proper space question- double decker coop

[attached_mama]

I have a double decker coop- its just over 4X4, and has 2 floors, so would I consider it 4 X 4= 16 DOUBLED to 32 square feet because there is an upper and lower area with roosts?
It is inside a 100 square foot run. (nest boxes are built out and take up no space) would this allow for 8?

How many standard laying hens can I properly have?

Thanks!

 

[Noncentzter]

I've heard, on this site, that height doesn't matter, so I'd say it's still only 4 birds.

 

[Hennyhandler]

I think they say height don't matter because the birds can't occupy that space. With 2 floors you have 2 areas the birds can move in. I am not saying you should go for 8 birds as you don't want to overcrowd. I am not totally for sure on this. It is just the wy I interpreted it. GOOD LUCK!!

 

[attached_mama]

Quote:
Yeah, but I'm not talking about height. Its like an apartment, a down stairs and an upstairs. 2 levels, 2 floors.

 

[patandchickens]

In my observation chickens do not use 'upstairs' space as if it were additional downstairs... not that they don't *go* up there, but I would not advise considering it to really materially increase the habitable area of your coop that much, beyond the footprint of the coop.

But, I mean, it's up to each individual person how many chickens they want to put in their coop and how much risk of problems (both lethal, e.g. cannibalism, and nonlethal, e.g. just kind of stressed and unhappy birds) they're comfortable with.

I wouldn't do it, but there are people who keep chickens in really cramped quarters and happen to have individual chickens who will tolerate it without all the wheels falling totally off, so it is not like it couldn't be tried if you are really intent on it. You'd want to have a plan B in mind though.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat