Coop size Question

[Thanera]

Hopefully this isn't a stupid question but, why is it important to have at least four square feet per chicken in the coop. My chickens only use their coop for laying eggs and sleeping otherwise they're outside in their run. My coop is definitely on the small side but everyone fits and seems happy. My chicken run on the other hand is 700 sq ft. Doesn't that make up for the short comings of the coop? Is the coop size 4 SQ ft in case of the chickens needing to stay inside during bad weather?

 

[cavemanrich]

Is the coop size 4 SQ ft in case of the chickens needing to stay inside during bad weather?

Nothing is a stupid question,, You do have a good point , The 4 square foot size is a good one when peeps keep their chickens inside coop for extended periods of time. Weather,,,, Predator security,,,, Vacations, or away from home working,,, Reasons are numerous.
If you are in an area where chickens do not need to be confined inside coop, then a smaller coop can handle the over-nite roosting. Egg laying also.

The 4 SQ FT coop, and 10 SQ FT runs per chicken are just GUIDELINES. Your results may vary, and often do work out.

If you encounter bad behavior in your flock,,, it is often a result of overcrowding..

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

 

[McChooky]

Overcrowding causes aggression, stress,sickness,disease,injuries and death. Providing the bare minimum space per bird can't be stressed enough. Anything less is a recipe for failure

 

[McChooky]

Hopefully this isn't a stupid question but, why is it important to have at least four square feet per chicken in the coop. My chickens only use their coop for laying eggs and sleeping otherwise they're outside in their run. My coop is definitely on the small side but everyone fits and seems happy. My chicken run on the other hand is 700 sq ft. Doesn't that make up for the short comings of the coop? Is the coop size 4 SQ ft in case of the chickens needing to stay inside during bad weather?

If you'll make your run as protected from the elements as the coop AND as safe from predators then it can be counted as space in the coop .Some people leave their coop doors open 24/7 because they have predator proof runs that are covered and sheltered from wind or rain(snow) It takes a lot of work but its possible.

 

[CluckerFamily]

- I’m in Wisconsin and there may be times during the below -30°F weeks where I may choose to keep them in the coop.
- There are times when a predator may be in the area and I need to confine them to the coop. I do have a predator proof run but the rooster will still herd everyone into the coop and position himself in the doorway to sacrifice himself. It is just less stressful on the flock to lock them into the coop.
- When I have new chicks or let a broody raise chicks, I am able to divide the coop to allow the babies to be raised with the flock then there is no additional integration needed.
- I am also able to divide the coop if I get new full grown members so that they have weeks or a month of integration before being part of the flock.
- All this also allows food and water to be in the coop if needed.

 

[Thanera]

Thanks for all the answers! It's given me some things to think about luckily I've only had two encounters with predators since I've had my chickens for the past year and they both happened in the same week, just last week, and I'm happy to say my chicken run kept them safe. I will be making a sort of add-on to my coop for the winter that will be protected from the elements as much as the inside of their coop. Sub-Zero temperatures isn't common where I live during the winter but better to have that extra room for the day time.

 

[3KillerBs]

A quote from the article I'm writing:

But I free range/have a huge run and my chickens only use the coop to sleep and lay eggs! Why do I need all that space inside?​

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You might not. As I've said, these are guidelines, not hard-and-fast rules.​

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If you never close the pop door so that your coop and run function together as a fully integrated system that is the equivalent of a huge, open-air coop, then your flock might be just fine for years, even decades.​

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If you are always out there to open the pop door at the crack of dawn or you have an ultra-reliable automatic door so that your chickens never lack access to their free range territory during the daylight hours, then your flock might be just fine for years, even decades.​

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If you live in a mild climate where chickens can always go out into their run/range and are never kept in by snow or storms, then your flock might be just fine for decades. People who keep chickens in places with tropical and subtropical climates do successfully go without a coop at all, just offering a covered roost and some nestboxes.​

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But when something happens ...​

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When a determined predator moves in and breaks through the fencing so that you have to confine the flock to the coop itself so that you can fix the run,​

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When an extreme weather event prevents your chickens from leaving shelter for days,​

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When an emergency calls you out of town and you can't find someone willing to be there at the crack of dawn to open the pop door,​

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Then you could have a mess on your hands.​

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Which brings us back to the issue of flexibility and options. Any time you push a system hard against it's limits you have to count on everything remaining stable -- exactly as it is without any changes. How well that's likely to work depends on your specific circumstances. You may never encounter an unfortunate circumstance -- some people DO hit the lottery, after all.​

 

[Ridgerunner]

why is it important to have at least four square feet per chicken in the coop.

You might want to follow the link in my signature below to see some of the reasons I think space is important to chickens.

As others have mentioned, that 4 sq ft is a guideline. When people are starting out they don't have the experience to know where to even start so they look for help. I've seen posts on this forum where people have suggested everything from 1 sq ft per chicken to 15 sq ft per chicken as what chickens need in the coop. Sometimes people mention run space with those, often they don't. There is nothing magical about any of those numbers, they are just somebody's opinions.

You'll see all kinds of numbers offered. I've seen someone say you need 7" of roost length per bird, others insist 15" per bird is best. They don't care if you have a tiny bantam or a big Jersey Giant, that's how much roost space you need. You'll see where you have to have a certain ratio of hens per rooster or a certain temperature in a brooder. Some of these things are guidelines which can help but some, like the hen to rooster ratio, are just taken totally out of context. It can be hard to know what is a guideline and what is something that has no relevance. I think it is always as good idea to ask "why" like you did to see how that apples to you.

Let's look at that 4 sq ft number a bit. It can help of you've read my article. We all keep chickens in different conditions and manage them differently. Some people look at the coop in isolation. If your weather, management methods, or something else keeps them in the coop only for extended periods of time when they are awake looking at the coop in isolation is probably appropriate. If yours are not confined to the coop only when they are awake then coop size is a lot less important. There are other considerations. For example, if you are integrating strangers you need more space than if they are already good buddies. The quality of the space can be important too. There is a big difference in a box where they can see every inch of the space versus where there is stuff they can get out of line-of-sight of each other.

For many of us the 4 sq ft is overkill. For some people it is not enough. The idea of a good guideline is that even if you do some things wrong you have a margin for error. But you still have to use that guideline appropriately. The 4 sq ft is pretty much intended for people with a handful of already integrated hens in a small suburban back yard. If you have other conditions it may not be that appropriate to you.

I find the tighter I pack them the more behavioral problem I have to deal with, the harder I have to work, and the less flexibility I have to deal with issues that come up. Over the years I value flexibility the most.

 

[Alaskan]

I find the tighter I pack them the more behavioral problem I have to deal with, the harder I have to work, and the less flexibility I have to deal with issues that come up. Over the years I value flexibility the most.

So true

 

[K0k0shka]

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