Let's be honest...

[enggass]

We all are aware of the 4sqft/bird in coop and 10sqft/bird in run 'rules'.
I would like to know, honestly, what all of you are doing in regards to space - mostly 'in the coop' space.
I ask because right now I have 5 birds in a 6'x4' coop(although 1'x4' of that is nest boxes) with 50+ sqft of run. Well within the guidelines.
They seem to have more than enough space inside! I plan on getting more birds this Spring, and will be building another coop, but I would love to know how much space you all are allotting to your birds... honestly...

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Well, my coop is 4' x 5' and I have four girls on one roost. One nest box. I am happy with this and it seems they are too.

My question to you is, the more you load your coop, the more poo you will be shoveling. I scoop poo into a small bucket every morning. If I had 8 birds, I couldn't do it.

But I'm a neatnik, just so you know.

 

[texasgal]

DH and I built a 6x8 full height coop. I have two roosts .. and three nest boxes. A hanging feeder and two waterers on milk crates. There are currently 10 hens and 1 rooster in there and they have PLENTY of room. In fact, all 11 of them line up on one roost like little toy soldiers when they roost at night .. and there are room for more.

I will be adding 3 more to this pen shortly ..

Of course, I make up for it with 5 acres of free ranging several times a week ...

They seem happy.

 

[oldchickenlady]

Honestly, my run isn't as large as it should be...it is 100 sq feet and it should be 120. My coop is 64 sq feet, which is 16 sq feet larger than my 12 chickens require for coop space. However, I mostly free range my birds over 7 acres, so I think I am good!

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Mine have a barn for a coop & 1 1/2 acres fenced for them to freerange in. Yes, they're spoiled!

 

[Bill D]

Quote:
Steve,

Where did you get those numbers? Everything I have read is 2-3 sq ft per chicken of coop space and 4-5 sq ft for run space. I have a 5'x6' coop and a 5'x9' run all under a roof. I do let my chickens free range some afternoons - but not every day. (I have 10 hens btw)

 

[AccioSarah]

We have a pretty small coop, it's 7x4 with a wrap around run, I'll include a photo.
We have four chickens that seem extremely happy with they space they are in, and we are even considering adding a couple more next Spring.

In addition to the run, every morning when we collect eggs we open the run door to let them run about the yard, then at sundown herd them back inside. They seem like happy little Chickens to us!

I think the rules are a good standard to follow, but chickens will be content with a little less space-- and if they are allowed a little free ranging time they'll be quite happy. More space would never hurt either!
Just look at those poor factory hens- anything is better than that, they'll be lucky to have someone who cares about them and their well being.... and supplies a treat here and there.

 

[Where The Wild Things Are]

I have 24 sq ft of coop space for 5 hens and 256 sq feet of run space for 5 hens and 2 ducks. But honestly it wouldn't how much space they have, they travel in a pack. When I let them out to free range, they look like little kids do when they play soccer...running all over the grass in a tight little group. Kinda funny. They just don't seem happy unless they are tripping all over themselves, and in eachothers business.

 

[CMV]

I have 120 sq ft of coop space and 800 sq ft of run space for 19 chickens. I have 4 nesting boxes and just under 30 ft of roosting poles. I live up north, so in the winter my birds spend a lot of time inside the coop (by choice). I wanted to make sure they had enough space to prevent undesirable behaviors.

 

[DianeS]

I have a 4x4 (16 sq foot) coop for my four hens and I wish it were larger. The days I'm later than normal letting the hens out of it, one of them gets picked on. The later I am, the more feathers she has pulled out of her tail. Poor thing.

I assume it's because she doesn't have room to get away from the bully.

My neighbor had a friend visit over Thanksgiving who brought their dog. A big lab that promptly jumped over the fence into my yard. I *think* my run is secure, but I wasn't about to find out. I *know* my coop is secure, so I left the hens inside all day. Poor bullied hen had a lot of missing feathers by the time the friend left and I could let them out in the midafternoon.

The run is plenty big at 7x15 and she's never picked on in the run.

So if I have it to do over again, I'll build a bigger coop - more than 4 feet per bird next time.