coop / run ratio

[CT11]

Hello Everyone - new member and soon to be new chicken owner.

I'm currently planning my coop/run so I can get building as soon as winter breaks. I have been reading a lot both here and elsewhere and I know that 3 to 4 sq ft/bird in the coop and 10 sq ft/bird in the run are the numbers to aim for.

However, I plan to roof my run and anticipate about 15 sq ft/bird. With the protection from snow and rain, the ladies should be able to be in the run most days with exceptions for severe weather. So with extra room and daily usage, can I go lower in the coop - 3 sq ft/bird?

I'm trying not to overthink this (may be too late for that), but I'd appreciate any input you may have.

 

[BYCforlife]

As long as the chickens can all comfortably roost, you should be good for space still.

Welcome to BackYard Chickens!

 

[DobieLover]

Hello Everyone - new member and soon to be new chicken owner.

I'm currently planning my coop/run so I can get building as soon as winter breaks. I have been reading a lot both here and elsewhere and I know that 3 to 4 sq ft/bird in the coop and 10 sq ft/bird in the run are the numbers to aim for.

However, I plan to roof my run and anticipate about 15 sq ft/bird. With the protection from snow and rain, the ladies should be able to be in the run most days with exceptions for severe weather. So with extra room and daily usage, can I go lower in the coop - 3 sq ft/bird?

I'm trying not to overthink this (may be too late for that), but I'd appreciate any input you may have.

Welcome to BYC!
What you are planning is basically my current set up. I built my run completely enclosed and attached to the coop. The entire thing is surrounded by a 2' wide HC apron buried just under the ground surface. I also ran 2 hot wires around the whole thing. The area exposed to the prevailing winds were covered with tarps prior to the onset of cold, windy weather. They are out there year round.
I never close my pop door. The chickens are out in the run where I feed and water when I get out there at the crack of dawn. They only use the coop to roost and lay eggs.
The 3 sq ft/bird should work for you just fine under these circumstances.

 

[CT11]

Welcome to BYC!
What you are planning is basically my current set up. I built my run completely enclosed and attached to the coop. The entire thing is surrounded by a 2' wide HC apron buried just under the ground surface. I also ran 2 hot wires around the whole thing. The area exposed to the prevailing winds were covered with tarps prior to the onset of cold, windy weather. They are out there year round.
I never close my pop door. The chickens are out in the run where I feed and water when I get out there at the crack of dawn. They only use the coop to roost and lay eggs.
The 3 sq ft/bird should work for you just fine under these circumstances.

Thank you!

 

[Alaskan]

Eh... I would still keep the coop at 4 square feet per chicken.

Bigger is better and greatly reduces the risk of nasty behaviors.

 

[Molpet]

Chicken math is real... go bigger

 

[rosemarythyme]

Chicken math is real... go bigger

Yeah I'd go bigger if possible, unless you have a hard restriction on number of birds, so you know you won't be tempted to add more.

Otherwise your idea should work, provided that still leaves enough space inside for everything you need, such as roost space and landing space in front of the roost.

 

[aart]

With the protection from snow and rain, the ladies should be able to be in the run most days with exceptions for severe weather. So with extra room and daily usage, can I go lower in the coop - 3 sq ft/bird?

That's the clincher......Chicken Cabin Fever is Real, and Ugly.
Go bigger, cause chicken math can be real too.

Welcome to BYC!

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[Acre4Me]

Hello Everyone - new member and soon to be new chicken owner.

I'm currently planning my coop/run so I can get building as soon as winter breaks. I have been reading a lot both here and elsewhere and I know that 3 to 4 sq ft/bird in the coop and 10 sq ft/bird in the run are the numbers to aim for.

However, I plan to roof my run and anticipate about 15 sq ft/bird. With the protection from snow and rain, the ladies should be able to be in the run most days with exceptions for severe weather. So with extra room and daily usage, can I go lower in the coop - 3 sq ft/bird?

I'm trying not to overthink this (may be too late for that), but I'd appreciate any input you may have.

Good Luck.

Assuming you are somewhere cold as you need to wait for winter to break. If you are able to construct a fully enclosed chicken biome of sorts, where the coop and run combo is predator proof...nothing can dig in, crawl in, or fly in without substantial effort and a set of tools, then 3sqft of space inside can be OK since they would have constant access to the run. There are chicken keepers that do keep their coop pop door open for 24/7 access, but there will be deaths eventually if a predator can get in.

Also, if your coop and run are exposed to the prevailing winter winds, then they will want to stay in the protected coop more of the day (or all of the day in really windy and cold weather), and this is when you will need MORE coop space. This can be dealt with to some degree with wind protection, often tarps or plastic covering the windy areas of the run. But, if you are in a very windy area, then you would need to add in something more durable to the winds (like a low wall or fence).

We lock our birds in the coop at night because our run is not predator proof enough for any kind of confidence 24/7. We are in the process of roofing the run, which will greatly help, but sometimes the chickens just hang out in the coop when it is especially cold and windy.

 

[CT11]

Thank you all for the comments and advice. Sounds like the bottom line is if I have the space (which I do), give it to the birds. I'll post pictures of the coop when its completed.