Coop Size

[rjackh]

I know the rule of thumb is generally 2-3' per bird in the coop and 8-10' per bird in the run. My coop is 4x8', the upstairs is about 4x3'. I have kept 4 large breed hens at a time in this coop for several years without any problems. I let them out daily in the evenings to roam my entire backyard for the last couple hours of daylight. If I am home on the weekends, they get free roam of the yard about half the day both Saturday and Sunday.

My BO recently died of unknown causes. I don't want to buy just one chick and reintroduce to the other 3 girls, but I am concerned about buying 2 chicks and eventually keeping 5 large hens in this setup. Do yall think it is enough room for 5 if they are let out daily? I sometimes leave town on the weekends, so they would be contained in this for up to 3 days at a time with no breaks. Thanks.

 

[br0nc0]

Well I'm not as experienced as some other people on here, but I've had chickens for a number of years, so I'll put my two cents in. I have found out that "rules" are more like.. guidelines. It's one thing in theory but another in practice. I think it boils down to the temperament of your birds. I think that if they are docile and don't make much trouble you could easily fit 5 hens in there, even for a couple of days. More room is always better, but I think you have plenty of space for what you need.

 

[junebuggena]

I know the rule of thumb is generally 2-3' per bird in the coop and 8-10' per bird in the run. My coop is 4x8', the upstairs is about 4x3'. I have kept 4 large breed hens at a time in this coop for several years without any problems. I let them out daily in the evenings to roam my entire backyard for the last couple hours of daylight. If I am home on the weekends, they get free roam of the yard about half the day both Saturday and Sunday.

My BO recently died of unknown causes. I don't want to buy just one chick and reintroduce to the other 3 girls, but I am concerned about buying 2 chicks and eventually keeping 5 large hens in this setup. Do yall think it is enough room for 5 if they are let out daily? I sometimes leave town on the weekends, so they would be contained in this for up to 3 days at a time with no breaks. Thanks.

You are a bit confused. The coop is only the enclosed shelter. The open air part is the run. You are maxed out at 4 birds in that space. Integrating new birds requires about twice the amount of space that an established flock needs, due to the territorial nature of chickens.

 

[rjackh]

You are a bit confused. The coop is only the enclosed shelter. The open air part is the run. You are maxed out at 4 birds in that space. Integrating new birds requires about twice the amount of space that an established flock needs, due to the territorial nature of chickens.

Sorry, I frequently call the entire structure the "coop", when in reality, the coop is what I call "upstairs" and the downstairs is the run. The run is 4x8, upstairs coop is 4x3.

Any way to integrate new birds in smaller spaces? Maybe some sort of soft release pen inside the run, or have the young birds caged adjacent to the run for a while?

 

[junebuggena]

Separate but adjacent spaces for a few weeks. But it's so small already. No way for the new birds to really get away if they need to when you eventually put them together.