Coop size and run suggestions?

[Gloribee69]

Howdy!

I live in the Pacific Northwest and have 4 chicks - Americauna, RIR, GLW & BO. We are fist time chicken owners and loving it! Before I finalize plans for the coop with my hubby, I thought I'd ask you experts for some advice.

From what I'm reading, it sounds like minimum requirement for the coop would be 4 sq ft per bird. And, the run should have 10 sq ft per bird?
Does that sound about right or would you suggest something different?
(We do plan on letting hens have access to our yard when we're home but need and enclosed area for times when we are not.)

Also, as we plan on having a permanent coop, I was wondering what folks recommend for the run area. I know the hens will devour the grass and then the question is, what's best to use in run? It gets pretty wet here (year round) but especially soggy through winter and early spring. My neighbor uses straw but I read somewhere that it's not the best.

I welcome any words of advice. And many thanks to those who have shared coop designs on this site!

 

[Judy]

The 4' and 10' are standard guidelines on BYC, but there is no good rule for everyone. And bigger is always better -- they do love to wander a ways. (When mine free ranged, they could have left the state, but seemed to stay within about 300' of the coop -- and mostly within about 100'.) Be sure the run can drain, even build it up if you can, or put a drainage area around it. Probably in your area you will be happiest with sand, once they have made the run bare (they will love foraging it to death, as long as it lasts.)

Maybe this will help you prevent problems:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-fix-a-muddy-run-chicken-coop

And this post is an excellent writeup on space:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/533672/will-my-run-be-large-enough#post_6815985

 

[DeannaOR]

As big as you can! The chicken math is gonna get you

and then you will wish you had more room.
I didn't even want chickens not so long ago..I just didn't want another chore. Then I only wanted 4..yeah that's it..no more than 4. Today is Mothers day and I find myself thrilled to no end to have gotten three Dorking pullets instead of flowers. So I now have twelve chickens and a rooster and three turkeys.
Think bigger than you think you need..and then add some more.

 

[Gloribee69]

Thank you, Flockwatcher for the good advice! After I posted my thread I saw another post with the link to 'How to Fix a Muddy Run'-- VERY helpful!

I'll check out the other link you sent, too.

I appreciate your advice about creating good drainage around the coop and I shared with the hubby. This weekend he's been working on leveling some of the back yard so we can make some raised garden beds as well. LOTS of projects happening at my house.

Thanks again!

 

[Gloribee69]

DeannaOR,
I was thinking the same thing--bigger would be better and I've heard rumors of the chicken math.

However, I am limited to 5 hens where I live. So, I was thinking I might convince the hubby to build a coop big enough for 5. As I feel that I am starting a mini-farm in the city --with 1 dog, 2 cats, 1 Mini Rex Rabbit and now the 4 chicks (plus wanting one more and wanting another rabbit)...I think eventually, this mini city farm will have to expand at some point to a bit more land in the country with more chicks, bees and goats!

Might be a dream but a girl's gotta have one!

 

[RiddleMe]

My coop is basically a shed with an interior chicken wire wall dividing it in half. I have one half for the chickens and one half for storage for feed, shavings, DE, etc. Love having everything in one building, especially when the weather is bad (I'm also in the PNW, though Central OR so not nearly as wet). But I can go in the shed then collect eggs, fill the feeder, etc. And, if I ever decide I don't want chickens (fat chance), then I have a nice shed for some other use.

 

[Gloribee69]

Sounds nice, RiddleMe. Do you have any pics of your coop?

 

[DeannaOR]

DeannaOR,
I was thinking the same thing--bigger would be better and I've heard rumors of the chicken math.

However, I am limited to 5 hens where I live. So, I was thinking I might convince the hubby to build a coop big enough for 5. As I feel that I am starting a mini-farm in the city --with 1 dog, 2 cats, 1 Mini Rex Rabbit and now the 4 chicks (plus wanting one more and wanting another rabbit)...I think eventually, this mini city farm will have to expand at some point to a bit more land in the country with more chicks, bees and goats!

Might be a dream but a girl's gotta have one!

Gloribee ...you most certainly should dream! I have been dreaming of moving out to nowhere land for many years. I grew up in the country and the minute I bought a house in the suburbs, I wanted out. This past December I finally moved to the boonies. I have to drive 40 minutes to and then from work everyday. It's the most beautiful drive though. I am the happiest I have been since I was a kid. We have been planting a garden, got the chickens and some turkeys...I wake up every morning and see my horse out my bedroom window grazing happily in the pasture. It just doesn't get better. Everyone should have a dream or two.

 

[Time-Out]

Do you have a big garden? I currently have 11 chickens in my small garden and they're not destroying the grass at all. If you could do a run half that size, you shouldn't have to worry about mud at all. I'll go out and measure it now!

20ft x 20ft is about half my garden. It has flowerbeds around the edge, a couple of conifers and shrubs on that half.

 

[lilchick]

For my pens I use stone. Keeps the pen dry even after the big rains... Any poop just washes down thru the stone so no work to keeping it clean. And it looks nice too! Not pea gravel, the bigger white stone.