New coop question

[Heather in Pa]

We just got a new to us coop. It's a little bigger than a 4x6' with laying boxes out the side. It has an almost 13'x4' run to it. I live in Pa. Can I safely use this for 6 leghorn chickens? If more, how many more? We currently have 17 in a 12x10' coop with an open top 12'x12' kennel run and then a VERY large fenced area (maybe 1/3 acre?) Daughter wants to possibly get more chicks through school this year and I want to make sure that I can start with the littles in the new coop and slowly introduce them to their older counterparts. Was also thinking of using the new little coop/run when it gets bitterly cold this winter as the bigger coop definitely needs some help/draft control which I'm not sure I have the time or monetary resources to do at this moment in time.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The coop size is about right for 6 hens.

Chickens can live in trees till predators take them. I don't worry about drafts. I have huge openings on both east and west walls and wind blows right through. That's ok as long as they have a roof over their heads.

 

[Heather in Pa]

The coop size is about right for 6 hens.

Chickens can live in trees till predators take them. I don't worry about drafts. I have huge openings on both east and west walls and wind blows right through. That's ok as long as they have a roof over their heads.

My concern is last winter our chickens did NOT do well. They ended up going into our basement (it's an old dirt floor farm house) because they got extremely thin, stopped eating and drinking. They were extremely boney before I got them moved. They never left their roosting bars. Granted, last winter was one of the harshest ones we've had in many years, I already said I'm not having chickens in the basement again. It was a bear to clean up--we put down tarps and wood chips over that.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Well they need fresh air above all else. If there's snow on the ground, you'll need straw, leaves or something else on the snow so they're encouraged to walk about.