My coop is 9' by 5'

[danamillette]

My coop is 9' by 5' and has 4 nest boxes and plenty of roosting room. How many do you suggest max to house there? The run is twice that size.
Thanks!

 

[patandchickens]

Personally I'd say 4-5, because you are in the land of Actual Winter

Most people around here would say more like a dozen, on the basis of 3-4 sq ft per chicken indoors and 6-10 in the run. I just don't think they look near as happy that way, especially after a week of blizzard. To each their own I guess.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[danamillette]

Thanks, I didnt take that into consideration. Do you let yours out in the winter? If it's just lightly snowing?

 

[patandchickens]

Sure, unless there is a stiff wind from the directions where it'd blow in the pophole doorway. (I'd rather not freeze the coop that much, although if I had less indoor space for them, I would leave the door open on those days too, I think)

They may not go out much, and they may not ALL go out (my chickens are apparently wussies compared to some folks'), but they have the choice, at least.

I am building roofs for the sussex runs, though, and the other one will get plastic on it this winter, so I am HOPING that there will be few if any days when they won't go out for at least a while.

Pat

 

[Wynette]

My coop is 4 x 8 and it houses 12 right now, 2 roos and 10 hens, comfortably. However, it does have a lower & upper level through half of it, so it actually does have more floor space. But, they really don't use the lower level much.

I do have quite a good sized run - 15 x 40. My flock returns to the coop to roost/sleep for the night; they don't typically spend much time in it other than to sleep or lay eggs.

I haven't had any issues with my coop and the chickens whatsoever. All seem quite happy.

 

[danamillette]

Mine like to be outside also. I am thinking of putting a wall up on the lake-side of the house where it tends to be more windy.

 

[animal nut]

My chickens love to be outside. When they hear me coming I can hear them running for the door. We are expanding the run to 28' x 28' hoping that this will not only give them more room to run but also greener run.

 

[Jenski]

danamillette, last winter we screwed T-111 boards to windward sections of the run to keep in some heat. When it got warm, we just unscrewed and stored them away.

This year we have built some wood "tracks" that the boards can slide into along the run walls, so we don't even have to reattach anything. The boards really help keep the cold wind factor down.

 

[Chirpy]

I am totally with patandchickens on this one. I have learned through ignorant personal experience that it's always better to have less chickens than your floor space supposedly allows. That is absolutely true in cold climates where you may have to lock your chickens inside for a day or longer. Crowded chickens become bored and stressed and often become feather pecking chickens. For your chickens health and happiness I wouldn't have more than 6 in your situation.

We had our first snow last night with really cold winds this morning. My chickens love to be outside and stampede the pop hole when I open it in the morning. This morning I stood there and laughed out loud as they one by one would run through the door, turn tail in mid stride and run back inside. None of them came outside until this afternoon when the sun came out and the wind died down a little.

 

[morelcabin]

My coop is 6x10 and houses 12 right now...for the summer it housed 18 with no problems.