help with coop size

[joelharper]

I am going to have a door for me to gain access into the coop. So I can clean it out and get eggs

 

[Emma Miriam]

That's a great point. You really only need 2 feet below the coop for it to be usable for chicks, feeders, waterers, etc. Then you could have a 6 foot tall coop, so the whole structure would be 8 feet tall. I wouldn't go much higher than that. You would still have to step up two feet to get in the coop to clean unless you built a step.

 

[ECBW]

I would suggest a 8x4 or 8x3 that you can reach in, and under. With properly laid out roosts, you can keep 12 to 15 birds.

My walls are 3.5 ft with roof peak at 5 ft, I can duck walk when necessary, but mostly I just reach in.

 

[junebuggena]

No the building the chickens will live in is 8x8. The chickens will be able to go under the building. It will set up off the ground about 3 feet. I am then building a run thy will be 8x16. The building will be inside the run.

So is the coop taking up run space? If that's the case, then you would only have enough room for 6. The average medium sized chicken (most white egg layers) needs about 4 sq ft of coop space and 10 sq ft of run space. Larger, dual purpose breeds need more space, about 5 sq ft of coop space and 12-15 sq ft of run space. You also need at least 1 foot of roost space per adult bird. More is better so they can spread out in hot weather.

 

[bigt447]

Suggest you attached the coop to the outside of the run...giving you more room. Mine sets on concrete blocks about 4 ft above the ground. Nest boxes on both ends of coop with doors to gather eggs and for cleaning. You don't need to get yourself inside to clean coop. Fence around bottom of attached coop with gap cut for access from run also gives more room.

 

[joelharper]

It is going to look like this. The building will be 8x8 and the entire thing will be 8x16 with the run

 

[jimbob86]

If you have the coop 3' off the ground, it will give flies a place to rest out of reach of a hungry chicken ...... drop that to 20" or so, and you'll give no rest to the wicked little buggers..... and use less material in building ....

 

[joelharper]

Will do. Appreciate all the help.