Coop Size and Insulation?

[Davaroo]

Pats a hundred percent right. There are many factors to take into consideration - what one does and finds works may not be good for all. It may not be good for them, either, but they don't see it.

I tend to go with things that have been done before, standing on the shoulders of others. On that score, here are the words of Mr. Charles Weeks from his book, "Egg Farming in California":

"The old adage, "Learn to do by doing," holds good in the raising of poultry as in all other things, but the successful men in the world are keen to make use of the accumulated knowledge on their line and thus save years of toiling and experimenting.

That the man that has the ability to start in where the other man leaves off is the man that is able to progress. "Learn to do by doing" is the only practical way to become an expert poultryman, but by using the accumulated experience of others we are able to start doing the right thing instead of groping blindly for a right system. There is a way to do the right thing in the right place and at the right time, and if we can make this "doing" count while we are getting experience, then we save time."

Secondly, it seems prudent to rely on the methods from the time we didn't have the benefits of antibiotics, electricity, modern chemicals and so on. These are transitory things and can be taken away. Better to know how to get along without them.

This is why I'm a staunch proponent of the old adage "More Space is Best." It alleviates so many problems. On the other hand, "going with the numbers" is one step away from confined commercial rearing as Pat alludes. That's where those much repeated numbers originated, in fact. This means, to me, that the problems inherent in those confinement methods are also just one step away.

SO many people think that a thing is invalid unless you have done it... well, I don't need to be hit by a truck to know it hurts.

Having too little space for livestock is asking for trouble, or at least a lot of extra work. Same thing, to me. It may not get you today or tomorrow, but I'm certain it's gonna get you, somehow, somewhere along the line.

 

[Oblio13]

There's almost no such thing as too much space. Most of the negative aspects of chickens - smell, fighting, diseases, parasites - can be eliminated or at least mitigated with nothing but more elbow room.

I have a 4x8 coop and a 12x20 run, for a total of 272 square feet. I have 9 hens and 8 teenagers. That's 16 square feet each. It's not enough, even though I let them out to free-range most evenings. I don't think three times that would be too much.

 

[Davaroo]

Dead on, Oblio. My new chicken yard, the one I'm moving to soon, is around 1000 sq ft. It is all pine straw, grape arbors and a few shrubs, well drained and dry. The "coop," a shelter really, is inside this area and included in the total. I will expect to keep only 10-12, RIR mixes in that tightly controlled area.

Im chary to do it, I might add. Until recently I've had 400 sq ft per bird and have never had ANY problems with flies, stench, muck, poo, respiratory ailments, etc. I'd prefer more room then what I'm gonna have, but I want to reform the space where they currently reside.
So this is how it's gonna be.

 

[mylilchix]

Thank you all for your input. So, if I'm building a 7x8 coop with at least an 8x25 run our 18 chickens should be ok? That gives us a total of about 14 sq. ft. per chicken. We do plan on enlarging the run at some point, but for now this is what we're planning.

I'm also wondering how much insulation I should put in our coop if we have 18 chickens in a 7x8 space? I don't want it to get to warm and humid in there.

Thanks, Sonja

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
you said you had 400 Sq. Ft. Per bird ? OMG that is alot of area per bird .

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
7x8 Coop is kinda small for 18 chickens . and depending on where you live , consider Ventilation and insulation .


we are building a 8x12 coop and 12x20 RUN for 34 chickens and we are NOW considering to ENLARGE AND ADD MORE FOOTAGE .

majority of ours right now are 12 weeks old . ONLY 6 hens that are laying , BUT afraid this 8x12 coop will not be large enough . I am trying desperately to convience DH to add another 5 ft. of run also .

 

[Davaroo]

Thank you all for your input. So, if I'm building a 7x8 coop with at least an 8x25 run our 18 chickens should be ok? That gives us a total of about 14 sq. ft. per chicken.

Remember what Pat said - this isnt cast in stone.
Just know that the more closely confined they are, the more of a waste manager you must be.​

 

[Davaroo]

you said you had 400 Sq. Ft. Per bird ? OMG that is alot of area per bird .

40x40 area = 1600 sq ft. 4 birds were in there. That's 400 per bird.

I never dealt with poo, flies, stench, muck, lime, litter or any of the problems you hear about. The reason is simple:
With that much space, I didn't have to. The earth itself handled it for me.

Lesson learned.​

 

[brookwoodpat]

eldaroo, on your new large 1000 sq foot area do you have flight netting over it all? how do you predator proof such a large area?

 

[Davaroo]

elderoo, on your new large 1000 sq foot area do you have flight netting over it all? how do you predator proof such a large area?

Layered Perimeter Defense, or LPD for short.
This isnt my first rodeo. 1000 sq. ft., isn't all that big. It is along one fence between me and a neighbor, so is narrow and not wide open. The fence is covered with grape arbors. Overhead is open, but among trees and shrubs. I will also use small shelters and plantings in the chicken yard.
I also have fences all around my property. The chickens are not exposed to the "wilds," per se, and are themselves fenced within an outer perimeter of fencing. In fact they are not exposed much, at all. Many people simply stick their chickens out in the open which, if you think about it, is contrary to their nature. I just avoid that.
Second, I am not a happy-go-lucky "live and let live" type. With preds, I know it is either me or them.
I have guns, traps and dogs in and around the perimeter.​