Is This Big Enough??? Help please!

[babypeeps]

Okay so we're in the process of planning a coop / run for our baby chicks.
We will have 6 straight run Bantams and 19 pullets and 1 rooster. = 26

Our coop will be a 12ft x 12ft building. The chicken living quarters will be 8ft x 12ft

Storage area will be 4 x 12.

We were planning a 12 x 12 foot run on one side. & then on the other (incase the bantams and standards don't get along we can use that side or for right now they can all use it) A 7 x 13ft run that will be covered with fiberglass corgated roofing where I'd like to keep their feeder and then can throw scratch on the other run.

Is this a big enough area for them? thanks - Lisa

 

[Nostalchic]

That's about what I have for 26 hens and, frankly, it's a little small when the weather is bad and they are not inclined to come outside. They free-range most of the time, but there are those days when they are confined... If you could go a little bigger, I would. Efficient use of the space helps - for instance, my nests project into my storage area and are flush with the "chicken area" wall, so space isn't lost there. And some of yours are bantams, so that helps. But in this case, bigger is better! You'll be surprised how much room these girls occupy when they grow up!

 

[babypeeps]

Okay well we can do away with the storage are if we need to it's not a necessary. Do you think I need more outside room? Thanks for your input

I just want to do this right the first time hehe

 

[teach1rusl]

Because of your bantams, your run space (both runs added together) should be okay for your number of birds. Generally, you want at least 10 sq. ft. for your large fowl and 5 sq. ft. for your bantams. So you'd want 190 sq. feet for your big birds, and 60 sq. ft. for your bantams. I guess in your case that would mean that, if you separated your bantams, they would have tons of room, but your larger chickens would be rather cramped in their runs. So maybe some of your milder, gentler hens could go in with the bantams, or maybe all of your birds will get along well and so it won't even be an issue.
And I agree with Nostalchic...you'll find out whether your coop is too cramped come winter time. You don't notice it when your birds are little, or in summer time, when they're rarely in there together except for roosting. But come winter, it'll show big time. So you may want to wait to see how things go before giving up your storage area. If, come winter, they start picking at one another and bullying becomes an issue (that's a big indicator of overcrowding), you could always expand into that area then.