Is the Omlet Coop Big Enough

[MrsKroo]

Unfortunately, every pre-fab coop that I know of makes wildly exaggerated claims for the number of chickens it will serve.

For each standard-sized bird you need 4 square feet in the coop (space taken up by nestboxes, feeders, waterers, etc. doesn't count), 10 square feet in the run, 1 linear foot of roost, and 1 square foot of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation (the pop door that is closed at night and windows that are closed in the winter don't count).

IMO, any coop smaller than 4'x4'x4' is unlikely to be adequate over time.

Some chickens will tolerate closer quarters, but over-crowding is a common cause of behavioral and health problems.

Thank you for the information. I really have a lot to consider.

 

[MrsKroo]

Hi there! I have Omlet's Cube and five girls about the same age as yours. While I think four is best, five is doable. (I planned on four, then took in one more who needed a new home.) Mine are also bunched together right now because it's cold.

If you're concerned about space, you can slide out the divider between the roost and nest. Mine is closed while I await my first egg.

Let me know if you have other questions. I've been very happy with my Omlet coop and run.

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Oh wow! Thanks so much for your reply! I love your set up. I really love my Omlet coop too because it’s so easy to clean and it fits perfect in my backyard because we live in a community.
What is the silver piece on your side of the coop/run?

 

[deidreg]

Oh wow! Thanks so much for your reply! I love your set up. I really love my Omlet coop too because it’s so easy to clean and it fits perfect in my backyard because we live in a community.
What is the silver piece on your side of the coop/run?

Ahh, that's me being paranoid about rodents. I reinforced the coop with hardware cloth and placed a strip on metal flashing where the coop, and small run meet. I keep their food in this smaller run and close it off from the walk in run at night. I really don't want to attract critters with food. So far, so good.

 

[MrsKroo]

Ahh, that's me being paranoid about rodents. I reinforced the coop with hardware cloth and placed a strip on metal flashing where the coop, and small run meet. I keep their food in this smaller run and close it off from the walk in run at night. I really don't want to attract critters with food. So far, so good.

I’m the same way. I don’t want any unwanted critters either. My husband and I take the food dish inside the house everyday they get it back in the morning. This seems to be working for now.

 

[LaFleche]

Hi.
I have 5 buff Orpingtons 17 weeks old. They have an Omlet Igloo for a coop. Tonight I noticed that one of them was sleeping on top of the rest.
There’s space for all 5 to roost in this coop, any idea why one would sleep on top of the others?
Thank you for the help.

I don't know if somebody mentioned this to you before, but 3 of your 5 Orpingtons are cockerels.
So this fact might as well be the reason why the lowest on the pecking order is not allowed in at night.

 

[LaFleche]

Just the two in front are pullets:

 

[EmmaRainboe]

I don't know if somebody mentioned this to you before, but 3 of your 5 Orpingtons are cockerels.
So this fact might as well be the reason why the lowest on the pecking order is not allowed in at night.

I thought the same thing. I was surprised it wasn't mentioned earlier.

 

[MrsKroo]

I don't know if somebody mentioned this to you before, but 3 of your 5 Orpingtons are cockerels.
So this fact might as well be the reason why the lowest on the pecking order is not allowed in at night.

Yes. I know. I hatched six babies and 4 ended up being cockerels. Unfortunately we are jot allow to have roosters in our community and 4 would be too many anyways. I will eventually only have the two pullets so the space in the coop won’t be an issue.

 

[MrsKroo]

I thought the same thing. I was surprised it wasn't mentioned earlier.

The boys will not be with us much longer and there will be plenty of room in the coop for them.

 

[LaFleche]

Yes. I know. I hatched six babies and 4 ended up being cockerels. Unfortunately we are jot allow to have roosters in our community and 4 would be too many anyways. I will eventually only have the two pullets so the space in the coop won’t be an issue.

Did you already try to rehome them?