How big of a coop do I need?

[SweetCountryGirl]

How many square feet should a coop be for 8 Maran chickens?
I haven't had chickens in a while and I need to build a coop. Any suggestions or advice is welcome.

 

[The Phantom]

I have 20 bantams and largfowl in a coop that is 4’x4’. They free range and the run is 24’x16’.

 

[SweetCountryGirl]

I have 20 bantams and largfowl in a coop that is 4’x4’. They free range and the run is 24’x16’.

Thank you for your reply

 

[The Phantom]

No problem!

 

[Smuvers Farm]

small chickens can get away with 2-3 square foot of FLOOR space per chicken. Medium/large need a MINIMUM of 4 sq ft of floor space per chicken.

 

[sylviethecochin]

small chickens can get away with 2-3 square foot of FLOOR space per chicken. Medium/large need a MINIMUM of 4 sq ft of floor space per chicken.

x2.

Especially if you live in a cold area where they'll be cooped up all winter. And ten feet per hen in the run.

I admit that I don't keep strictly to that (my coop's about ten feet too small for my twenty-three hens) but they have a small outdoor alternative shelter (old dog house) in winter that the pullets tend to prefer so that they can get away from the older hens during the day.

 

[aart]

How many square feet should a coop be for 8 Maran chickens?
I haven't had chickens in a while and I need to build a coop. Any suggestions or advice is welcome.

Welcome to BYC!

Go Bigger than you think, you won't regret it.
Meanwhile read this article by RR about Space:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-much-room-do-chickens-need

Adding your general location to your profile can really help garner better answers suggestions, most chicken questions are climate dependent.

 

[R2elk]

How many square feet should a coop be for 8 Maran chickens?
I haven't had chickens in a while and I need to build a coop. Any suggestions or advice is welcome.

Build the biggest coop and run that you can. Chicken math will get you just like it gets everyone else.

 

[junkman56]

Build the biggest coop and run that you can. Chicken math will get you just like it gets everyone else.

I learned that the hard way, The chicken math got me, now I am expanding my coop and expanding the run.

 

[lazy gardener]

Build big. Build walk in. That way, if you find that chickens are really not what you were looking for, you can repurpose your coop to a garden shed. You'll never regret building big, or walk in. But, many many many posters will tell you that they regretted not building a walk in or building big the first time. (myself included) And avoid at all costs: pre fab. Pre fab = Over priced, falsely advertised, poorly designed, poor materials.