How many chickens could be in a 8 ft by 15ft coop?

[happyhens44]

I think thats about how big my coop is, Im planning on getting 10 chicks in a month, and near easter I want to try hatching some eggs, and I have 4 chicks with there moms in there, and I have 1 egg in the incubator. Im just wondering on how many chickens I could have with out over doing it.... Oh and I have a run around the same size.

 

[Liamm_1]

that's 120 sq. ft. Based on accepted number of 4 sq. ft./bird of coop space, leaves you with 30 birds.
Run space outdoors should be larger, I believe accepted number is around 7-10 sq. ft/bird.
However.... mine free range all day, and visit the run rarely, and coop only at night, and occupy a space of about 1 sq. ft./bird when they go into the coop at night. Depends on your area, and how bad your winters are. if they'll be indoors most of the winter, the 4 sq. ft. should remain.
I have 17 birds that share a 30 sq. ft coop at night, and they are very happy. They even have multiple roosts, but prefer to assemble close together on just 2.

 

[happyhens44]

the winters are hard. I have 12 chickens right now. So they're fine now. Ok thank you. They use there run in winter, But im summer I free range them because Im home, in summer I leave both the run and coop door open so they have plenty of room.

 

[suebee]

Yes! You get to have at least a dozen more chickens!

 

[Fred's Hens]

I see you live in northern Wisconsin. I am sure your chickens spend large amounts of time, during the mid-winter, in the coop. That would be my concern. I personally wouldn't want more than 20 birds in a space that size in mid winter. We have days and days when the snow is too deep and the temps are below zero, as I am sure you do as well.

 

[remington3006]

see i have mine worked out like this 1and a half liner feet of roosting , at least space 2 and a half square feet in the coop and atleast 3 to 4 in the run

 

[remington3006]

um my coop is 8x8 with another 4x8 space as the thrd floor and the ground floor is where the run starts.

 

[happyhens44]

Yeah I have perches all over my coop. I have some reaching the ceiling and othes in the around 1/2 the way to the top.

 

[farmer_lew]

120 sqft = 30 birds (standard breed)

The standard (IMO) rule for the run is 10 sqft per bird. 30 birds = 300 sqft

 

[patandchickens]

Oh, enough with the "accepted rule of thumb" stuff, everybody! Aaargh! <tears hair>

Sorry, I am calmer now

Look, how many chickens could (or more appropriately to ask, "should") be in a given space DEPENDS GREATLY ON THE SITUATION. It makes me nuts to see this 4 sq ft number quoted over and over and over like religious dogma.

You gotta realize, it is just a BYC convention, something that has got popular on this site. As other longstanding groups of people, get different numbers.

At best it is a VERY GENERAL BALLPARK for what may help you avoid the worst risk of cannibalism, in a moderate climate.

It really is not a good guide for many INDIVIDUAL people though, as their climates and personal goals may easily be quite different.

If you live somewhere always-beautiful where hcickens never want to stay indoors for the day ever, 4 sq ft per chicken is considerably more than needed, all they need is enough length of protected roost.

If you live somewhere with many days when your chickens will want to stay inside, and/or have genetically-grumpy chickens, and/or are aiming at something a little more than "don't attack each other", then 4 sq ft is considerably insufficient.

Personally in northern Wisconsin, which is a more severe winter climate than we have here an hour north of Toronto, I would not put more than about 8 chickens in there. If the o.p. is doing well with her existing 12 chickens then that is great, no problem there, but i would REALLY not advocate getting more. Yeah, you might get away with it. But you also might well NOT, and you are quite likely to see much more stressed chickens even if they do not *actually* get to the point of cannibalism.

JMHO,

Pat