How many chickens fit in the coop?

[flgardengirl]

If you have nice weather where the birds can be outdoors most of the year then I think you can get away with a smaller sq footage area per bird. If they are only sleeping in the coop at night and come out soon as the sun is up I would think as long as they can sleep comfortably and have enough room to get to thier food and water easily, it would be okay to go smaller than 4 sq ft per bird.

 

[Intheswamp]

Does it get cold and snow in Maryland? 2 square feet per large fowl bird? Just seems too crowded to me...especially if they might have to eat/drink in the coop.

Here's some thoughts and a small visual aid that I put together the other day about the "4' rule" and a 4x8 floor space...

What is your actual small coop square footage?

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[ZombieChicken]

I am a nOOb and do not have any real experience but why do all the books say 2 feet per chicken and all the people with chickens say 4 feet per? When calculating space do you count the space for the roosts? what about the space in the nesting boxes? It seems to me that even if the hen house is 4x8 there will be much more space for the chickens to stand than just the floor space. Obviously I would give them as much space as possible just to be safe.

 

[FarmsteadLady]

Quote:
Ed,

Thanks for the link to the visual as I am a visual person. I am not advocating for 2 sq ft per bird at all as I do think it will be crowded. I will be 2 birds over my limit but I am hoping and praying for the best.

My Dad was my builder so we are going to sit down this weekend to see how we can enlarge what we have to make more space available to the girls. As with most, he spent a bit of time and effort building this coop from the ground up.

In my mind, I had 10 chickens as my limit and despite all of the warnings that they can be addictive, I really thought that 10 would suffice. Needless to say, I want to now add in a brooder and even separate quarters for a breeding flock.

Thanks again to you and the others that have shared their thoughts.

To other newbies out there - if you have the space - build big or don't build at all.

 

[Intheswamp]

<chuckle>And so the addiction grows.

Next project...8x12 or 12x16 coop or ????..... that 4x8 will make a *GREAT* brooder and later a breeder house!

Ed