Enough Space for 5 hens?

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

I do not think that the coop is going to be big enough for 5 chickens regardless of how big the run is. The chickens have to go in the coop in bad weather and at night and they do not need to be cramped. When it's rainy, the run becomes useless unless it is covered. And I will tell you, if a company sells a chicken coop and says that it will hold 4 chickens, chances are it will only hold 3 if you are lucky. I've seen people trying to sell large chicken coops that will "hold 25 chickens!" that I would only put 10 chickens in. What I recommend for you to do is to make the run sturdy and cover it in tin, a tarp, or something else that will keep the rain out. If you will do that, it may be big enough for all 5 of your chickens.

 

[teach1rusl]

If you guys don't get winters, then I think it'll be okay. I was trying to guess your region by the foliage in your pic., but I can't tell. If you don't really get winters, then the entire little prefab thing could serve as their housing, as long as there was enough roost space. If you do get winters, then come winter time you could screw plexiglass over the screened parts of it to make it a solid housing protected from the elements (and it would let the sun through). Your run space (the part you've put up yourself) should be fine for 5 birds.
If you don't, I would strongly suggest shutting them inside the prefab each evening because netting won't keep raccoons and such out at night...

 

[modchicken]

Ok thanks guys, I think I'll get to work on covering part of the run. Would that be alright? To cover half of the run with something? Maybe I could put another nest box inside the run?

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

Ok thanks guys, I think I'll get to work on covering part of the run. Would that be alright? To cover half of the run with something? Maybe I could put another nest box inside the run?

It would be alright to cover half of the run. However, adding another nest box will not be affective. I have 8 laying hens and they only use 2 nest boxes.

 

[Mass Mike]

I've read varying specifics, but, on average, 8 cu.ft (2x2x2) of coop space will suffice. Just need to make sure that each has about a ft. of roost each. Your run is certainly large enough to give those girls some room to breathe. Looks like there might be 2 nesting boxes back there? that'll be fine for 5 hens.

 

[Mass Mike]

Ok thanks and ya I know!! I think I will make some of those frames so I can plant things for them to peck at! I have 2 EEs, 1 BR, 1 Red Star, and 1 Black Star! Could I put another sort of small coop in there or no? I'm not sure what to do... I don't know if there's a way to really make the coop itself any bigger?

adding onto the back (not the nesting box side, but the back side facing the fence would be your best bet. Although once you've spent the time designing and building, then the cost of materials....it may just be more in your best interest to try to sell this coop off and construct something bigger. I'd encourage building something yourself (or enlisting some chicken-loving friends). The construction of most coops is pretty straight-forward, there's tons of design ideas online here and elsewhere and, in the end, you get WAY more for your money (both in size AND quality) than you would investing in something pre-fab.

Best to build bigger than the needs of your current flock. Chances are your future flocks will be larger in numbers and you'll want to have available space for them....in the meantime, your 5 can feel like they have their own little chicken mansion :^) Godspeed.

 

[modchicken]

Thank you everyone for the help! I would like to just build a coop myself but I spent quite a bit on this coop and I feel bad just selling it when I only used it for a little while.. ugh, I want to build my own though!!!!

 

[Vicky2479]

I bought one similar to that that, it was advertised as being big enough for upto 10 standard chickens, if I had bought it for my 6 big girls and not as a brooder house for bantam silkies I would have sent it back. My guess is you will find that one too small for your 5 girls once they are fully grown, I agree with mass mike and some of the others, you would be better off selling that one and building something bigger or enclosing the "run" end of it and putting in some more roosts, if it is always fairly warm where you are then that should work ok.

 

[modchicken]

Ok what about 4 hens???!!! Could it fit them any better? Thinking one of my chicks is a cockerel... :'(

 

[PeepsAreForMe]

Hi Modchicken - I have that same coop! And I HATE it!! LOL


Different color, but same exact. I got it from Hayneedle. I was so annoyed that they said it could fit 5 - 6 chickens. Maybe - if they never grew up!! It seemed way too small and my husband thought I was crazy but he added a protected run to it, and we changed those flimsy door locks.

Here is what he built onto it:

I put a tarp over the protected run to keep it dry from rain, but it is tricky getting it off when there are puddles of water on it! And, cleaning the bottom part of the coop is not easy. I'm not a big person and I can barely fit into that doorway! So . . . this is what my wonderful husband is in the process of building now:


As you can see from him sitting in the coop part, we could have a party in there! It is about 50 times bigger than the one they are in now, you can see the comparison!! To the right of my husband there will be a full size human door so I can walk into their run and never have to bend down again!! Yes, all the girls in this house are spoiled!