How many chickens in this coop ( chicken math on steroids)

[matheny00]

Ok, so the coop is 32 sq feet so technically 8 standard chickens. By adding the poop shelf I gain a second layer of about 16 sq. feet. So here is the math. If I close the area under the shelf off for storage I only have 16 sq feet of floor space but the coop is 32 sq feet, or if I leave it open is it now equivalent to 48 square feet. Or is it still just a 32 sq ft coop with only 16 or 32 sq ft of flor space?

 

[Appalachickens]

Ok, so the coop is 32 sq feet so technically 8 standard chickens. By adding the poop shelf I gain a second layer of about 16 sq. feet. So here is the math. If I close the area under the shelf off for storage I only have 16 sq feet of floor space but the coop is 32 sq feet, or if I leave it open is it now equivalent to 48 square feet. Or is it still just a 32 sq ft coop with only 16 or 32 sq ft of flor space?

I could well be wrong, but I don’t think the poop shelf is designed to have chickens using it as floor space, so it doesn’t seem to me like it factors into square footage. If you close it off, then I think you cut the useable floor space in half. Hopefully more experienced folks will weigh in here.

 

[Ted Brown]

You have 32sq ft of floor space assuming none of it is taken up by nest boxes, ramps, feed & water containers, etc.. Nest boxes should not be counted as usable floor space

I have drop boards under four 10' roosts; with small exceptions my flock does not use the drop boards other than what they are intended for.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Ok, so the coop is 32 sq feet so technically 8 standard chickens. By adding the poop shelf I gain a second layer of about 16 sq. feet. So here is the math. If I close the area under the shelf off for storage I only have 16 sq feet of floor space but the coop is 32 sq feet, or if I leave it open is it now equivalent to 48 square feet. Or is it still just a 32 sq ft coop with only 16 or 32 sq ft of flor space?

Nope! Can't count poop trays (you've already counted the space underneath); can't count nesting boxes (not meant for hanging out.)

Floor space in terms of the 4 sq ft each guideline means areas where they can hang out, scratch, stretch their legs, and get away from one another. Think four days straight of rain and your kids stuck indoors in one small room. It ain't pretty.

 

[DobieLover]

Ok, so the coop is 32 sq feet so technically 8 standard chickens. By adding the poop shelf I gain a second layer of about 16 sq. feet. So here is the math. If I close the area under the shelf off for storage I only have 16 sq feet of floor space but the coop is 32 sq feet, or if I leave it open is it now equivalent to 48 square feet. Or is it still just a 32 sq ft coop with only 16 or 32 sq ft of flor space?

I would not include the PB size. Kudos to you for lots of ventilation and windows! Did you forget about the 10-12" of roost space per bird that are spaced a minimum of 1' from the walls and adjacent roosts? To roost 8 birds you need roughly 8 linear ft of roost space. You can't get that in over the board without violated the roost space rules. They are not there just to prevent pooping on the walls but also to give the birds space to jump up to and off of the roosts without smacking their wings.

 

[matheny00]

I would not include the PB size. Kudos to you for lots of ventilation and windows! Did you forget about the 10-12" of roost space per bird that are spaced a minimum of 1' from the walls and adjacent roosts? To roost 8 birds you need roughly 8 linear ft of roost space. You can't get that in over the board without violated the roost space rules. They are not there just to prevent pooping on the walls but also to give the birds space to jump up to and off of the roosts without smacking their wings.

Still building

 

[Ridgerunner]

Coop space, run space, droppings board space, floor space, roost space, nest box space and all other ways we can detail space. Chickens don't categorize space like that. All they know is that if they need space is it immediately available. They don't care what you call it. They sure don't use a tape measure to see if it is enough.

The 4 square feet per chicken is a guideline that works for many people, especially if the flock is all the same age and already integrated. It can help to have run space available, but the run is not available if the pop door is closed or a blizzard is blowing outside. Sometimes that 4 sq ft is more than plenty, sometimes it is not enough.

Does vertical space help? It can. I often find my immature chicks on the roosts in the morning before I open the pop door. They are up on the roosts to get away from the adults. Of course my roosts are high enough that they are a safe placed from the adults. Some people have roosts so low that the adults could attack chicks on them while standing on the coop floor.

Do my nests takeaway from available floor space? I don't think so. I have some nests a few inches above the top of the bedding. Immature chicks sometimes hide under there to get away from the adults. I consider those high quality spaces.

@matheny00 When I crowd my chickens I have more behavioral problems to deal with, I have to work harder (poop management as an example), and I have less flexibility to deal with issues that show up. I'm not a saint, mine do get crowded and I have to deal with the results.

You are in a climate where they should be able to go outside all day every day. If you absolutely have to have more chickens you can use that by building a predator safe run and leave your pop door open day and night. That way if they get too crowded in the coop when they are awake they can run outside and use that space. Some may wind up sleeping in the run but if it is predator safe so what?

But I would not add any more to that coop without some way to relieve pressure. Instead of asking how many chickens can I shoehorn into this space think along the lines of how can I give my chickens enough space. Personally I would not add any more permanent residences to that coop. I think you are at your practical limits without a lot more effort.

 

[matheny00]

Coop space, run space, droppings board space, floor space, roost space, nest box space and all other ways we can detail space. Chickens don't categorize space like that. All they know is that if they need space is it immediately available. They don't care what you call it. They sure don't use a tape measure to see if it is enough.

The 4 square feet per chicken is a guideline that works for many people, especially if the flock is all the same age and already integrated. It can help to have run space available, but the run is not available if the pop door is closed or a blizzard is blowing outside. Sometimes that 4 sq ft is more than plenty, sometimes it is not enough.

Does vertical space help? It can. I often find my immature chicks on the roosts in the morning before I open the pop door. They are up on the roosts to get away from the adults. Of course my roosts are high enough that they are a safe placed from the adults. Some people have roosts so low that the adults could attack chicks on them while standing on the coop floor.

Do my nests takeaway from available floor space? I don't think so. I have some nests a few inches above the top of the bedding. Immature chicks sometimes hide under there to get away from the adults. I consider those high quality spaces.

@matheny00 When I crowd my chickens I have more behavioral problems to deal with, I have to work harder (poop management as an example), and I have less flexibility to deal with issues that show up. I'm not a saint, mine do get crowded and I have to deal with the results.

You are in a climate where they should be able to go outside all day every day. If you absolutely have to have more chickens you can use that by building a predator safe run and leave your pop door open day and night. That way if they get too crowded in the coop when they are awake they can run outside and use that space. Some may wind up sleeping in the run but if it is predator safe so what?

But I would not add any more to that coop without some way to relieve pressure. Instead of asking how many chickens can I shoehorn into this space think along the lines of how can I give my chickens enough space. Personally I would not add any more permanent residences to that coop. I think you are at your practical limits without a lot more effort.

That is my feeling. I was going to use the space under the coop for storage but will not be doing that as I do not want to crowd everyone. Yes, I am lucky enough that they could go outside at night or I could just add a room addition if I needed more. I plan for max. Of ten chickens

 

[matheny00]

I would not include the PB size. Kudos to you for lots of ventilation and windows! Did you forget about the 10-12" of roost space per bird that are spaced a minimum of 1' from the walls and adjacent roosts? To roost 8 birds you need roughly 8 linear ft of roost space. You can't get that in over the board without violated the roost space rules. They are not there just to prevent pooping on the walls but also to give the birds space to jump up to and off of the roosts without smacking their wings.

Still in the works not sure how I want to do it yet

 

[DobieLover]

Still in the works not sure how I want to do it yet

But you've already built the PB at the short end. The roosts go over the PB.