New Member!

[Donna Goldie]

Hello All,

I am new to backyard chickens. I want to make sure I do everything possible to have happy, safe chickens. I want to make sure they have a big enough coop and it seems to me like the coops are so small for the amount of chickens they say it holds. I want only 4 chickens but want them comfortable.

Thank you!

Donna Goldie

 

[misfitwins]

Hi I am somewhat new to raising chickens have been doing it for the last 3 to 5 months and still learning I want to make sure I have everything for my chicks

 

[theoldchick]

Howdy! You came to the right place to learn.

 

[rjohns39]

Hi and welcome to BYC We're so excited you've decided to join our little flock The basic rule of thumb is 4-5 square feet per bird in the coop and 10 in the run--but build it bigger so that you have room for chicken math.

 

[sannabelle]

Yes, as Rjohns said...prepare for chicken math!!!! May not seem like it now, but four turns into 40 quicker than you can imagine

 

[N F C]

If you're referring to the pre-built coops, you're correct in believing they don't hold as many as they advertise. Room in the coop and run are very important to the well-being of your flock. If you don't feel comfortable building a coop, maybe you could find someone local to help you out (some people use the pre-built garden sheds and fit them out to work for chickens).

Best of luck to you!

 

[Dayrel]

Hello Donna Goldie. Welcome to BYC! There is tons of info here and very good people to help you on your journey as a new chicken owner.

I don't know how much reading/research you've already done, but if you want to get the most out of BYC, I suggest you do the following:

• Spend some time in the Learning Center
• When you have specific questions, most of the time a quick search will come up with the answers.
• If you don't find anything useful that way, post your question in an appropriate sub-forum. People here are very helpful and will answer your question even it has been asked 100 times before.

Thank you. Thank you for doing the research before you bring in the chickens. I have a Tractor Supply coop that was rated for 8 chickens, but is actually fairly tight for my three. They use factory farm spacing and most of us backyard chicken raisers want to provide a more human home. Your chickens will end up with a much better environment if you do the research up front before diving in.

Enjoy your time here.

 

[RodNTN]

Hello there! And It is wonderful to have you here with us, best wishes!

 

[CSAchook]

Yes, pre-made coops tend to misrepresent how many chickens they will hold. If you decide to buy pre-made or a kit, ignore the manufacturer suggestions for number of birds. Focus on the actual dimensions of the coop (not including the nest box) and the run and use the square footage recommendations @rjohns39 just posted. I suggest also reading reviews of coops before you buy. They can tell you what to avoid and potential problems, but are also a good source of ideas for how you might improve the coop you buy.

I personally have 2 coops right now: one scratch built and one from a kit. The one my husband designed and built himself is definitely the better coop, but the one from a kit just needed a few tweaks and it served its purpose well (temporary housing while I worked on integrating new pullets. Now it will be a hospital or broody coop ). Just be sure you understand exactly what you are getting if you go the pre-made route.

Oh! and welcome to BYC!!!!!!

 

[Donna Goldie]

Thank

Hi and welcome to BYC We're so excited you've decided to join our little flock The basic rule of thumb is 4-5 square feet per bird in the coop and 10 in the run--but build it bigger so that you have room for chicken math.

you!!!