How big should I make my coop and run for 4 birds?

[HuntingChick14]

I have 4 chicks: a speckled sussex, a black australorp, and 2 golden comets. I'm trying to figure out how big my coop and run needs to be for my little ladies to live happily and comfortably. They can't be free range because of my town's laws, so I'd like to make the run pretty big. Any recommendations or plans?

 

[jeria]

No expert, a newbie at this: both chickens and building. I also have 4 the max we can have is 6 here in the city. Only supervised free range due to predators land and above.

In the process of building at the moment. I'm doing a 4x6 raised coop 4 feet tall. 2 feet off the ground in an enclosed 8x10 run. There will be a roof over all. The 2 nest boxes will be "hanging off the side of the coop" so will not be using interior floor space. I started out with self made plans to fit what I envision but they seem to keep changing along the way as I learn more about this process. .

We get awful winds here from the west and north 60-80+ mph are not rare: so my primary coop access, pop door and nest box access will be under the roof and on the south and east side. The vents, window and clean out door on the west and north side will be sealable in the winter and for spring storms. The East and South side will also have vents etc. The North and West will be further protected with straw bales in the winter and early spring and easily moved as the weather warms for breeze through the run.

 

[HuntingChick14]

So you have four feet of extra room between the coop and the run on the sides?

 

[BYCforlife]

Here is the general rule of thumb:

If you have NO outdoor run, you need AT LEAST 10 square feet per chicken in the coop.

If you DO have an outdoor run, you can have as little as 2 square feet per chicken in the coop. That is the absolute minimum, though. Make sure you have at least 1 foot of roost per chicken too.

If you have cold winters, you need a minimun of 4 square feet per chicken in the coop.

 

[HuntingChick14]

I thought that making the coop smaller would help them stay warmer... Is this not true?

 

[21hens-incharge]

As big as budget and ordinances allow.

A 4x6 coop will work but dimensional lumber is 4x8 and you will have less waste.
They won't mind the extra room.

A tip would be to draw it out. Graph paper is a godsend. You can get your cut layout done and building will be easier.

I like as walk in coop so I am not getting soaked or frozen in bad weather.

 

[BYCforlife]

I thought that making the coop smaller would help them stay warmer... Is this not true?

Yes, but it also gives them less room to move around, since they will most likely be staying inside all the time, and they like room. The chickens normally pile together on the roost anyway, but it is good to give extra room.

 

[BYCforlife]

I have a 20 Sq. foot coop for my chickens, 9 of them. They got no frostbite in the winter, but they had very little room to move around. It was packed in there!

 

[BYCforlife]

Yes, but it also gives them less room to move around, since they will most likely be staying inside all the time, and they like room. The chickens normally pile together on the roost anyway, but it is good to give extra room.

Have you heard of chickens pecking each other because os stress or unhappiness? Mine did, and I am not keeping that many in there for next winter.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Mine did not complain about the 112 sq foot coop with 11 in it over winter.

I did not worry about them fighting when it was blowing snow all day.