Coops - Just how much room do you need?

[kdwag]

I already purchased a coop but no chickens yet, finishing up the run. My question is, how much room do you need in the coop? When I purchased mine, it said it could house 9 hens, but I think not. It's floor is 5 x 5 with 6 nest boxes-3 on each side but raised with 2 roosting poles. that go across the floors. Do hens need room to do more than roost, eat and drink? Not sure you could even fit a waterer or feeder inside of it. I was contemplating starting with 4 hens. The run is 8 x 8 and plenty large but i just am not sure what chickens do inside the coop> by the way, LOVING this site.

 

[teach1rusl]

Four would be a great fit for that size coop! Plus that's a good size, easily manageable flock to start with. Your area will get some decent snows over the winter, so unless their run is covered, they will probably choose to stay inside the housing quite a bit late Dec., Jan, and Feb. Folks with mild (or no) winters can get by with lots of birds in a smaller space, because they're literally only inside to roost (or to lay an egg)...they're outside at all other times. But most chickens don't like snow...so areas that get snow typically see birds spending quite a bit more time indoors over the winter months...

 

[1muttsfan]

4 square feet of floor space minimum per bird, you would have to subtract out the space the nest boxes take up if they are inside the coop. IF the floor space is 5X5, you could have 6 birds, BUT you would have to take off the nest box square footage. I can not figure how they get 9, that would be way too many hens.

6 boxes is way to many for such a small coop, I would take out at least 3 of them, that would give you more floor space as well. It would also be easy to attach external nest boxes, freeing up even more space.

10 square feet minimum run space (you have 64, enough for 6 birds)

 

[kdwag]

I thought 9 was too many as well-- live and learn -- the nest boxes are raised up and out - 3 on each side - i think i'll do a little remodeling before my chickens come. Thanks for the information.

 

[hreilly]

Hi,

I am curious as to the comments. I live in Colorado and have raised chickens for many years. I have not heard of the 4 sq foot rule per chicken. You would have to have an extremley large coop for your back yard friends. I am wondering if the person whom you bought the coop from was going off the 1 sq foot rule.

It's very nice to have a large safe run around your coop. We get lots of snow and our girls like to go outside in all weather. Our run is not covered except for the wire on top, sides and into the ground so, it doesn't have a roof on the run portion. The girls like to walk around and go under their coop too.

The reason I wanted to reply is that their are a lot of people who read the post here and think they are correct. There are definately different views on what is acceptable for inside space and I say that in the most polite way. My girls use their coop to sleep and lay eggs and then spend the rest of their time outdoors.

Just wanted to let people here a different view.

Thank you