How many chickens can I have in my coop/run?

[terriplus4]

Hello, I currently have five hens in a 24 square foot coop and 96 square foot run. I would like to add a couple new chicks in the Spring as we are having to buy eggs almost year-round. I have read you should ideally have 3 to 4 square ft per hen in the coop and 10 to 15 square ft in the run. My chickens are rarely in the coop, except on very cold, windy days and to sleep. I think that adding only two would be ideal, however, I am concerned to only buy two chickens in case one turns out to be a rooster or maybe something happens to one. I want at least two to eventually integrate. Do you think I could add three for an insurance policy or would it be too crowded? My current flock is extremely docile and friendly. One Saphire Gem (my head hen), one Barred Rock and three EE's.

 

[ChickNanny13]

My CH is 8'W x 12'L x 7'H ... Read as you have 4sqft/coop & 10sqft/run per chicken ... My logic 14sqft per chicken but have learned alot depends on breed and personality. I've had 5 Wyandottes that worked well. I've had 4 Buff Orpingtons that worked well, they are larger in size so considered that.

Lately have mixed up the breeds keeping at least 2 of the same breed, experimenting but believing there is some truth in "birds of a feather, flock together". For me, finding the more room there is the "happier" they are ...

Calculation wise I could keep 6.8 but size & breed plays a part to that. I've had 6 in my CH but they looked "crowded", keeping 4 works better and I keep 2 of each breed & find they do keep to their breed. I'm still experimenting so the breed part is inconclusive but for me it works. Someday I want to try 4 - 5 different breeds .... I prefer keep even numbers although lately have ended up with odd.

The "requirements" is just a guideline, only you can decide if adding to what you have will work.

 

[terriplus4]

Yes, it is important to me that they are happy and I do not want to overcrowd. I could get two sex-link chicken breeds to insure against roosters and keep the flock to seven. Seven hens would be about 3.5 sq ft in the coop and approximately 14 square foot in the run per hen. I only wanted the third to make sure I am integrating at least two birds.

My CH is 8'W x 12'L x 7'H ... Read as you have 4sqft/coop & 10sqft/run per chicken ... My logic 14sqft per chicken but have learned alot depends on breed and personality. I've had 5 Wyandottes that worked well. I've had 4 Buff Orpingtons that worked well, they are larger in size so considered that.

Lately have mixed up the breeds keeping at least 2 of the same breed, experimenting but believing there is some truth in "birds of a feather, flock together". For me, finding the more room there is the "happier" they are ...

Calculation wise I could keep 6.8 but size & breed plays a part to that. I've had 6 in my CH but they looked "crowded", keeping 4 works better and I keep 2 of each breed & find they do keep to their breed. I'm still experimenting so the breed part is inconclusive but for me it works. Someday I want to try 4 - 5 different breeds .... I prefer keep even numbers although lately have ended up with odd.

The "requirements" is just a guideline, only you can decide if adding to what you have will work.

 

[RubelliteRose]

It very much depends upon your flock, your climate and your specific set up. Also, does your flock free range at all? We had 8 birds in a 24 sq ft coop that all got along well, but they were all hatched with in a week of each other, we live in a mild climate so they don't spend much time in the coop, and they free range most days. One thing you absolutely need is enough ventilation for that many chickens.
Another consideration is that more space is better for integration. We added a second coop before integrating any more chickens. When integrating new flock members, we try to keep the new chickens in a look but don't touch situation for a couple of weeks before allowing the groups to interact. Do you have an area where you could temporarily add extra space for integration?

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC.

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

Since you're looking at bringing the flock up to perhaps 8 birds that would be,

• 32 square feet in the coop. 4'x8' is approaching the limits for a non-walk-in coop even with the access door in the middle. 6'x6' should be walk-in because even the tallest chicken-keeper won't be able to reach the far wall.
• 8 feet of roost
• 80 square feet in the run. 8'x10' is a nice looking number but, remembering the common dimensions of lumber, a roomier 8'x12' is actually easier to build. 6'x14' looks good on paper but would require a lot of weird cuts.
• 8 square feet of ventilation.
• 2-3 nest boxes.

Is your run covered and predator-proof so that you can always leave the pop door open? Can you show us photos of the coop and run?

Integration takes more than the minimums for space. Here are some useful articles for planning ahead.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-new-chickens-using-the-“see-but-don’t-touch”-method.67839/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/adding-to-your-flock.47756/

 

[3KillerBs]

P.S. This article is an excellent explanation as to why those numbers are guidelines rather than hard-and-fast rules: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-much-room-do-chickens-need.66180/

 

[Raptor Chicken]

I built my recent coop/run around the minimums. We have 6 hens and I built a coop 6'x6' and a run 6'x10'. So a little over the minimum on the coop and the bare minimum on the run.

Theyve been getting along fine probably because they came from an completely inhumane coop prior to 2 weeks ago. They also get let out to range around the 24' x 36' fenced in area around the coop.

I imagine they're thrilled.

 

[terriplus4]

Welcome to BYC.

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

Since you're looking at bringing the flock up to perhaps 8 birds that would be,

• 32 square feet in the coop. 4'x8' is approaching the limits for a non-walk-in coop even with the access door in the middle. 6'x6' should be walk-in because even the tallest chicken-keeper won't be able to reach the far wall.
• 8 feet of roost
• 80 square feet in the run. 8'x10' is a nice looking number but, remembering the common dimensions of lumber, a roomier 8'x12' is actually easier to build. 6'x14' looks good on paper but would require a lot of weird cuts.
• 8 square feet of ventilation.
• 2-3 nest boxes.

Is your run covered and predator-proof so that you can always leave the pop door open? Can you show us photos of the coop and run?

Integration takes more than the minimums for space. Here are some useful articles for planning ahead.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-new-chickens-using-the-“see-but-don’t-touch”-method.67839/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/adding-to-your-flock.47756/

Thank you for your insight. I have everything covered on your list for eight chickens except for the square footage in the coop. So I will probably keep the flock to seven. Yes, the run is covered and predator proof. I have an automatic pop door and they are always in the run except at night and on super cold days. Thankfully that is not often in my climate.

 

[tripletfeb]

Thank you for your insight. I have everything covered on your list for eight chickens except for the square footage in the coop. So I will probably keep the flock to seven. Yes, the run is covered and predator proof. I have an automatic pop door and they are always in the run except at night and on super cold days. Thankfully that is not often in my climate.

I quickly skimmed through and read that you were thinking of getting sex links. I would avoid that if I were you, they can be bullies

 

[Krugerrand]

I quickly skimmed through and read that you were thinking of getting sex links. I would avoid that if I were you, they can be bullies

I have a red and a black sex link. I'm in the process of introducing 2 more pullets to the group .... Dang, they are not being nice. The black sex link had one pullet blocked in the coop and wouldn't let her out into the run. The red had the other pullet pinned between the top of their food bucket and a platform ... between which I never thought a chicken would fit.

I added some old fencing to the run to split it into 2 sections so that the new and old are better separated.

Last night the hens wouldn't allow the pullets on the perch. I'm planning on adding a divider to split the perch in half so that when on one side, they won't be able to see/peck at the pullets on the other side.

They always got along so well with each other ... who would have guessed they'd be so mean to the newbies.