Is my coop big enough?? Please reply! 🙏

[HowIsItDone]

They have 6 more pullets that they will be adding soon so they will have 11 birds total

The OP needs to build something larger. Lot's of hardware cloth.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

Would it really be terrible if i didn't get a larger coop? I am on a tight budget and I also have an HOA that prevents any large shed structures. I don't want to drop any money on this unless absolutely necessary.

 

[ChaosMom]

Would it really be terrible if i didn't get a larger coop? I am on a tight budget and I also have an HOA that prevents any large shed structures. I don't want to drop any money on this unless absolutely necessary.

Can you cancel your order for more pullets? Tight budgets and doubling flock size don’t mix.

Chicken needs >>>>>>>> prissy HOAs any day.

 

[Yardmom]

There are other options.
1. Leaving things as they are. I think others have addressed this.
2. Build or buy a whole new coop. Costly and will take up more space.
3. Have fewer chickens. Sell or cull so there is more space per bird.
4. Remodel your existing structure. Instead of starting from scratch turn your run into multipurpose space. Find a way to add a roof, add a skirt to prevent digging, add walls when seasons require a bit more wind and weather protection.

 

[nuthatched]

I'd try and find some scrap materials or go somewhere like Facebook marketplace or Craigslist to find cheap materials or best yet, a used shed and modify that. There are people who have had good success building an inexpensive coop out of recycled material

Mines made out of recycled Materials, it's 8x8 with metal roof, cost about $400 during covid lumber crisis

 

[nuthatched]

Can you cancel your order for more pullets? Tight budgets and doubling flock size don’t mix.

Chicken needs >>>>>>>> prissy HOAs any day.

Except when the hoa fines you $500 a week for every week you have them and removes them by force.

 

[tripletfeb]

Would it really be terrible if i didn't get a larger coop? I am on a tight budget and I also have an HOA that prevents any large shed structures. I don't want to drop any money on this unless absolutely necessary.

This should have all been figured out before you got the chickens. Very sad for the birds when someone doesn't research them before getting them. That being said, if you can't or won't get a larger coop, you can just wait to see what will happen. Some flocks are ok with a smaller space, other flocks need more space even with less birds. The worst that would happen with a smaller coop(beyond predators) is birds picking on each other. They can peck other birds, sometimes to death. That happened in one of my flocks, even though I had fewer birds than my coop could handle. Now, I have seven hens in the same coop and they get along great. Good luck with whatever you decide

 

[ChaosMom]

Except when the hoa fines you $500 a week for every week you have them and removes them by force.

Well, especially then. I wasn’t saying to ignore the HOA. I was saying that when deciding how many chickens to have, look at available housing size as the most important factor.

Spouse and I have agreed that we’ll never live anywhere with an HOA that obsesses over appearances (and defines what is acceptable.

 

[Toothpick]

They have 6 more pullets that they will be adding soon so they will have 11 birds total

Yup, I read that part.

 

[Toothpick]

Would it really be terrible if i didn't get a larger coop? I am on a tight budget and I also have an HOA that prevents any large shed structures. I don't want to drop any money on this unless absolutely necessary.

Well it's not absolutely necessary. They are your birds and your property. Just don't post about it online if you don't want everyone to say you need a 90x90 shed

Keeping chickens isn't the hobby where you want to dive in head first without testing the waters first. You should really do the research, plan, and make sure you have the room, money, and time before getting any, much less getting MORE than you already have.

I think 11 chickens will be fine in that coop. Looks like you have 2 roost bars and if your coop is 5ft wide you have 10ft of roost space. Some suggestions out there are 6-8 inches of roost space per bird, some are 6-12 inches per bird. Based on this 11 chickens will be fine. But don't get anymore - like I said earlier.

The chickens will pretty much only be in there to roost. So I don't know how much 4 square ft per bird really matters in this case. I've seen a few large scale chicken coop manufactures that don't even use the 4sf per bird ideology. They just suggest the number of chickens based on how much roosting space they have.

Ultimately it's your choice no matter what anyone here says.