Odd question--chicken height?

[spacetygrss]

I'm drawing up some sketches for a coop and want to put a kind of "mini" run at the bottom (so that the coop is on top, but they can go down the ladder into the fenced in area at the bottom) so that they can still peck around if I have to put them up while I'm away from the house (I plan to let them free-range around the yard as long as we are home).

Anyhow, I'm trying to figure out how "tall" the average standard chicken is (not bantams and not something large like a Jersey Giant). I'm thinking of something like an Australorp, RIR, etc. I need to know this to build the "mini" run at the bottom of the cage.

Thanks.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

lol I just went and measured my standard size EE for you 16" to the top of the comb . . . but they regularly sqeeze through a 5 inch square in the rabbit hutch to lay their eggs with the bunny.

 

[spacetygrss]

LOL! I can just imagine you trying to get your EE to sit still for a measurement! Anyhow, thanks for that.

Anyone else? I'm thinking that 18 inches would probably be pretty good.

 

[canada-goose]

It really doesn't need to be that big. Chickens can get pretty small when they want to! I have no idea how tall chickens are.

 

[damselfish]

Don't forget to leave yourself an easy opening to get a broom/shovel/whatever in there to clean the mini-run. You don't want to have to lay down to clean it!

If this involves some kind of wire fencing, consider just making it to a easily available fence height (24, 36?) that will cause you not to have to do any wire cutting.

 

[shelleyd2008]

If you are wondering how high to make the 'run' underneath the coop, I would go with at least 24 inches, but probably more like 30. Our RIR roo is at least 2 feet tall.

 

[leghorn dude]

exactly my black orpington rooster and leghorn rooster are both over 2 ft the hens are prolly 19 inches plus remember you may have to get under there to catch them

 

[spacetygrss]

Thanks.

 

[patandchickens]

If it's only a portion of their run, 16" is fine (they will have to scroonch down a little, but it doesn't seem to bother them). However, most of their run should be *at least* 24" high, and as others have said, taller is better, especially for large breeds, active breeds such as leghorns or campines, and/or if you have roosters (who stretch up tall to crow).

Good luck, have fun,

Pat