HELP with space requirements.......I know its been asked a million times, but still confused a bit.

[jrbkr]

Hello All
I am new here and to forums in generall. I hope Im doing this right. Anyway I am trying to verify space requirements. I am currently building a coup similar to La Cage Mahal and several others shown on this site. The type that is basically a walk in screen room with a suspended coop box. My foot print is a 5' x 8' with a 3' x 5' coop box. Laying boxes project out side the walls and are not acounted for in the square footage.

My plan is to allow for an additional predator safe run that will be 10' or 12' long by 8' x10' wide...give or take a couple feet in each direction, so approx. 100sf of safe run that th echickens will have constant acces to.

Free Range to 1/2 acre backyard most evenings.

I live in the Southern U.S so winters should not be to big a problem. Now I have 4 Silkies, 2 Barred Rocks, 2 Speckled Sussex HENS...8 Chickens.......Do I Have enough room???? MY coop box is only 12sf , nowhere near the 4sf per bird. Does the additional part of the screen house or safe run count towards "coop" square footage? Thoughts anyone would be appreciated. .

 

[sonew123]

Hello All
I am new here and to forums in generall.  I hope Im doing this right.  Anyway I am trying to verify space requirements.  I am currently building a coup similar to La Cage Mahal and several others shown on this site.  The type that is basically a walk in screen room with a suspended coop box.  My foot print is a 5' x 8' with a 3' x 5' coop box.  Laying boxes project out side the walls and are not acounted for in the square footage. 

My plan is to allow for an additional predator safe run that will be 10' or 12' long by 8' x10' wide...give or take a couple feet in each direction, so approx. 100sf of safe run that th echickens will have constant acces to.

Free Range to 1/2 acre backyard most evenings.

I live in the Southern U.S so winters should not be to big a problem.  Now I have 4 Silkies, 2 Barred Rocks, 2 Speckled Sussex HENS...8 Chickens.......Do I Have enough room????  MY coop box is only 12sf , nowhere near the 4sf per bird.  Does the additional part of the screen house or safe run count towards "coop" square footage?  Thoughts anyone would be appreciated.  .

For me...too small....can you make the coop box larger even 5x5? the acreage is great but coop needs more space....

 

[jrbkr]

thanks for the suggestion. After your reply I got to thinking. The coop is a lean-to structure against my garden shed. I can build a chicken door through the side of the coop and garden shed, then build another coop INSIDE the garden shed and just about double the coop space....THANKS!