Coop size question, and first post!

[Wilco]

Hi all!

I raised chickens long ago, but am just getting back into it, and am really excited, and excited to find this forum.

I am in central Texas, and am building a coop for 15 chickens. In the run I am giving about 10 ft per chicken.

Now for the Coop, I am giving the 4 feet as required, but I'm wondering if I can go less, because I am building a ground up coop that will be 6 feet tall. I am not sure if by going vertical, and having roosts that also "go vertical" with ramps, if I can reduce my overall floor space.

Any help is much appreciated!

 

[kwork]

From everything I've read on here, any "2nd floor" or elevated space does not add to the footprint of the coop. Perhaps someone with more experience will chime in.
If you have extra space outside in the run to increase the amount of free space they have out there, it will lessen the crowding indoors and since you are in Texas, I doubt they will spend much time indoors socializing except at night so it probably won't be an issue like it would be for someone in colder climates.

 

[elmo]

Hi, welcome to the forum!

No, I don't think you can count vertical space inside the coop because the idea is what happens when chickens need to be confined inside the coop during the daytime and they're up and active and down on the floor. However, since you're also in Texas and our weather is not severe in the winter, the number of times you will need to confine your chickens to the coop will not probably come up often. That's the general thinking, anyway.

Honestly, though, I think if you build smaller than the 4 square feet per chicken you'll come to regret it. When you build in enough roost space (about 12 inches of roost width per bird) and someplace to put a ramp (which you might actually not even need, by the way), and someplace to put nestboxes, feed and water (very handy to be able to keep those in the coop sometimes), I think you're going to find it very cramped in there if you build smaller. 15 times 4 is only 60 square feet, after all. You don't want to make the coop so small that it will be difficult for you to work inside.

I have an 8' x 8' coop for our 9 tiny bantams, and it's just about the right size. It doesn't feel too roomy on the one hand, but it's not cramped, either.

 

[ddmiddle7]

from Indiana! You'll love this site.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Quote:

I'm just going to say this - bigger is better. You will always wish you made the coop and/or the run larger. I know I do anyway. I have less than 4' per bird in my coop. They do have plenty of roost space and they are really not in there except to roost at night and to lay eggs (the nest box is attached on the outside, thus not taking up floor space). I mostly wish it was bigger so I could add a couple more birds at some point. They also have more that 10' per bird in the run, but I really wish that was much bigger as well. If you free range them, that won't be much of an issue...

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Sorry, but no, that 4 sq ft that BYCers are so fond of quoting *assumes* you have the roosts up above the floor.

Even putting shelf-type things up there does not really give any more USABLE square footage for the chickens.

What you need in your climate is not so much indoor space -- although personally I think 4 sq ft apiece is already excessively minimal, if you see how they behave when they have more -- as a LARGE outdoor shady area, under tree or roof or big piece of shadecloth or whatever. By large I don't mean "part of the run", or even "all of a modest-sized run", I mean a LOT of shade because the bigger the shade "pool", the cooler it will be and chickens do not really deal with heat very well at all.

So I would suggest that that, more than coop space, is probably the biggest thing to be pondering on and planning for.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[dadsdeercamp]

Quote:
Sorry, but no, that 4 sq ft that BYCers are so fond of quoting *assumes* you have the roosts up above the floor.

Even putting shelf-type things up there does not really give any more USABLE square footage for the chickens.

What you need in your climate is not so much indoor space -- although personally I think 4 sq ft apiece is already excessively minimal, if you see how they behave when they have more -- as a LARGE outdoor shady area, under tree or roof or big piece of shadecloth or whatever. By large I don't mean "part of the run", or even "all of a modest-sized run", I mean a LOT of shade because the bigger the shade "pool", the cooler it will be and chickens do not really deal with heat very well at all.

So I would suggest that that, more than coop space, is probably the biggest thing to be pondering on and planning for.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

Hi, hello &

from Minnesota x2

 

[Wilco]

Excellent thank you.

DDMiddle, my folks are originally from South Bend....

Thanks again for the tips. Then entire project is nestled among trees to provide a good windbreak from north winds, and will be about 12 x 18 with the coop being being 8 x 6 within.

Alot of work to start.....whew!

 

[Wilco]

Sota!

I love Minnesota! Some of my favorite bands are from Minneapolis, and I love the Iron Belt way up north.

Cheers!

 

[AZBootsie]

The 4/10 is just a good rule of thumb. Everyone has different influential factors that ultimately, you just kinda need to do what works best for you. Size and temperment of chooks, climate, finances...etc. can all play a role in your decision. Up until yesterday (when I rehomed 4) I had 16 hens and 1 rooster in a 56sf coop with a 300sq ft run. They were all healthy and happy. Personally I think you will be fine with a little smaller coop. Just make sure they have lots of roosting space, plenty of nesting boxes, and let them out into the run as early in the morning as possible.

But, if finances will allow you.....build as big as you can afford (money and space wise). Cuz, the desire to get more grows faster than your chicks do!!

Be sure and post pics. We love to peek at others coop set ups!!