How many chickens can I house?

[terry13111]

My coop is 10'x16' and the run is 30'x20'. According to my calculations I should be ok to have 40 full size chickens. Correct?

 

[Sara Ranch]

What I do is start off with a smaller number of chickens and observe how they roost. I have some big boys (buffs) that take up a lot of room! And then I have some big boys (my other buffs) that cuddle together and take up less space.

I don't know where you live. Something I take into consideration is how much time will they spend in there. I live in WV on a mountain. I get some dang cold winters. I opt to give my chickens lots of room so they are not on top of each other if they choose to spend time indoors. (Which they do when it rains.)

I also insulate and winterize my animal houses. Have you done that?

I don't see any external nesting boxes. Will they be attached to the wall inside? You should account for nesting boxes taking away space.

Do you plan to breed your chickens? Or let them raise families? If yes, you should allow some extra room for natural flock expansion.

Are you using the sand method or the deep liter method or shavings? I use the sand method (soooo easy to clean up! and so quick to clean up!) and my chickens will often dust bath inside if they feel the bathing area outside is too crowded.

Ventilation. It looks like just a window for ventilation. Maybe a small vent on the other end we can't see? The more chickens, the more/ better ventilation you will need.

I've converted sheds, barns, and other buildings to be animal houses/coops.

I recommend starting off with fewer, observe, and then grow your flock.

 

[SeaPolka]

I'd keep up to 25 in that area max. They become really stressed when crowded and if you can't move the run then the grass will become mud in no time. Just my opinion

Lovely run and coop you have!

 

[Sara Ranch]

I love the neatly cut green grass...the coop on a concrete slab....

 

[Kusanar]

I love the neatly cut green grass...the coop on a concrete slab....

Lol, it won't stay that neat and green if they throw 40 chickens in there!

 

[terry13111]

Thanks for the reply. I'm thinking about doubling the size of the run to 60'x20'. I would like to have 15 or so layers year around and 30 meat birds at a time in the spring/summer.

 

[Howard E]

This is must my opinion, mind you, but I see that as a really, really nice shed, but not so nice of a chicken house. For that, it needs modifications. To start with, lots more ventilation.....and more light. Perhaps replacing the solid panels on the end doors with hardware cloth? And instead of only one window, maybe three of them and hopefully all of them facing south? Of course all of that is climate specific. Any changes would depend entirely on where you are located. Severity of summer heat and winter cold is a big factor in what changes are needed.

The yard area will quickly turn to mud.......nothing green will be left at all......within a month or so. And with that, there will be attempts at escape by flying out to get to something that is green. Making it larger will help, but it will be a battle to keep them in. Planting bushes in the middle to offer shade will help, but expect this to be not all that tidy for very long. Birds are pretty destructive. It is the nature of the beast.

As for meat birds, I'd be tempted to put them in their own quarters. Something smaller and moveable. They won't be around long anyway. Giving the meat birds their own quarters will also help a great deal with the conditions of the laying birds yard.

 

[terry13111]

There are Windows on all 3 doorless sides. The fence is going to get a top soon, so I should be ok there. With the hedge row behind the coop, there is some kind of shade almost all day.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!
Putting your location in your profile is a huge help for those making suggestions.
Climate can make a big difference in facility needs.

Ditto the ventilation concerns....hope those eaves are open.

Really nice building!!
Could be very flexible for your year round goals with some partitions inside, especially if you have another pop door and run attached.
Would love to see the inside.