does this look big enough?

[chickenjimmy]

I was wondering if this looked big enough for around 15 buff Orpingtons (just for sleeping) its around 4x4 and has 8 nesting boxes and 4 roosts.

 

[chickenjimmy]

Pictures of the outside

 

[fiddlebanshee]

Looks way to small to me. It would at most house 8 birds and that's when they can be outside all day. If you have any winters with snow and they are cooped up in there 15 would really not fit and you're inviting fights and agression.

 

[jenifry]

Sure they can all fit IN it, but are they going to be comfortable? (Chicken experts here free to correct me, but) I have heard a minimum of 3 square feet per bird for coop space, So at the most a 4x4 coop should only house 6 birds. What are they going to do for a space when it's cold in the winter? My "chicken instructors" have all told me 1 box for each 4 hens. and 12 inches of roost space per bird so you seem to have plenty of those accommodations.

 

[chickenjimmy]

Yeah I thought so I just figured once the nesting boxes and roosts were filled there would still be plenty of room

 

[chickenjimmy]

I'm currently building a pretty big run, around 50' long and 10' wide it will have a roof so I figured that was plenty of space to run around at any time of the year, from what I've read Orpingtons are pretty good with dealing with cold weather

 

[chicken pickin]

I agree 4x4 in entirely too small for 15 chickens. Even 8 is pushing it. Like said above if you have mild weather and winters wont confine them to the inside of the coop you can maybe get away with 6-8 for sleeping in the coop only. If you have bad winters that will confine them to the house on bad days I would suggest 3-4 chickens. 8 nesting boxes and 4 roosts seems like alot for that small coop, you would need maybe 2 nests depending on the amount of chickens you decide to ad. Are the nesting boxes interior or exterior? Do you have more pics of the interior?

1 of my coops is roughly a 4x4 and it houses at the moment 7 very tiny bantams. Even 7 bantams all about 1lb each I feel is too many for my coop but they have a fully covered run and can have outside access even in the winter.

 

[fiddlebanshee]

I'm currently building a pretty big run, around 50' long and 10' wide it will have a roof so I figured that was plenty of space to run around at any time of the year, from what I've read Orpingtons are pretty good with dealing with cold weather

Consider enclosing one short side of the run on three sides with solid walls of about 8 ft long, so you'd have a sheltered area that is 8x10 = 80 sq ft. Divided by 4 sq ft per bird that'd give you room to grow (or you could use part for storage). They may be hardy birds but they still need shelter from the wind and moisture.

 

[chickenjimmy]

Consider enclosing one short side of the run on three sides with solid walls of about 8 ft long, so you'd have a sheltered area that is 8x10  = 80 sq ft. Divided by 4 sq ft per bird that'd give you room to grow (or you could use part for storage). They may be hardy birds but they still need shelter from the wind and moisture. 

I was actually thinking the same thing about the run as I was typing it, I should be able to build something like that before the chicks get too big