how many chickens can i have

[ezekiel5]

How many chickens can I have in a 5 by 10 chicken coop. Help appreciated!

 

[Folly's place]

Is this your indoor space? Is there an attached run? I overwinter up to 15 bantams and 20 large birds in 160 sq. ft. of coop plus a 200 sq. ft. run. This is larger than the published minimum space, and it seems a bit crowded in winter sometimes. Mary

 

[farnorth]

In a 5x10 coop at 4 sq ft per bird you could have 12 standard size chickens....but if it was me I would keep probably 8 to 10 in that size coop. I like them to have 5 to 6 sq ft per chicken, it just seems less crowded.

 

[Irishhenman]

If you get a lot of snow during the winter you could have 12-14 hens in the coop (going by the 4sp feet per chicken rule ) If you get little or no snow during the winter you could have 25 hens in there. Either way you will also need a minimum of 10 sq feet per chicken in a run.

 

[Hokum Coco]

How many chickens can I have in a 5 by 10 chicken coop. Help appreciated!

In a 5x10 coop at 4 sq ft per bird you could have 12 standard size chickens....but if it was me I would keep probably 8 to 10 in that size coop. I like them to have 5 to 6 sq ft per chicken, it just seems less crowded.

Farnorth gave you the correct answer where it is a guarantee you should have no problems in a perfect world.
Everyone on BYC would quote you the same dimensions especially starting out and not knowing breed or the dynamics of the flock and your coop. That is just a rule of thumb.







That excellent advice being said.
I kept as many as 24 Golden Comet hens in my 4x8 salvaged metal shed over the winter with no run, no heat, no light, no problems (outside of the odd frozen cracked egg) in temperatures as low as-40º (minus wind chill) in Canada. They did have excess to outside but seldom ventured out of the coop when the snow and winter arrived.

The breed of bird and set up of your coop also are key components in arriving at the exact number.

Over crowding on the other hand can bring serious problems every thing from cannibalism to diseases caused by respiratory problem due to ammonia gas build up because of poor ventilation.

I usually do not comment on this matter but for some reason today with winter done and my run now being utilized I was just proud of the way my little coop works.

Please excuse me for bragging Canadians as a rule are not noted for that either.

You would not think winter was done with a fresh white blanket of snow that fell last night in our area.

 

[ezekiel5]

thanks everybody