Coop Questions

[Tlmcq]

Coop size suggestions for chickens that are free ranged and only use coop for sleeping and egg laying. They run my 10 acres until almost dark and are cooped at night for predator protection then let out in morning. They do go back in to visit the nest boxes and lay eggs but that is all during daylight hours. I am in process of getting new coop together and want to have sufficient size for them so they are comfortable. I know the guidelines but want input from people on their own experience.

 

[mechanic57]

The ordinance gives you 4ft per bird in the coop, and 10ft per bird in the fenced area (my interpretation is that the fenced area is immediately adjacent to the coop, not the property line fencing).

The ordinance also give you max dimensions of 120 Sq Ft and no more than 12 ft high. That's enormous! That's a 10ft wide by 12ft long structure that can go up to 12 ft high. Have you considered building something from scratch vs a pre-fab unit? My brother in law converted a 8x8 shed into a coop and I built a 8x8 coop with 2x4s, plywood and left over shingles from my house roof. A larger size structure gives you more conveniences like being able to walk inside the coop when cleaning and gives you room for bigger feeders which means larger amounts of food and water. Then you don't have to worry about making 2 to 3 trips per day to the tiny coop to feed and give them unfrozen water in the dead of winter. Also lets you go on vacation for 2 weeks and you only need a neighbor to spend 30 seconds a day collecting the eggs, not feeding and watering them multiple times a day.

The dimensions of most prefab coops like that are WAY too small for the number of chickens they claim to house. While a home made coop will cost more in material and time, the price per square foot will be lower. It will give you room to increase your flock if you decide to and the extra space will be more convenient for your functions as a keeper. It will also give your birds a less stressful space for the days they are inside the coop all day because of rain and snow. If they are cramped in a space, they will start pecking at each other which leads to feather loose and fighting injuries.

 

[Rob Tof]

The ordinance gives you 4ft per bird in the coop, and 10ft per bird in the fenced area (my interpretation is that the fenced area is immediately adjacent to the coop, not the property line fencing).

The ordinance also give you max dimensions of 120 Sq Ft and no more than 12 ft high. That's enormous! That's a 10ft wide by 12ft long structure that can go up to 12 ft high. Have you considered building something from scratch vs a pre-fab unit? My brother in law converted a 8x8 shed into a coop and I built a 8x8 coop with 2x4s, plywood and left over shingles from my house roof. A larger size structure gives you more conveniences like being able to walk inside the coop when cleaning and gives you room for bigger feeders which means larger amounts of food and water. Then you don't have to worry about making 2 to 3 trips per day to the tiny coop to feed and give them unfrozen water in the dead of winter. Also lets you go on vacation for 2 weeks and you only need a neighbor to spend 30 seconds a day collecting the eggs, not feeding and watering them multiple times a day.

The dimensions of most prefab coops like that are WAY too small for the number of chickens they claim to house. While a home made coop will cost more in material and time, the price per square foot will be lower. It will give you room to increase your flock if you decide to and the extra space will be more convenient for your functions as a keeper. It will also give your birds a less stressful space for the days they are inside the coop all day because of rain and snow. If they are cramped in a space, they will start pecking at each other which leads to feather loose and fighting injuries.

I agree with bigger is better. How about food storage. A area for young birds. Just plain easy cleaning.