Coop Build Advice

[Judoon_Platoon]

My wife and I are brand new to chickens and looking to start in the spring( we live in New Jersey and want to wait until after winter). I have an 8x8 space in my yard where we want to build the coop and run.

We will be starting with 4 chickens because that’s the max my town allows new keeps to have. The goal is to eventually move up to six.

Is the space adequate for that many? I read the general rule of thumb is 4sq feet per coop and 10sq for the run. Any ideas on how big to make the coop and run to fit that rule?

Thank you!

 

[BYCforlife]

Let me do some figuring!

You need a 4x6 coop for 6 chickens, and all you have to do is build it up off the ground a foot an a half or so, and then put it inside your 8x8 run, which would be a perfect size for 6 chickens.

 

[Judoon_Platoon]

Let me do some figuring!

You need a 4x6 coop for 6 chickens, and all you have to do is build it up off the ground a foot an a half or so, and then put it inside your 8x8 run, which would be a perfect size for 6 chickens.

I wasn’t figuring the space underneath the coop into the sqft. Thanks

 

[Melky]

If the coop is off the ground you can count the space under the coop as part of the sq ft. In the run. The sq ft for the coop and run are separate. If you have a limit in your area, I would obey the limit otherwise they may make you remove all from your property unless of course you are moving when you go up to six to an area that allows six.
Welcome!

 

[NinjaChicken617]

My wife and I are brand new to chickens and looking to start in the spring( we live in New Jersey and want to wait until after winter). I have an 8x8 space in my yard where we want to build the coop and run.

We will be starting with 4 chickens because that’s the max my town allows new keeps to have. The goal is to eventually move up to six.

Is the space adequate for that many? I read the general rule of thumb is 4sq feet per coop and 10sq for the run. Any ideas on how big to make the coop and run to fit that rule?

Thank you!

My coop is 4' x 10' and I have 8 girls. The coop itself is 4' x 4' which is cozy but as they are only all inside to sleep at night and the roost is plenty large for them all to have their personal space it works fine. This is the coop just after we got it and before the girls moved in. We paid someone to build it for us and he recommended the design with the elevated coop for security, ease of cleaning, and better ventilation/moisture control. We've since built a large fenced area around the coop so that the girls have a secure place to sort-of-free range during the day. We've also added 1' square concrete pavers all around the perimeter of the coop rather than burying hardware cloth. If you're short on space, this design might work for you.

 

[Melky]

The other option mentioned is 24 inch apron around bottom of coop/run of 19 g 1/2 inch hardware cloth. This is to prevent digging predators. You may not think you have any but dogs, raccoons, Fox, coyote, snakes, possum etc live most anywhere and love chickens. Need some type of predator protection.

 

[Melky]

Let me do some figuring!

You need a 4x6 coop for 6 chickens, and all you have to do is build it up off the ground a foot an a half or so, and then put it inside your 8x8 run, which would be a perfect size for 6 chickens.

I might take it up 24 inches. I don’t know if your planning commission had this but mine had 24 inch height minimum for coop. So I use space under the run too, attached to the run.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! Consider managing that space under those coops, and your ability to crawl under there, and into a small raised coop, before committing to this type of design.
Walk-in structures are much easier to manage! A modified garden shed works very well, for example.
Mary

 

[Pork Pie]

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1094945/coop-plans-for-a-super-beginner/10

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-much-room-do-chickens-need

 

[Judoon_Platoon]

Thanks everyone for all the input.
I definitely think I’ll use space underneath the coop as part of the run. We are repurposing a paved patio as the foundation to prevent predators digging under.(also thinking about curving the hardware cloth under instead of nailing it flush) I know there are raccoons in the area so i want to be as safe as possible.

In my area they seem to she very strict the square footage rule for number of chickens. With the size of my property I can have 12 chickens but the wife set a max of 6. (She’s a stay at home mom to our 18 month old twins)