How big would you make the coop - approx 20 - 25 hens. Hard winters.

[hollandmum]

Hi! We are new to chickens... we have 33 eggs in the incubator - and 12 more coming! It's kind catchy

We will have to give away the roosters as we live in a semi-rural 3 acre lots area. Expecting (hoping!!!) to have at least 20 - 25 chickens in the end!!

We have moderately hard winters, with LOTS of snow. I mean LOTSSS - we are in the snow belt for lake Erie. I'm planning to put insulation in the walls, and it will be raised (shelter underneath) and have a large run. Depending on how big it is, it may or may not have power (proximity to house) to run heat/lights over winter.

I'm not planning to make it very tall - about 1.5 ft in legs, and then about 3.5 to 4 ft in coop height. I will probably make it quite long rather than square.

Can any experienced chickeners give me an indication on how many square feet it should be. Would like about 4ft wide and ??? long. Perhaps 2 chicken doors at 2 ends into the run. Also, can you see a problem with the height width etc I have planned.

Any advice is appreciate as we are hoping to get started soon. Esp advice on how long we should make it!!

Thanks!!!!

 

[CityChook]

If you aren't going to make a walk in coop (which I still recommend with that many birds) don't make it any more than 4 ft. deep from your doorway. You'll need to be able to reach in. You're going to need more than 2 human doors.

Coop: 25birds x4 sqft/chicken = 100 sq. feet (4ft x 25ft)
Run: 25 birds x 10 sqft/chicken = 250 sqft

I also recommend covering your run to encourage the chickens to go outside in the winter. They still may not want to - all are different. Make sure it is framed well to handle snow load.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
With that many chickens I think you will seriously regret it if you don't make a walk-in full height coop.

First, because you would need a mindbogglingly long coop if it's only 4' wide. I absolutely would not contemplate giving them less than 4 sq ft per chicken in your situation, preferably significantly more, even if they have a partially roofed and tarp-wrapped run... and for 25 chickens that would mean a coop twenty-five feet long, which would be next to impossible to catch chickens in and a real bugger to clean (even if you had 4-5 doors, which you'd really need). And that's a bare minimum that could quite easily end up being too small.

Second, because it is pretty hard to arrange adequate ventilation for a reach-in coop in a 'real winter' climate (hard to avoid too little ventilation or too much draftiness), especially when swirling winds and snow are an issue.

And thirdly because you will HATE HATE HATE having to do all your coop stuff while standing hip deep in a blizzard.

I would really suggest a walk-in coop (like a converted yard shed, or something built lean-to fashion off an existing bldg) that is absolutely no smaller than 10x10 or 8x12 (and if it's that small, you'd better have at least a partial roof over your run, strongly built for your snowload).

If that is not feasible then it might be wise to rethink your # chickens, as cannibalism problems are FAR FAR easier to avoid than to fix (sometimes you can't, once they start, not even if you reduce flock size or increase space)

Good luck,

Pat

 

[hollandmum]

seems we might have to go to plan B then! 25 feet - wow - a bit too long!

Plan B is to buy a wooden shed kit from Home Depot or Lowes - add some insultation, a window, and a few vents. Our "make it your self" skills probably won't go beyond the 4ft high version. We are hoping for 20 to 25 hens, but that probably is a 'best case' number.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[patandchickens]

If you aren't going to roof any of the run (and roof in a way that withstands snow load) then you may have trouble finding a shed *big enough*... that's a lotta hens...

Good luck,

Pat

 

[patandchickens]

Afterthought - if you don't mind spending money, you could go with as big a shed as you can afford, plus one of those hoop-and-tarp style garage-type shelters (as big as you can afford in a grade that will cope with your snow load and winds). I wouldn't do it myself because they are not long-lived... but it would give you a "good outdoors" area to take some of the pressure off a small coop. There would have to be additional run area beyond that, of course, but at least there'd be SOME that was relatively lake-effect-snow-free.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[tlm724]

I live in Vermont and have 15 RIR. It was a rough winter for my girls. We get tons of snow also and I had to shovel a path to the coop and the snow accumulated to over six feet tall. I thought I would share some things that I would change from my first winter with chickens. I have a wooden coop that is 8x8 and is approx 6 feet tall. The height of the coop is a blessing, no stooping in the coop, saves your back. I would have insulated and paneled over it, I would have had better ventilation as the chickens did get colds due to the moisture build up even though they had a heat lamp on 12 hours a day. I would have made the run bigger and taller and covered as to shed the snow load. I am building a bigger and better coop for them this summer but thought you might like to hear the some of my mistakes. Good luck !

 

[LynneP]

I agree that a walk-in will be a huge advantage. You'll understand this better after a winter with them. If you want to reduce air space you can use deeper bedding, but make the process of caring for them as easy as possible, for your sake and theirs.

Some ideas here- our coop, with pics and thoughts

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=7693

 

[hayallen]

OK, first of all, I'm brand new at this...

, when you say X number of Square ft per chicken, you mean "floor space" right? I have an existing storage barn with a shed roof covered area on the East side which I was going to turn into the chicken house, with a run going around the South side of the barn about 15X20 ft, maybe could do a lean to roof over that, too. But I only have five chicks right now, so I'm wondering is that 5 X 4 sq. ft of floor space for enclosed chicken house?
Thanks!!!!!

 

[hayallen]

Whoops! Might be helpful to say I live in Central Florida!