Do they REALLY need...?

[Melissa Rose]

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X2

 

[ca]

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4 by 4 coop = 16 sf. divided by 6 birds = 2 2/3 sf per bird. That is not all that far from 3.

 

[silkiechicken]

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Been there done that! lol just kidding but lets me know at some point they will use the space.....Great Post!

It's called college years dorm living!

Generally, more space is better, but it is up to you in the end. Millions of chickens spend their entire lives with less than one square foot per bird their entire lives. They didn't "need" it to survive... and not like they know any better as it is the life they always knew. But is that the life you want them to have?

I find bigger better because upkeep is a whole lot less time consuming.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

We had 7 hens in a 4x4 coop last winter. They still used the run even on the worst winter days as I had it wrapped in a tarp, top and sides but front. Our winter lows went below -20 F and they still went out into the run. I believe those that heat their coops have chickens that wont venture out of the coop unless above freezing as they are not acclimated. Therefore you need a lot of coop space.

With a tarp on top and 3 sides of run to shelter all chickens stayed in run on worst days and froliced on shoveled paths when temps hit 0 F. If sunny out they'd roam in negative 0 F temps. No heat, no problem.

They're all in run awaiting me to shovel after the storm night before, worked my way shoveling from house then took the pic.

 

[ECBW]

I am for efficiency, but 7 birds will be tight in 4x4. I have kept 4 in 4x3 over NJ winter with no problems.

 

[Beekissed]

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This.

If you are going to build and you have the space, why not make it as roomy as possible? A little is good but more is better when it comes to housing livestock of any kind....freedom of movement, space to occupy theirselves instead of picking each other's feathers off, room to get out of a dominant hen's way without getting the head pecked, room to scratch, fluff or otherwise work up any deep litter, a place to put their feeders and waterers if you need to do so, room to fence off space for a bird that needs isolation, etc. All these things make a chicken's life better.

 

[pawsplus]

I agree that more space is always better. Keep in mind, too, that chickens are happiest when they are roosting up high. 4 feet isn't very high--top roost can't be more than 3 feet up! My coop is extra high, but the chickens very much prefer the tallest possible roosts (nearly 8 feet up) over the lower ones. They feel safer the higher up they are.

 

[bobbi-j]

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My coop is talll, too. The rafters are 7' up, and that's where the majority of my birds roost. I've had to figure out covers for the hanging feeders and heated water dish in the winter to keep them clean.

 

[ECBW]

Well, the height perception might change as the birds age. Getting to the higher roost is their instint but there is no minimum height. In fact, you might have heard older birds jumping off overly high roosts and crash, injuring themselves.

 

[moetrout]

If you do this you will most likely be build another coup later. can they survive like that, sure. Will they be happy, most likely not. try to come up with the funds to go bigger and in the end it will be a savings in time and money because you won't need build a bigger one.

Also, I did exactly what you are talking about. I had 5 hens and 1 rooster. I built a 4' x 4' x 4' tall coup with the nest box out the side wall. At the time I was built it they were still young and all was good, but as they got older/bigger it be came really apparent that I had to come up with something else. A year and a half later I have invested just over $1000 on a 6' x 8' x 8' tall coup and a 24' x 24' 6' tall run. Money well spent and it should last me the rest of my life. It was framed just like a house.