How many in a 40" x 40" and a roof question

[happyhens]

How many bantams will be comfortable in a 40" x 40" x 2' tall coop? It is kind of an odd size because that is the length of the boards from the pallets that I am using. They will be free ranged for about 2 hr. a day, then maybe later I can add a run to the coop. Another question- can I use tin instead of shingles for the roof? Thanks!

 

[Omran]

Quote:
I think it is tooooo small even for one bird~! that's just me.
usualy they say you need 4 sq feet per bird, but I sewar it is just a small box when it is so small.

 

[backyardchickenfarmer]

are there going to be any windows in the coop? 2 feet high isnt big at all and there would be no room for roosts or anything, what kind of bantams would you want?i would really consider putting a run on.

 

[happyhens]

Ok hmm... what about 80" x 40"? Or should I go ahead and make it be 80" x 80"? And if 2' isn't tall enough, what height do you suggest? I want to build a small coop/tractor to seperate my silkies from the main flock. It would also be nice to have to use for a broody hen to set and raise her brood in.
And yes I am planning to put a couple of windows in it.

 

[jubylives]

You might as well go 4x8 ft. Cost wise maybe go 4 ft high. That way you will be able to use solid sheets of sheathing material. Plus of you are gonna be installing windows then 2 ft high is way too short.

jeremy

 

[WalkingWolf]

It would depend on the size of the bantam, not all are the same size. Right now I have 15 6 week OEGB in a 3X5X3 brooder pen and they have plenty of room, but they are a small bird and not full grown yet. The pen is open in the daytime and tarped of a night and can be moved daily. Some tractors are not much bigger than the dimensions you gave and is the size of large dog boxes. I also have a rifle crate that is 2X4X2 that is for a hen to sit on eggs. It is small to contain the hens heat, only one hen uses it at a time. As long as my birds have room to forage in the daytime they are happy. I am in the process of building separate pens so each pen will have a separate smaller coop for a few birds.

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

80x80 bantams you can put 21 in there at just over 2 sq ft a bird. But if they are gonna spend the most time in the coop, Id only put 10 or 11 in there tops.

 

[ssteiner]

My coop is 48" by 24" and is 24" high. It has a 30" high, 30" wide, 7 foot long run attached to it. My four girls (not Bantams) live happily in this space.

Scott

 

[backyardchickenfarmer]

i would make it atleast 4 foot high that way you have room for perches,nestboxes ect.. im a making a coop right now for my 4 bantams, you can see it on this page just go to the topic" heres my coop so far" and theres pics.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Er, math check -- 40"x40" is slightly more than 3'x3', which is about 11 square feet. You could put THREE chickens in there and they'd have slightly less than 4 sq feet apiece; or since these are banties we are talking about, 4 would have slightly less than 3 sq ft apiece.

I think it is a perfectly reasonable size coop for just a few birds

24" just means your roost will be only a few inches above the bedding. Reduces useable floorspace but not too badly -- mostly it just means you'll have more work cleaning the coop every day or few days, since you can't use a droppings board and they'll step in the poo a lot. If that's what you have to do, I don't see it as being unacceptable for banties.

A tin roof will get hot (making the interior of the coop hot) and if it's reused tin it will almost certainly leak. New tin over plywood should be reasonably ok. Shingles will require you to rig something so that the nails don't poke into the coop, which they would otherwise normally do.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat