Coop size for 4 standards and 3 bantams?

[sephiroth]

http://petchickensofvirginia.com/group/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2889

Sturdy, strong, yet light enough to move around. Chickens get grass every day. Adequate shelter from the weather (sun, rain, snow, wind). Predator proof! I'd recommend this design:

 

[sephiroth]

Here's another one I built. This is the one I actually use for my own chickens.

 

[TheGardenCoop]

The Garden Coop fits 8 standard hens quite comfortably. The "up to 8" does not refer to bantams. We have 8 standards in ours, and many others who've built from our plans actually keep a few more with only minor modifications to the space or the position of the ladder or nesting boxes. Especially if you have an extra outer run to let them into from time to time, 8 works great!

If you look at the space requirements in Barbara Kilarski's Keep Chickens!, she suggests a minimum of 2 sq. ft. in the henhouse and 4 sq. ft. in the run. With 8 standards, The Garden Coop gives you 1.9+ sq. ft. per bird in the henhouse and 5.9+ per hen in the henhouse. That seems tight on the henhouse, but because it's a fully secure, integrated henhouse/run design, they're never locked into the henhouse portion and can roost wherever they please. This makes a big difference.

In Portland, our hens prefer to roost mostly in the run, except during the coldest weeks/months. I imagine in Texas, your hens will do the same, effectively making the whole thing one (very) big henhouse.

 

[BoerneChickens]

Quote:
I hadn't thought about it all being open all the time - tht really does expand the availab;e space - thanks for pointing tht out! I kept reading 10 sq ft of run per bird, but between the tweaking I have done to make the run a tad longer and the whole thing a foot deeper and the info you sent I am thinking I should be fine with the combo of birds I will have! I managed to build all four main walls yesterday, today I sanded and stained as you recommened and I got piers into the ground for one short end. Lots more digging to go

Guess I will do a little each night this week. I have friends coming next Saturday night and am hoping I can have it set up on the piers - with some luck maybe even have the roof structure started.

I'm so excited for the coop - it really looks gorgeous - I am soooo glad my sister recommended your site (she lives in Portland too but alas has no chickens ... yet