How much room do they need???

[Tundrawooky]

I have just 3 hens, my coop has to be on the smaller side so in can stay warm during extreme cold. My current setup is 2ftL 3ft w and 2ft tall. It has a roosting pole and a small single egg box. Also have a small cage attached like a chicken run. The birds seem to be fine in their. My plan is to keep them in the heated garage and roll the coop out during the day so they can get exercise.

What do y'all think? Is this too small? I can go up with the coop ceiling if needed

 

[DobieLover]

I have just 3 hens, my coop has to be on the smaller side so in can stay warm during extreme cold.

This is a very common misconception.
The coop needs to be DRY for the chickens to be able to keep themselves warm. That means LOTS of ventilation. As close to 1 sq ft of ventilation per bird year round as can be managed without having drafts on roosted birds strong enough to open feathers.
The birds should have as close to 4sq ft of floor space per bird in the coop not including nest box space.
Your "run" is way too small. Especially when they can't leave it during deeper snow. They should have a minimum of 15 sq ft of space per bird in the run.

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC.

You will find this article helpful: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing-and-care.72010/

I'm sorry, but your setup is barely big enough to keep 3 cockatiels, much less three chickens.

Have a look at this photo of 3 cull cockerels in a 4x8 space during the avian flu lockdown. They're just slightly smaller than an adult hen of their breed and have over 5 times as much space as you're giving your girls but still look a little cramped to my eyes knowing that they couldn't go out into the run.

 

[Tundrawooky]

Ok thanks for the advice, perhaps I'll build it larger. I do let them out once a day and they come back to roost at night. Even in the snow I shovel out a patch and let them out for 4-5 hours a day.

 

[Tundrawooky]

I read somewhere that a chicken only needed 1sq foot of space each.

 

[saysfaa]

I read somewhere that a chicken only needed 1sq foot of space each.

A chicken takes up about 1 sq ft of space, at least if her wings are open much. That doesn't leave space to move around.

Possibly, if you had hundreds of chicken in one space, enough of them could bunch up enough of the time for it to work. Such places tend to have computers monitoring temperature, moisture, and ammonia and controlling forced air ventilation systems.

With that many chickens, any given chicken can get out of sight of any other chicken as needed to show she isn't challenging the other chicken for a higher spot in the pecking order. That is good manners by chicken standards.

 

[Tundrawooky]

They seem happy with 6 sq feet in the main box. But I admit the run needs to be a little larger. What about going taller with more roosting poles?

 

[raingarden]

You have some extra tongue length on the trailer frame. Remove the coop, attach a couple of 2x4x8's to the frame and rebuild the coop as 3ft x 8 ft = 24 sq.ft.

 

[aart]

Is this too small?

Yes, way too small.

during extreme cold.

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[3KillerBs]

I read somewhere that a chicken only needed 1sq foot of space each.

Commercial caged layers, maybe -- though even those have a *little* room to move rather than being absolutely packed like feathered sardines -- but we backyarders should aspire to do better for our birds. Much, much better.