My Coop/Run... Should I change anything?

[HarleyHyena]

Okay! So the little wooden frame is going to be a little shed For all the chicken supplies... It was going to be a coop, but we found an easier/better run/coop on Craigslist. It is a 30x30 run and it came with a pretty roomy shed looking coop. I also have another smaller coop and another that's unfinished inside. Do you think that's enough room for 20 Chickens, a rabbit and two Guinea? Is there any room for anymore chickens? Should I add anything?

 

[Bryant Redhawk]

coop space for 1 chicken = 4 sq. ft. multiply number of chickens you want or have by 4 and you have the size of coop space needed.
yard/ run space is usually calculated at 1 chicken = 10 sq. ft. so same thing, multiply number of chickens by 10 and you know how many will fit in the run. Use the lesser number to know how many chickens you can maintain in your spaces comfortably.

figure a guinea hen as a chicken. Rabbit should be separated for space requirements I would think.

20 + 2 = 22 x 10 =220 sq. ft. (run space)
22 x 4 =88 sq. ft. (coop space)

an 8'x 8' coop has 64 sq. ft. of space and will hold 16 chooks comfortably, for a reference.

I use these figures as minimum space requirements myself. but I like everyone to be feeling like they have plenty of room. Plus we do free range our chooks when we are home. They are put inside at night because of raccoons and coyotes. They have a covered run space for when we are away during the day. Our run has 20 sq. ft. per chook incase you wondered.

 

[barneveldrerman]

How big is both of your coops combined? Each chicken needs a MINIMUM of 4sq.feet for the coop. 10sq.feet per bird for the run. Your run can hold about 90 chickens but i think your coop can cant handle more than 25 birds just by me guessing the dimensions.the rabbit and the Guinea's should be separate.



hope this helped!

 

[RJSorensen]

Are you far enough south that the birds can roost in the run? I wonder about the humidity in your enclosed building, the birds would need a fair amount of ventilation to be taken into account. Dry and draft free are of the upmost importance in your operation, moisture… be it from a bunny or a peafowl is a dangerous slope to slide down, with wanting to fill up every nook and cranny. Start smaller an see what you need to either change or rethink, every setup is different. No one lives where you do but you, and no one has the mix of critters that you will, so the four square foot BYC rule is just a good starting point, but you may find another value that works best in your situation. We here can only suggest our thoughts, I find that my birds tell me what they need. If one just sits and watches you will see you need another feeder, the water is up too high, not enough roost space (and don't expect them to line up equidistant on said roost) will all vary, it is for you to see your roost is too high, or too low, needs a ramp or what have you.

Get half of what you list and wait six months or so, you need to factor in that adult birds are different animals than their juvenile selves and their needs, feeds and housing differ a great deal. If you were to fill 'er up with young birds, you will have a mess come full grown adult time. Keeping chickens is somewhat like driving on an endless curve, you kind of know where you are going, but are never sure just what will show up, even in a few hundred feet traveled on this infinite loop drive. You always need to have an eye out for one or two years down the road, perhaps longer if you do not make a mess an throw up your hands and walk away.

Birds are a pure enjoyment to have, I understand that, I want 500 not just the 50 or so I keep. I have an endless appetite for style and colors and want a few or more of most everything please. It is different to have the birds, than it is to plan to have them. Slower is always better I think, there is time, you just have to incorporate this lead time into your plans, and move on from there.

I certainly wish you the best in your endeavor, and only you know what is right for you and yours.

Best to you and your birds,

RJ