We have a coop and run combo. The building is 8’x8’ and 10’ tall. The attached run is 30’ x 20’ and 15’ tall at the highest point. Due to local wildlife, our chickens have to be cooped in that area all the time. Is that enough room for our 25 chickens? About Half are standard sized and the rest are various Bantam, Silkie and Polish.
Our coop and run.
- Thread starter Jendavis
- Start date
black_cat
♥♥Lover of Leghorns♥♥
The run? Definitely big enough. The coop may be a bit small.
drinkoj
Chicken Chaser
I'm with @black_cat on the run. Think you're slightly over coop capacity.
Coop size = 8x8 = 64 sq feet Available
13 regular sized = 13x4 = 52 sq feet needed
OR
13 regular sized = 13x3 = 39 sq feet needed
THEN
12 small bantam sized = 12x2 = 24 sq feet needed
I am assuming your silkies and polish are bantam sized and not the larger breed (wife's wanting these breeds for next time, so I've researched a little on them) in the 12 small calculations. If any of the polish and silkies are standard sized, you're over coop capacity.
I personally am over coop capacity by about 1/3 of a chicken (using 3 sq feet per bird) and do have one pullet that would rather stay outside in the run at night half the time. So I believe in the sq footage rules that the forum uses to judge capacity to # of chickens.
Coop size = 8x8 = 64 sq feet Available
13 regular sized = 13x4 = 52 sq feet needed
OR
13 regular sized = 13x3 = 39 sq feet needed
THEN
12 small bantam sized = 12x2 = 24 sq feet needed
I am assuming your silkies and polish are bantam sized and not the larger breed (wife's wanting these breeds for next time, so I've researched a little on them) in the 12 small calculations. If any of the polish and silkies are standard sized, you're over coop capacity.
I personally am over coop capacity by about 1/3 of a chicken (using 3 sq feet per bird) and do have one pullet that would rather stay outside in the run at night half the time. So I believe in the sq footage rules that the forum uses to judge capacity to # of chickens.
That coop is going to need some major ventilation added.
Run will need more shade.
Oh, and..... Welcome to BYC! @Jendavis
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black_cat
♥♥Lover of Leghorns♥♥
Having it be 9x9 changes LOTS. It's much closer to the size you need.
U_Stormcrow
Crossing the Road
8x8 = 64 sq ft. TOO small. Expect behavior problems at minimum, and difficulties dealing with waste - which if not dealt with, is respiratory problems, or worse, for your birds.
9x9 = 81 sq ft. Almost a 30% improvement, and much more reasonably sized for your birds.
What it lacks in sq ft is mitigated by a very nice and well sized run for your flock, together with a climate which will not force your birds to be cooped up in the house for days or weeks at a time, as occurs in some much, much colder climates.
Additionally, TX (at least, the area I moved from, tends to be arid, so you don't likely have high heat plus high humidity concerns, unless you are in the Padre to Corpus to Houston arc. At worst, you will have seasonally heavy rains for a day or two, not a huge deal
What you do have is a ventilation problem. The general "rule of thumb" is 1 sq ft of ventilation per bird. While @aart and I are both huge proponents of under eave venting and ridge vents, no amount of corrugated roofing, with an average opening of perhaps 2", is going to get you close to what you need. That's more like peeling one foot of siding off 2 sides of your coop, PLUS the existing corrugated roof openings.
In TX, as with me in FL, inadequate ventilation in summer means the birds won't use it for shade, it will be warmer than the outside air. During the winter, if it does get humid, inadequate ventilation is breathing problems for birds - though with your climate, they will likely avoid the house in favor of sleeping out in the run. Particularly later Spring thru Later Fall.
LOVE your run. Much nicer than mine. Do strongly recommend more ventilation around the top of the coop on the roof overhang protected sides.
9x9 = 81 sq ft. Almost a 30% improvement, and much more reasonably sized for your birds.
What it lacks in sq ft is mitigated by a very nice and well sized run for your flock, together with a climate which will not force your birds to be cooped up in the house for days or weeks at a time, as occurs in some much, much colder climates.
Additionally, TX (at least, the area I moved from, tends to be arid, so you don't likely have high heat plus high humidity concerns, unless you are in the Padre to Corpus to Houston arc. At worst, you will have seasonally heavy rains for a day or two, not a huge deal
What you do have is a ventilation problem. The general "rule of thumb" is 1 sq ft of ventilation per bird. While @aart and I are both huge proponents of under eave venting and ridge vents, no amount of corrugated roofing, with an average opening of perhaps 2", is going to get you close to what you need. That's more like peeling one foot of siding off 2 sides of your coop, PLUS the existing corrugated roof openings.
In TX, as with me in FL, inadequate ventilation in summer means the birds won't use it for shade, it will be warmer than the outside air. During the winter, if it does get humid, inadequate ventilation is breathing problems for birds - though with your climate, they will likely avoid the house in favor of sleeping out in the run. Particularly later Spring thru Later Fall.
LOVE your run. Much nicer than mine. Do strongly recommend more ventilation around the top of the coop on the roof overhang protected sides.
black_cat
♥♥Lover of Leghorns♥♥
How wide are those bars?
- Thread starter
- #3
Here’s a pic of the inside of the building. We are adding nesting boxes this weekend. We just added a tarp behind the roosting bars to catch the poo.
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They are 4’ across and 1 foot apart in a stair step. All of the chickens spend the vast majority of their daytime outside of the coop building.
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