new coop and questions

daniellecm

Songster
6 Years
May 10, 2013
243
21
106
Hello

so I thought I posted this already but it looks like it went into cyber space so here we go again.
first off I wanted to say a big thank you to everyone ! this forum has helping me so much and the information on here is valuable to us new chicken mommy's !!

So here's my coop that I built over this past weekend (thanks to all the helpful hints on here )
Still a lot to do but its coming along
I have 4 beautiful Dom's that will occupy this space. they are 3 weeks now and living in the house :)

So how big should I build the run ? it will be off the side just not sure how long I want to make it. I know bigger is better !!
And is my coop big enough for 4 ? Im hoping not to add more but they are so dam cute I may just add 2 more (teehee)
 
ok so I cant figure out how to post a picture on the cp . Im always on my phone ?
 
400
 
There are tons of factors that can go into size of coop/run (climate, amount of time to be spent in each, whether free-range will be offered in addition to the run, size of birds, etc) - but a good general rule of thumb to work from is a minimum of 4 square feet inside (coop) and 10 square feet outside (run) for each bird.
Also, since you are already feeling the chicken math kick in, build bigger than you think you need now so that adding birds down the road does not require further building - meaning construct a run for 10 even though you only have four because while build twice?
 
Ah yes, chicken math. I can't really tell by your picture, but by counting the fence boards, which look like 1 x 6s, I'd guess your coop to be about 4' x 3'? That's big enough for three. Four square feet per standard sized chicken, is the accepted minimum. As is ten square feet per chicken in the run.
Build everything bigger than you think it should be. Chickens are addicting and you will eventually stuff more of them into your setup.
 
HI

thanks for your replies. the coop itself is about 4x4x5 is my guess. We are going to build external nesting boxes off the back and side so im assuming this should hopefully be enough for the 4 girls. Im trying really hard not to cave to the chicken math my hubby says 4 is enough lol.
Im thinking the run will be about 10x10 and then they can free range during the day.
How many nest boxes do I need ? is 2 enough ?
 
How many nest boxes do I need ? is 2 enough ?
2 is plenty. They will probably pick only one to use. Just the way it is. Mine have six available. I find a hen waiting on her favorite nest, which is occupied, with four other nests empty.
 
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HI

thanks for your replies. the coop itself is about 4x4x5 is my guess. We are going to build external nesting boxes off the back and side so im assuming this should hopefully be enough for the 4 girls. Im trying really hard not to cave to the chicken math my hubby says 4 is enough lol.
Im thinking the run will be about 10x10 and then they can free range during the day.
How many nest boxes do I need ? is 2 enough ?
Simple solution - get all the same breed and he may not notice for months that there are more birds out there, especially since some will be in and some out of the coop throughout the day
wink.png


I am only half kidding - we once had a "guest cat" (feral, started as a "just feeding him, he can be a barn cat until we get him a better barn cat situation lined up" cat who ended up weasling his way into everyone's hearts so well that he stayed for three years before passing away and being buried on our property) who just happened to be VERY similarly marked to one of our actual cats. My husband was living away from home at the time and coming home for visits every couple of months - he happened to be home on a visit about a month or so after the cat first showed up, at a time when he was still so skittish he was staying at least 20 yards from people and it took several days for my husband to realize there were TWO brown tabby cats instead of the one we should have had (he only noticed because he happened to be sitting outside one evening at a time when BOTH cats were in the same part of the property at the same time). I *almost* got away with it, lol.
 
Haha My husband is a softy he says no but once I actually sneak something onto the property its mine !!
We had a baby chicken show up last year. (this is what got me started) I came home and there he was in my backyard. must have been about 3-4 weeks.
I put him in the garage for a few days and then just let him free range. I knew nothing about chickens. Well a year later he's still here and never leaving apparently lol
I really want a silkie but im staying strong !
 

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