Coop Too Small?

[ams82895]

I built a 6'x4' coop with an exterior nesting box to provide more room. We haven't bought the pullets yet, but we are getting them tomorrow. we were thinking about getting 9 but after reading that they need 4' each idk if I have enought room. Any suggestions?

 

[Buff Hooligans]

I have only four chickens in about the same amount of coop space (with a large run attached). I attribute their happiness and health to the fact that they are not overcrowded. However I think the space could handle five or six birds if I really wanted them. Honestly, nine might put them at risk of tension from overcrowding (i.e. pecking, feather pecking, agressiveness, etc.).

Best of luck with your new flock.

 

[elmo]

If you live in a warm climate and have an adequately sized run (10 square feet per chicken, no less than that, more is better), you can make do with less than the suggested 4 square feet per bird coop size. That's based on the theory that you would only be enclosing the chickens in the coop from dusk to dawn when they're roosting anyway. You will need about a foot of roost space per chicken inside the coop, which means you would need two roost poles for nine chickens.

 

[tasymo]

I've got six standard sized birds in a 4'x4' coop, and they are perfectly happy. I do let them out everyday into a huge run, and let them free range for a couple of hours each day, weather permiting. As long as the coop is just for sleeping and egg laying, and place to get out of the weather, I think a 4'x6' coop would be fine for 9 hens.

 

[teach1rusl]

It really is weather dependent, and to an extent, temperament of your birds dependent. If you're in an area that gets cold winters and snow, it's pretty risky giving them such a small amount of indoor space, as they tend to spend a LOT more time cooped up over the winter months, and that's when picking and bullying due to overcrowding typically occurs. But if you're in an area that has pretty mild winters, where they truly are outside all day, all year-round, your space would most likely be fine, as long as you have a nice sized run or free range.
Also, it'll look pretty roomy, even with nine, until they're about 6-7 months old, and that's when you'll see the crowding...