How many chickens can fit here?

[Silvers]

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We currently have seven chickens living in this 25 by 10-foot space. At night they all go into the 10 by 6-foot pen and huddle together in the dog house and we close them in until morning to protect from predators.
Is this enough room? How many chickens could we fit in here if they were to have chicks?
Also, they lay their eggs in the dog house/where they sleep and I read that this is not a good habit? They do have nesting boxes that sit beside the dog house inside the dog run/coop, which they perch on, but have never laid in. If this is bad, how do we dissuade them?

Thank you for any and all answers!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Where are you located? Climate can dictate how open or close a coop should be. Your birds would be better off with a covered area and to be able roost properly for sanitary reasons, as well as be out of the elements. You have a good sized run area for them so that's certainly a good thing. Since you have no actual coop I can't recommend how many birds will be okay in it.

 

[Silvers]

We live in mid-Texas, and we will be setting up a proper roost for them this week.

 

[Bananabread]

At a minimum the run should have 10sq ft per bird

 

[Percheron chick]

I would just put a little work into your current set up and it will work great in your climate. The dog pen is your "coop". Great for miserable summer weather. First cover it for shade and to stay dry. Cover the nesting boxes with a sloped roof so they can't roost on them. It will also make them darker and more private which most hens need to encourage them to lay there. Raise it at least a foot off the ground. You can block the side of your prevailing wind with a sheet of plywood or even some vines or bushes for a little more protection. Chickens like to roost as high as they can. Run it the full length of the pen leaving at least 18" of head room and 18" from the "wall". Your current run is not predator proof so that's something that you need to fortify. It's a nice size setup that could easily accommodate twice as many birds. Ditch the dog house.

 

[Silvers]

You cannot tell from the picture, but the dog pen does have a tarp cover and all for sides have been covered in raccoon proof mesh so nothing can reach in and grab them. Thank you so much, we will be rearranging and fortifying the pen over the next couple days. (;