Coop Sizes Question/Debate

[Col1948]

I'm new to keeping chickens, only had mine for around a month now, I bought a small coop that said it would hold 3 chickens, well I suppose it would but the run attached was also small.
I ended up buying a shed and converted it to a coop and added 2 more chickens, it was easier to clean with having a proper human size door to get in, plus if I need to change or modify I have room to work.

Then looking at (SOME) other coops I've seen online to me also seem too small to house the amount of chickens that the owners have.
I've seen some that say they have 10+ chickens and the run seems cramped with hardly any room for them to move around, so in my way of thinking they are a glorified battery hens, what do others think or is it just me?

 

[Melky]

I think people do the best they can with what they have. Everyone has a different price point in what they will spend. I give individuals the benefit of my experience as going through the same process. I shoot for max required dimensions because I know what feels small so the next owner does not have to go through building and adding on or two houses finding the first insufficient. It’s a cost savings if know up front. Others have insufficient amount of space for shed in yard and will work with minimum requirements and feel as long as free range in yard fine. Got to prepare for bad weather days where they stay in the coop or when you are gone where they have enough space to move around. All you can do is recommend and see what others do. Some individuals are only going to provide the min while others max.

 

[Shadrach]

I'm new to keeping chickens, only had mine for around a month now, I bought a small coop that said it would hold 3 chickens, well I suppose it would but the run attached was also small.
I ended up buying a shed and converted it to a coop and added 2 more chickens, it was easier to clean with having a proper human size door to get in, plus if I need to change or modify I have room to work.

Then looking at (SOME) other coops I've seen online to me also seem too small to house the amount of chickens that the owners have.
I've seen some that say they have 10+ chickens and the run seems cramped with hardly any room for them to move around, so in my way of thinking they are a glorified battery hens, what do others think or is it just me?

Oh dear, you. asked the flame war question
Apparently the recommendation is 4 square feet per chicken in a coop and 10 square feet per chicken in the run..........hardly worth getting out of bed for imo.
Some people will say they don't have room for larger runs; I would say have less chickens then...

 

[aart]

I'm new to keeping chickens, only had mine for around a month now, I bought a small coop that said it would hold 3 chickens, well I suppose it would but the run attached was also small.
I ended up buying a shed and converted it to a coop and added 2 more chickens, it was easier to clean with having a proper human size door to get in, plus if I need to change or modify I have room to work.

Then looking at (SOME) other coops I've seen online to me also seem too small to house the amount of chickens that the owners have.
I've seen some that say they have 10+ chickens and the run seems cramped with hardly any room for them to move around, so in my way of thinking they are a glorified battery hens, what do others think or is it just me?

Nope, not just you.

Room for the keeper to move easily around (on their feet) is essential to me,
and something many folks overlook.
I can walk in and grab a bird off the roost for an exam,
and they have plenty of space to roam around in coop when the weather outside is frightful. Of course I was lucky enough to have a large shed to start with, not sure I'd have gotten chickens otherwise.

But I can understand the lure of those cute little coops that are marketed with such fervor and delusion. Population 'lies', lack of ventilation, and just bad designs for chicken comfort run rampant. Many folks don't bother to research ahead of time, and some never learn what chickens really need.

It's tough to watch it happen over and over again.

 

[flyin-lowe]

It's all about marketing. If some company knows they can advertise a coop for $149.00 that will hold 10 hens they know the uniformed with buy them. I have purple martin houses and am on a forum where the owner of one of the nationwide commercial martin house manufacturers is also a member. We always questioned why he continued to print on the packaging that "martins eat thousands of mosquitoes every day". Studies have shown that they do not. I suppose if you added up all the martins in the country they might eat a thousand mosquitoes a day but it is misleading for people who don't know better. Profit is what it is all about.

 

[Melky]

Nope, not just you.

Room for the keeper to move easily around (on their feet) is essential to me,
and something many folks overlook.
I can walk in and grab a bird off the roost for an exam,
and they have plenty of space to roam around in coop when the weather outside is frightful. Of course I was lucky enough to have a large shed to start with, not sure I'd have gotten chickens otherwise.

But I can understand the lure of those cute little coops that are marketed with such fervor and delusion. Population 'lies', lack of ventilation, and just bad designs for chicken comfort run rampant. Many folks don't bother to research ahead of time, and some never learn what chickens really need.

It's tough to watch it happen over and over again.

I do agree but it is tough initially to find resources and you want to believe the add that says you can house more for less. Then you think oh well if this does not work out then I don’t have much invested or required to move out later. I find myself only wanting more for me and my small flock but struggle with trying not to break the bank. I also know when my egg production drops I may need more space to get a couple more. I recently read an article that pre-fab sheds are not much better and frequently deteriorate and it is best to build but this takes so much time. Owners look for inexpensive quick and easy. I can’t really blame them. I find myself looking for the same things. I do want something that if need to sell later can repurpose into a garden shed for resale value. You guys make all good points.

 

[Melky]

Nope, not just you.

Room for the keeper to move easily around (on their feet) is essential to me,
and something many folks overlook.
I can walk in and grab a bird off the roost for an exam,
and they have plenty of space to roam around in coop when the weather outside is frightful. Of course I was lucky enough to have a large shed to start with, not sure I'd have gotten chickens otherwise.

But I can understand the lure of those cute little coops that are marketed with such fervor and delusion. Population 'lies', lack of ventilation, and just bad designs for chicken comfort run rampant. Many folks don't bother to research ahead of time, and some never learn what chickens really need.

It's tough to watch it happen over and over again.

I think the reason they feel it is an asset to not walk in coop is bio security so the pre-fab or built ones sometimes focus on this as a selling point but I would still like an adult size door for cleaning even if I don’t go in. Otherwise it is a lot on the back. This also makes it appear more cosmetically pleasing because you don’t get poop on your shoe.