Is my coop big enough??

[K7 Menagerie]

We're building a coop right now, and I want to make sure it's big enough for my 6 chickens (3 EE, 3 Welsummers). The coop itself is about 4 ft x 6 ft, and the run is 6 ft x 6 ft. It's one of those triangular shaped arks. Also taking suggestions for naming the building. The chickens are Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, Bay, and Coriander. Yeah, I know, the Spice Girls.

 

[Jacky'sMamma]

LOL, no comment on the size here... I am no expert. LOVE the names tho!

 

[tnkinhunting]

Sounds like a nice sized run - post pic's!

 

[tricia]

Sounds like a good size. I love the names! You could call the coop the Spice Rack.

 

[Katy]

Just a warning.....you probably won't be able to stop at 6!!

 

[K7 Menagerie]

The Spice Rack! I love it, thanks!

 

[patandchickens]

I dunno, I'm going to be the dissenting voice and say that it's pretty minimal space for six chickens unless they freerange most of the time. 4x6 may be your upstairs floorspace, but the USABLE space up there is substantially smaller, because of how the walls slope down. The edges of the pen part are kind of awkward for chickens to use, too, for the same reason.

Many people have chickens surviving in that size quarters. Me, I give them more space. It's a matter of personal conscience and taste, I guess. Also the more space they have the less chance of problems with picking, etc (although there is a certain 'random luck' factor there, too).

Good luck,

Pat

 

[FutureChickenMan]

Generally accepted rule of thumb:

4 square feet per bird inside coop.

- 4'x6' = 24 square feet / 4 = 6 birds

10 square feet per bird for run.

- 6'x6' = 36 square feet / 10 = 3.6 birds.


If you intend on free ranging the majority of the time, your run will probably be ok. But if you gotta keep the birds locked up like I do because of preditors, your run needs to be bigger.

My Coop is named Chez Poulet

ETA : you won't be able to stop at 6. I was only gonna get a dozen. I have 3 times that now.

 

[Chirpy]

I also totally advocate having a larger coop. From personal experience (

) I know that chickens will most likely peck each other if locked up in too small a space.

So, if you can build bigger please do.

The others are right ... it's highly unlikely that The Spice Rack will only house six chickens in the future.

I love the names.

 

[K7 Menagerie]

Looks like maybe I need a bigger coop! Can't really free-range them here - too many coyotes and hawks.