Coop size Question

[Thanera]

I want to add two more reasons for having a sufficiently large coop: ventilation and chicken math.

Ventilation. No matter what your size vs. chickens ratio is, small coops are hard to ventilate properly. In addition to small floor space, they also have insufficient height. There just isn't enough vertical space to fit the height of the roosts (which need to be higher than the nesting boxes) and overhead vents that need to be above the chickens' heads when roosted. What often happens is that those small coops have insufficient or poorly placed ventilation. And, being small and crammed, they start stinking quickly and develop problems quickly. Doesn't matter if all the chickens do in there is sleep at night - nights are long in the winter, and that's a long time they spend in there breathing ammonia or getting frostbite from all the freezing moisture generated by their poop and breath. Ventilation is very important - to prevent ammonia build-up in all weather, to prevent frostbite in cold weather, and to prevent overheating in hot weather.

Chicken math. You may start with 3 chickens in a shoe box, but very soon you may find yourself adding just a couple more... and a couple more... and needing to replace that shoe box when it starts bursting at the seams

I totally agree with the ventilation issue with the pre-made coops and I wish I had known better beforehand. Luckily I am quite handy and have managed to raise the roosting bars above the nest boxes, added tons more ventilation above their heads with even a small exhaust fan included. Because of the smaller space inside the coop I make sure to clean it everyday or every other day, there is nothing worse than a smelly chicken coop. If I cannot stand to smell it, how could they? I wouldn't want my birds living like that.