Do proportions matter for same square footage?

[ChickenOfSpades]

The basic rules of thumb for space per chicken are pretty well established on here, but how much to the proportions of a coop matter?

For example, a long narrow 4'x12' coop/run versus a 6'x8' coop/run...or a hypothetical (and kinda ridiculous) 2'x24' coop/run. They all have 48 square feet of space. The last example is obviously an exaggeration, but to what extent do proportions matter?

 

[azygous]

Ah, it matters if there isn't adequate space for a chicken to dismount the perch without crashing into the opposite wall. My main coop happens to be four feet wide and twelve feet long. It's just barely wide enough for the chickens to get off the perch.

However, I have watched a chicken crash into the window that is opposite the perch, and one time a rooster crashed into the window and actually broke it. Luckily, no injuries have occurred, but a beak injury would be especially painful should it occur.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I often have 4'x8' coops. The 4' width is nice for adding good perches. A 6' width coop would be harder to have proper perches in that won't bow and break. As far as overall space, the 6'x8' coop would be better than the 4'x12' coop because it'd be more open, with a better setup for the feeder and waterer. But again, perches would work better in the 4'x12'.

On runs, it's the same thing if you add perches. The 2'x24' run would work better than the 6'x8' run due to the hens lower in pecking order would have a longer stretch to get away from hens higher in pecking order. But if you're looking a pecking order, a big run and a coop surrounding run helps a lot. Them having space and places to get away from each other helps make a better and more peaceful pecking order.

 

[Acre4Me]

Yes, it can matter- flight physics as noted. But, also pecking order. A lower pecking order bird would have a harder time avoiding trouble in a tighter space.

 

[saysfaa]

The "well established" rule of thumb space per chicken is the minimum that has a fair chance of working well enough in most climates for most flocks with the most common set ups and management.

Yes, the proportions matters. How much they matter, like most things, depends....

• On the scale. Half as wide makes more than twice as much difference if the space is just barely big enough to start with.
• On the scale. 4' square feet per bird is a lot tighter for two birds than for twenty birds because they don't space out evenly.
• On the set up. Having clutter to allow one chicken to get out of sight of another allows a narrower space.
• On the set up. Having choke points allows one chicken to block other chickens.
• On the individual. Some will guard a space more aggressively than others will.

 

[raingarden]

The more square (same width and length) a coop or pen is the less it will cost you to construct. 2'x24' has 52 linear feet of wall. 6'x8' has 28 linear feet of wall but both have 48 square feet of floor space.

 

[gtaus]

The more square (same width and length) a coop or pen is the less it will cost you to construct. 2'x24' has 52 linear feet of wall. 6'x8' has 28 linear feet of wall but both have 48 square feet of floor space.

Absolutely, Who doesn't want to save some money anywhere they can?

 

[3KillerBs]

Another factor is standard dimensions of materials. Lumber and sheet goods are sold in multiples of 4 feet. (Some exceptions for some kinds of roofing).

So it's actually easier and less expensive to build a larger 6x8 coop than a 5 x7 coop because you're not cutting boards and throwing away the cuts (you get the 6-foot pieces by buying 12-foot boards and halving them instead of cutting 2 feet off an 8-foot board).

The reason Neuchickenstein ended up 16x16 is that while DH was planting posts for an intended 12x16 he realized that his post spacing didn't work and that it was going to be simpler to make the thing square. (Of course I agreed instantly to an even larger coop!)

 

[NatJ]

The basic rules of thumb for space per chicken are pretty well established on here, but how much to the proportions of a coop matter?

For example, a long narrow 4'x12' coop/run versus a 6'x8' coop/run...or a hypothetical (and kinda ridiculous) 2'x24' coop/run. They all have 48 square feet of space. The last example is obviously an exaggeration, but to what extent do proportions matter?

I don't think the proportions matter too much to the chickens.

But once it gets skinnier than a certain size, that matters.
For example, if two chickens walk past each other, do they have enough personal space? Or does one peck the other for crowding?

So 2 feet wide is probably fine for a single hen raising chicks, but I would try for 4 feet or more of width if you are going to have adult chickens sharing the space.

Up to about 12 feet wide, more square is probably better. Past that, I don't think it matters much. So I would expect 36 x 36 or 12 x 108 to be equally good. (If you were building a really LARGE run, you might deal with numbers like those. And 12 feet wide is much easier to roof than 36 feet wide.)

 

[saysfaa]

...

Up to about 12 feet wide, more square is probably better. Past that, I don't think it matters much. So I would expect 36 x 36 or 12 x 108 to be equally good. (If you were building a really LARGE run, you might deal with numbers like those. And 12 feet wide is much easier to roof than 36 feet wide.)

This.