Help! Coop looks too tiny! Help a newbie today!

[msjones]

I just assembled my new coop (bought out of a box, had only seen a photo and list of dimensions). It looks soooo tiny

! Here's a link to the craigslist ad -- it has the dimensions and a photo:

http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/grd/1338113749.html

What do you think? I'm only getting 3 birds -- we have a tiny city lot. Will I need to attach an additional run?

I won't be able to let them roam much during the days, due to raccoons and neighbor's hyper dog. But I don't want the girls to be miserable.

Suggestions? Advice? Thank you!

 

[Hoosiermomma]

I think that is fine for 3 birds. I've seen some of these housing up to 5-7 bantam sized birds. Try them out in there and if you still think it's too tiny, you could easily add some more onto the run area. Nice coop though!

 

[cposz]

Dang, it's cute!
We have a smallish suburban lot and 4 chickens - and we did add an additional large run to ours, but mostly as an aid for introducing the two pullets to the older hens (worked great - gave the little ones some space to run away!).
But when winter comes, this is about all the space ours are going to have, too.
I think it should be OK.

 

[Cetawin]

Oh yes, that will be fine...let them out for free range time when you are out there with them.

I just bought one of these (being shipped now) for my three bachelor ducks. I am going to build them a larger run to go into so their kiddie pool will fit in it.

 

[XilverAngel]

That does not seem tiny! it should be fine for 3 chickens, it looks like it could hold more!

 

[msjones]

I know it looks biggish in that photo, but it's really only 78" long, 30 inches wide, and 41" high.

That's really enough? I guess it's the size of the tractors I've seen around here, but those seem tiny, too.

I just don't want to torture them... poor girls. They'll probably come from some big farm out in the country, only to be plopped down in a 'studio apartment' in the city with 2 roommates.

 

[canada-goose]

Relax! You can let them out a bit when you're around and they will do fine! Chickens are tougher than they look.

 

[Matt A NC]

You will have to clean their sleeping area almost daily. With that size the poop can build up quickly.

Matt

 

[tiffanyh]

I think that is great for three birds!

 

[elmo]

It's hard to see from the photo, but the wire on the run doesn't look predator proof. If the spaces are larger than 1/2 by 1/2 inch, you'll want to reinforce it with smaller mesh.

A racoon can easily scare chickens into piling up in a corner (especially in a small enclosure like this one), then simply reach in through the wire to grab and pull parts of the poor bird out through the mesh. But if the openings in your mesh are 1/2 inch square or smaller, the racoon can't do this.