Need your input on run and coop size please

[UPBarnGoddess]

Hello all

I am just getting back into chickens after taking a 5 or so year break. We have moved to a new farm and must build a new coop.

I would like 50 layers. How big of a coop and run should we make?

I was thinking of using part of a building that already exists and I could make a 6 X 12 coop and an 10 X 48 outside run. I think this should be sufficient but since it has been a while, I would like my thoughts confirmed. LOL

I am in the Upper Peninsula of Michgian where we have cold winters so I need to make sure the inside coop is sufficient to over winter the hens.

Thanks for your help...I look forward to your responses.

Kena

 

[annek]

Welcome! The numbers that they use around this site are 4'inside room per chicken and 10' outside run, so 4x50=200 ft so 6x12=72' and that would be around 1 and change per chicken, way too small. Being that you are up in MI in the frozen north a lot of time would be spent inside the coop. If anything it should be larger than the 200' not smaller. Run would be 500' so you are pretty close at 480'.

 

[tomdeggeater]

If 4 sq. ft. per bird is the rule of thumb, then 50 birds would require 200 sq. ft. Right? That would be 10' x 20', 15 x 15 = 225 if you want to build a square coop. But 16' square would be a better size, solely because of the 4' multiple on sheet goods. And that would be 256 sq. ft.
If you build nest boxes and roosts, that frees up a lot of floor space, too.
But, if you could keep 1/2 of them in the air all the time, you could...
Oh.......... that was a joke about parrots in an overweight semi-trailer.

Tom

 

[UPBarnGoddess]

Thanks for the info. I don't remember my old coop being that big and I had 50 in there, but they do say the memory is the first to go!! I guess I will not be getting 50 birds as I do not have the room to make the coop bigger than 6 x 12. Oh well life does go on!

 

[tomdeggeater]

6 x 12 = 72, divided by 4 = 18 happy hens! Maybe a few more with hi-rise nesting boxes and roosts.
Tom

 

[UPBarnGoddess]

Well we have decided on 20 birds. I don't think throwing 2 more into that 72 sq.ft. area is really going to matter that much with such a large outside run and roosts.

 

[tomdeggeater]

If you are up in the Northern climes, a smaller coop is easier to heat, too.
Overcrowding somewhat might be beneficial... A low ceiling is best, unless you want to use a ceiling fan to push the heat down. That costs...
Tom

 

[UPBarnGoddess]

I was thinking I would put 7 foot ceilings....just enough so you can walk and still have lights!!! And insulate it of course.

 

[cristy17]

hi from Menominee. i have a 8x10 coop. last winter I only had 2 heat lamps and a heated waterer for my birds,plus deep straw for bedding on the floor. hubby did try to make the coop as draft free as possible. we didn't lose any birds, but 2 roos did get frost bit. Considering we had over 2 weeks of -20 degree weather, i think not bad.
where are you in the UP?

 

[UPBarnGoddess]

Hello fellow Yooper!

I am near Chatham. I never had any problems with my old coop it was insulated and we did about the same as you if my memory serves me correctly. It has been a while however. I am excited to be able to get back into chickens but now I need to save the money for building materials. That might take me a little time!! LOL