Does putting levels in your coop increase number of birds you can have?

[Penny spender]

I'm looking at building a new coop in the spring (damn chicken math! lol) and I'm wondering if putting levels in a coop counts as floor space and increases the number of birds?

For example, if my coop is 8'x8' (64 sq ft) floor space, and a I add a 4'x8' (32 sq ft) ledge across one end part way up, is my coop now 96 sq ft floor space (64+32 sq ft)? Using the common math of 4sq ft/bird, then the 64 sq ft coop that held 16 birds, now becomes 96 sq ft (64sft + 32sqft) and can now hold 24 birds. (correct ventilation for number of birds of course)

Is this correct thinking...or wishful thinking? lol

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Birds still need floor space to eat, drink and move about. With an upper level it could allow a few more birds, but probably not as much as the floor space recommendations, which in my opinion are always too small anyways. You will probably end up with birds hiding in the upper part. If you are where it gets cold enough to lock birds in it still will be crowded.

If you want to keep more birds I always recommend keeping bantams because you can keep more in the same space as you can keep standards.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I'm wondering if putting levels in a coop counts as floor space

I live in Canada and have a 4'x8' metal coop with 3 levels. By chicken math I should have only 8 birds in my coop. I have kept as many as 30+- chickens over winter. The chickens spent few day outside with no issues. The left Plywood door of the coop (I leave open often during the winter) has a second hardware cloth screen door (NOT SHOWN) in conjunction behind the plywood outer door,

 

[Sunshine Flock]

I think for a one story structure intended to house people, the square footage refers to the actual ground level, usable space. So a sleeping loft in a tiny house wouldn't count toward the square footage, although when selling the house you would say, "And there's an additional 75 square feet of space in the loft."

I've wrestled with this question, and even realtors don't always measure correctly.

For a chicken coop I always think in terms of ground level living space inside the coop. The levels wouldn't count toward the square footage when someone wants to know the size of your coop. More space is implied when you say you have roosts and platforms at different heights.

That's my take, anyway!

 

[TalkALittle]

It doesn't let you increase the number of birds to that which guidelines would imply the new square footage would allow. But it MIGHT let you push the boundary a bit on what your current square footage allows because it MAY help mitigate the issues caused by overcrowding. Take care not to install something that inadvertently causes your birds to stop using the existing space as much as they currently do, otherwise you may end up no better off (and maybe even worse) than if you hadn't made changes.

 

[Welshies]

It would depend on how much roost space and nest boxes you have- more floor space means nothing if your birds can't roost.

 

[aart]

I'm looking at building a new coop in the spring (damn chicken math! lol) and I'm wondering if putting levels in a coop counts as floor space and increases the number of birds?

For example, if my coop is 8'x8' (64 sq ft) floor space, and a I add a 4'x8' (32 sq ft) ledge across one end part way up, is my coop now 96 sq ft floor space (64+32 sq ft)? Using the common math of 4sq ft/bird, then the 64 sq ft coop that held 16 birds, now becomes 96 sq ft (64sft + 32sqft) and can now hold 24 birds. (correct ventilation for number of birds of course)

Is this correct thinking...or wishful thinking? lol

Mostly wishful thinking.

I have 30sqft of poop boards, cleaned daily, it doesn't really increase the floor space, but does allow for another 'place to be' during those long winter storms....and for new birds to stay 'out of the way'.

2' poop boards with roosts above has worked well for me.
2 x 7' and 2 x 4'.

1 x 6' in east end is partitioned off for new birds in spring.