday that will certainly help. You are just going to have to keep an eye on how they do. (i.e. Is there any feather plucking? Are those lower in the pecking order not able to roost? etc.)