I am not so good at math and need some assistance.

[lottastuff9]

I am figuring to have about 16 laying hens and am trying to design my coop with that number. I will have standard size ladies(BA, EE, FBCM, and Red Star), from what I have read I need approx 2 square feet of space per hen. I have been working on this all day and I do believe my brain is tired...can you give some examples of inside "footprints" that would achieve this? like a square of such and such or rectangle of such and such. any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[elmo]

Two square feet of coop space is likely to be tight accomodations. Can you manage 4 square feet per bird? That would be better. 16 times 4 equals 64, so an 8 foot by 8 foot coop would be fine. For your outdoor run, the usual rule of thumb is to figure 10 square feet per bird. 16 times 10 equals 160, so an 8 foot by 20 foot run would give you that square footage.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Not enough space; largefowl need 4 sq ft per bird coop space is an additional run or freeranging is available; 10 sq ft per bird if confined. For 16 large fowl hens you need 64 sq ft (plus an additional run or free ranging). That is an 8'x8' coop, or if you prefer, a 4' X 16' coop.

 

[lottastuff9]

Thank you, Thank you ---I can build the coop as large as need be, I am working with approx 1 acre of lawn space( I will also have a chicken tractor for mowing the grass

) I am undecided on free ranging--too far a distance with no fencing, I would hate to lose the ladies...I will have to give it test runs perhaps. So the run can be as large as I wish to build it. I have most my ideas planned out as far as materials to use, but obviously not how much of it since I couldn't figure the specs out. I even scrounged an old shower door for a sky light(passive heat source in winter) and ventilation( hardware cloth underneath with a locking mechanism to "prop" the door open in summer). Thanks again for the help, it is much appreciated.