Quick Question about Coop Size

[Robbinita]

Hey All! I am a new owner of 6 chicks! 3 EE's and 3 Red Stars. They are 4 weeks old and we are in the process of getting their run/coop together. We recently ran across a deal for a large wooden dog house. I haven't seen it yet, but the measurements are 3'1" H 4'9" L 3'7" W- would this be big enough for our 6 birds? TIA!

 

[SaltyMomma]

I'm new to chickens too, but I've read a lot of post/etc. that say the "ideal" indoor space would be 4 sq feet per standard sized chicken... so for your six birds you'd need about 24 sq feet. That dog house would be almost 20... so it's close and IMO could possibly work (but may be a bit cramped). Some things you also want to consider with a chicken coop are... how easy will it be to clean, will it have room for roosts/nests/food&water, does it have enough ventilation, and will it be secure against predators. Good Luck! And I'd love to see pics once your coop is up

 

[Peep_Show]

New math: I come up with about 16.5 feet (4.75 x 3.5), so it is a bit smallish. Four birds. Much more cozy and they might get pecky.

 

[SaltyMomma]

Quote:
I just quickly rounded up to the nearest foot

.... so thanks for doing the actual math

because you're correct the actual sq footage may be too small

 

[Robbinita]

Thanks, peeps!

I wonder if we could easily add on to it somehow. . . it was such a steal at $50. Oh well, I'll see what my husband says about it. Thanks again!!!

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
I don't think anybody (or hardly anybody) advocates 4 sq ft per chicken as being *ideal* -- just that you can often GET AWAY with it, particular if you have very mild winters.

A lot more space than that is what'd be "ideal"

Just sayin',

Pat

 

[morelcabin]

It depends...if you live in a warmer climate and have a very large run, or freerange, then 2 sq ft per bird is enough for them to sleep and lay eggs inside. 6 would be fine in your dog house if they have alot of outdoor space. They actually have 3 sq feet inside that already:>)

 

[LittleMamaBigPapa]

What ever you feel is the best size for you and your spouse.......then, when its all done, you move in and your chickens get your "old" place, because that's about how it goes!!