how big should my coop be?

[MrsHonor]

I am about to have 5 baby chicks... when they are about 2 months old they can go into an outside coop right?
How big should it be? I say the bigger the better but my husband says that it should be reasonable.... plus we have limited yard space. So what would be a good size, not to big but not to small for a 5 chicky coop?
Oh and 5 is our limit... our city rules not us. So we don't have to worry about what ifs.

 

[briana1975]

Will they be standard or bantam. That makes a difference. 4sq ft. per standard, and I think 2 sq ft per bantam.

 

[Sillystunt]

5ft x 4ft for standards and 3x2 ft for banatms...i think i did that right...LOL

 

[MrsHonor]

ok sorry I know I'm about to sound really stupid and please don't get mad... but I have no idea... they are Silver Laced Wynadottes... the website didnt say other than that... I can give you the web page to see if you can tell but I really don't know.
so you're saying it needs to be 20 square feet if it's standard chickens?

 

[Mahonri]

They are probably standards.

Make an 8 X 10 or and 8 X 12 coop.

You'll be glad you did... cuz you will want more.

 

[Lensters]

It depends on lots of things. Do you have a run or will they free range as well? Does the weather in your locale allow for them to be out everyday? I live in a fairly mild climate (though it is 108F right now) so the coop for my free range chickens just has an aisle to the door between the roosts and the nest boxes. They aren't in there much so they don't need the space. Now the breeding pens in the barn all have about 10 sqft/bird before subtracting for the roost and the the nest boxes. Also consider the required roost space of about 10"/bird and a nest box for every four or five hens.

 

[patandchickens]

Realistically, the more space you give the chickens, the happier they will be and the less likely to have problems, and the easier they'll be to manage (in terms of sanitation, etc).

Therefore, I think the most sensible answer is "however big you can talk your husband into"

That is, however big you are comfortable with building.

I don't know where you're located, but if you're in a nasty-cold-winter area, it is better to have more indoor area (or roofed and plastic-wrappable run area) even if that necessitates a bit less run. An 8x10 coop is NOT unreasonably large at all for just 5 chickens; in some climates you'd absolutely never regret it.

OTOH if you are in a very hot climate, it is best to have maximal outdoor space (not too much indoor is needed) but with as much shade as possible over as much of the run as possible.

Anywhere else, you want to give them as much total area as you can (run plus coop) -- you may be able to finesse this a bit by making a raised coop so that the area underneath it is useable run space as well -- with somewhere between 3-10 sq ft per chicken depending on your space/budget/climate. (3 sq ft per chicken would be a 4x4' coop; 10 would be 4x12' or equivalent other shape)

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[MrsHonor]

thank ya'll so much... Pat I love your answer... as big as I can talk my husband into...LOL... thanks ya'll

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
How much space? One word: MORE.

There is much to know, but know this: the standard space allowance of 4 sq ft is dubious at best. I havent even read the thread through, and I can predict at least one person has tossed out that number.
As an aside, that number evolved from the commercial business, a compromise of sorts.

The worst thing you can do is overcrowd chickens - that is one of the unyielding rules. There arent but a few of them, but that is one. The woe it brings when broken runs deep.

5 chickens can get by in 20 sq. ft if they are only going to sleep in there and nest. The rest of the time they should be out of the coop, not lounging around inside. But what if you live in cold country? Uh oh, now they need some extra space since they cannot get out as much in winter. What if your outside space is limited, as in a suburban backyard? Then interior space becomes all the more important.

And when you hear the 4 sq ft rule, it is concerning floor space. Depending on what else you have in there, you can severly restrict this allowance and not even realize it. So bigger is better.

20 sq ft of floor space can work if you:

- Make them get out at all times, but the most severe weather. Chickens shoud be out in the fresh air and taking all the sunshine that is going. The coop is for nesting and roosting.

- All fixtures should be set against or in the wall to maximize floor space.
This includes nests, roosts waterers, feeders etc. maximaizes floor space

- Utilize vertical space.
Make a "roosting" tree in one corner and 2 stacked nests in the opposite one. This leaves the rest of the floor more open.

- Use a "fresh air" house, open on one side, with wide overhangs.
More of a solid shelter, this gives more useful space, essentially bringing the outside in. Valuable in all but the most severe weather. Chickens need dry on top, dry on the bottom with lots of ventilation. A "fresh air" design takes care of this problem, worry free.

- Keep it clean.
No matter the size, any coop should be kept clean and dust free. A clean coop is a larger coop. Nothing seems as small as a dirty, fetid bird box. That is one of the other cardinal rules... cleanliness.