im turning my shed into a chicken coop

[testrechupacabre]

Do i have to add a window if i plan to leave the coop doors open all day?
secondly...
I have 22 hens but the shed is 5' by 10'
is that enough room if their run is approx 1/2 an acre?

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Will you be closing them up at night? If so, then yes you need a window, and no that isn't big enough. Also, if you have bad winters that isn't big enough if you might have to close them up for a big storm or something. If you have decent weather all year long, and you don't lock them up at night, then that's plenty of room.

 

[rebecky1305]

If they are going to be using it mostly for roosting, and won't be in it all the time, then make sure there is enough roost space for that many chickens. I think a window would be great even if the doors are open most of the time. My chickens like to sit on the roosts and look out.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Hello testrechupacabre, first off,

. The rule of thumb is that you need 4 square foot per bird of coop space and 10 square foot per bird of run space. You need more ventilation than you think. Opening the door wont be enough. Check out the following link for a thorough discussion on ventilation: https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-VENTILATION Good luck! Post pics of your shed and we can give more specific comments.

 

[ducks4you]

Hard to answer--where do you live? If you have any kind of a real winter, you're going to want a window open.
Read what patandchickens says about ventilation, coop-building, and chicken runs:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-VENTILATION
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-fix-a-muddy-run
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/vie … mperatures

 

[testrechupacabre]

I live in PA. so really the winter weather can be awful like this past winter or it could be almost snowless. Well thank you for the response even though their are differing opinions. now the shed has brick walls and it is built into the ground but the V shaped roof is wood so i believe i can cut into it. Thanks again

 

[testrechupacabre]

Oh i feel silly.

my shed is 10' x 10'... 9' x 9' on the inside and about 10' high.
I will post pics of the shed tomar It still has some junk inside but all of that is going to a junkyard
since it is 81 sq ft it will support about 20 chickens
Do I have to get rid of 2 of my babies?

or does 2 more not make that much of a difference?

 

[sunflowerenvy]

Quote:
if your coop is 10x10= 100 sq ft /4 stand size =25 chicken

9x9 =81 sq ft/4 standard = 20 .25chicken

10x22= 220sq ft for your pen your run is great size

your would have give a lot of ventilation at least 1 sq ft per bird in a coop

also where u live you would need to keep the water n food inside during the winter months
u will need to add nest boxes in the coop 1 nest box/ 4 birds so if u keep 20 birds than u need 5 nest boxes and they can be 2ft off the floor
the roost should be 2x4 and have the 4 inch flat side up so the chicken can roost on their feet so frost bite on their feet.

if i had 9x9 shed i would only keep 18 birds in there comfortably .
laura

 

[testrechupacabre]

Quote:
if your coop is 10x10= 100 sq ft /4 stand size =25 chicken

9x9 =81 sq ft/4 standard = 20 .25chicken

10x22= 220sq ft for your pen your run is great size

your would have give a lot of ventilation at least 1 sq ft per bird in a coop

also where u live you would need to keep the water n food inside during the winter months
u will need to add nest boxes in the coop 1 nest box/ 4 birds so if u keep 20 birds than u need 5 nest boxes and they can be 2ft off the floor
the roost should be 2x4 and have the 4 inch flat side up so the chicken can roost on their feet so frost bite on their feet.

if i had 9x9 shed i would only keep 18 birds in there comfortably .
laura

Thats alot of help. I might sell a few so then they have a little more room.

 

[ducks4you]

300#'s of feed in your feeder? You've gotta post the plans for this--I, for one, am intrigued. My GOSH--A way for ducks4you to NOT have to do a daily chore?!?!?!?!?!?!?