Coop enclosure size for 30 birds

[roberthleeii]

Chicken math got to me… I got a free coop from a coworker and decided it would be nice to have 3 or 4 chickens… I am up to 7 and the poorly designed free coop is struggling to sustain them. I have decided that I would like around 15 chickens so of course I probably need to build a coop big enough to support 30 .

Our chickens spend dawn to dusk free ranging around our property and the new run I am going to build is going to be in the 300 – 400 sqft range just in case we have to leave them in there for any periods of time. Food and water will be available and accessible 24/7 in the run. They would just be using the coop area for roosting purposes.

My question is, how big of a enclosed coop area do I really need? My current plan is something in the 8’x12’ size. Is that good? Too big? Too small?

Thanks in advance,

Robert

 

[nuthatched]

Basic guidelines:
4sq feet per bird in the coop
1 foot of roost per bird
8sq feet of run per bird
1 square foot of ventilation per bird
1 nest box per 3-4 hens.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'd be happy with an 8x12. You are in Texas not that far from Houston so you will have weather the chickens can be outside practically all day every day of the year. That's a big difference from them being trapped in the coop for days or weeks on end like further north. The more chickens you have the fewer square feet they need per bird. I explain that in the link below in my signature. Most building materials come in 4' or 8' dimensions, if you plan around that you can save a lot of cutting and waste.

I'd set it up where you have the new coop, a run, and on the far side of the run put that free coop so it has access to the run. I'd want to be able to block off a small part of the run to be with that small coop if you want to isolate one or some chickens in there. An additional facility like that can come in handy for integration or many other things.

 

[3KillerBs]

I'd set it up where you have the new coop, a run, and on the far side of the run put that free coop so it has access to the run. I'd want to be able to block off a small part of the run to be with that small coop if you want to isolate one or some chickens in there. An additional facility like that can come in handy for integration or many other things.

This is advice so good that I have nothing to add other than links to my articles on ventilation and hot climate issues.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hot-climate-chicken-housing-and-care.77263/

 

[Iluveggers]

8x12 would give you room for 24 if you follow the 4sq ft recommended by most. 10x12 would give you the minimum for 30. How exciting for you, and good job planning for the inevitable chicken mathing that’s certainly to come!