Help with some coop / brooder math!

[Mmini1990]

Chicken Coop math help

Hello! I have recently acquired 12 chicks. Three lavender Orpington, three copper Marans, three sapphire olive eggers and three speckled Sussex. I was originally planing for 9 total birds, but, do to order minimums….. here we are. I am trying to see if I can pull off keeping all 12 rather than rehoming three (which would be going to my buddies farm).

My coops total floor space with run is 142 x 57” roughly 56 square feet.

The sleeping quarters/egg laying area which is elevated is approx 55x44 16ish square feet.

The sleeping area is my biggest concern, will 12 birds fit? I am able to provide 110 inch’s of roosting space. Possibly a bit more depending on how I arrange the roosts.

There are 3 nesting boxes which are apart of the sleeping area but are hung outside the square footage I mentioned.

During the day I am able to have the birds free range my fenced in back yard which is half and acre.





Part 2. The brooder.

Chicks are currently in a large stock tank (tractor supply style) and I am aware they are going to RAPIDLY outgrow that. I am planing on keeping them inside and I’m able to build a new brooder that’s 34”x74” with the front wall being 2.5 feet tall and back being 4. Would that be enough to hold these gals till 6 weeks?

The second they are able I have a 4’x8’ kennel they can “free range” in during the day. My other option would be to move them into the garage once they outgrow the stock tank and use that kennel as a garage “brooder” and just add the brooder plate and pine shavings on top of a horse stall mat.


Thanks for all the help. Just want to be sure I can support the 12 girls properly.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm sorry but don't think you have nearly enough space for 12 chickens or even nine.

To start with, you need to measure in feet, not inches. How big is just the coop, not counting the run?

You need to provide 4 square feet of floor space in the coop for each bird you plan to sleep inside. You also need to provide, at the very least, ten square feet of space in the run for each bird. Not providing enough space will cause the birds to bully and peck each other, or some of the birds won't be able to sleep inside the coop, making them susceptible to bad weather or predators. Good luck!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

55" is about 4.5 ft. and
44" is not quite 4'.
4 x 4x5. is a little over 16 ft, as you said. You have room for 4 chickens comfortably.

 

[rosemarythyme]

BigBlueHen53 covered the coop part. As far as brooder, a 34”x74” brooder would meet the bare minimum recommendation for 12 chicks at 6 weeks, but there's really no reason to keep them in such a confined space for so long.

If you can run electricity out to the coop you could simply brood them in there, or same with the kennel in the garage.

 

[Mmini1990]

Alright! Well looks like my weekend is building a new coop! 6 foot x 7 foot will be the new hen house.

Moving them to the garage will be the next move. I need them to get a bit bigger so they can’t fit through the kennel fencing.

Thank you!

 

[wrathsfarm]

Alright! Well looks like my weekend is building a new coop! 6 foot x 7 foot will be the new hen house.

Moving them to the garage will be the next move. I need them to get a bit bigger so they can’t fit through the kennel fencing.

Thank you!

Your going to be under square footage with 6 x 7 = 42 and 12 birds x 4 SQ/= 48. I realize these are just guidelines.... the more important fact is most dimensional lumber comes 8-10-12-16 lengths. I'd suggest going 6 x 8 = 48. So you don't have a foot of waste with every 7' you cut. And if you have the means to haul 12' and 16' lumber, price compare to 8'. You may save a few cents, no 2' waste cutting 8' lumber down at 6' (just cut 12' & 16' in half)
If your sheeting the sides this same applies. (4' x 8' sheet plywood or T1-11)...2 sheets for 8' side and 1 & 1/2 sheets for each 6' side.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Another thought .... building for the 12 chickens you have leaves you no room for the dreaded (and inevitable!) onset of ... Chicken Math! This happens, usually in spring when you go to TSC or RK to pick up feed or supplies for your chickens, or when you go online to look at a chicken catalog at a hatchery and fall in love with baby chicks of an unusual or beautiful breed you don't have yet. Or a breed that lays eggs of a color yours don't ... and you think, I can't just get ONE new baby chick, I should get two. Or maybe three. Wait, six is a better number ... and suddenly you're a chickenholic .... don't say you haven't been warned!

 

[Mmini1990]

With a 6x 8 coop, and half acre of free range space I can’t imagine 12 birds not having enough space. That’s seems like more than enough. Am I missing something?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

It's the space in the coop, where they will sleep at night, that we are discussing. They need room to move around, jostle for space while deciding who gets to sleep where, etc. Insufficient room leads to bullying, pecking, feather picking and - worst case scanario - cannibalizing. The four-square-foot guideline is pretty much tried and true from (sometimes painful) experience.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

48 ÷4 = 12, so you'd be fine.