Reccomendations for coop size

[GimmeCake]

I'm planning on building a Silkie coop next spring just because I really want Silkies, but I'm trying to figure out the size the coop would have to be to make sure these chickens are happy. I'm planning on getting a rooster, just since it's sort of an ornamental flock (who doesn't want ornamental Silkies?). Now, I'm not rich, so I can't just go out and buy some huge coop and be done. So I'm looking for a cost effective design, but still big enough.

So I'm looking for 3 hens and a rooster, with the exception I'm probably going to order another hen or two just for backup. What would be a good size? I also am going to make it a small coop/run combo, just because anything bigger and might as well keep it in place with cement.

So, what should I do? 2x3FT coop with 4x4FT run? Suggestions?

 

[redsoxs]

All I can say is the bigger the better. Recommended size would be 4 sq. ft. per bird for the coop and 10 sq. ft. per bird in the run.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I'm not a believer in large coop space myself. But this comes with my style of chicken keeping and that's that I don't heat the coop and let the chickens out every day. If this is how you plan to manage then your birds will only need 2 sqft per bird or less (need adequate roosting space) and a nesting box. Others manage with heating in winter and locking birds in coop on coldest days to which you need the added floor space. Heated coops encourage birds not to acclimate to climate and tend to stay inside.

You should look at the chicken tractors and small coops here for ideas in the coop section, coop tab at top of page. Many of these type are 8x4 run size. The largest you can manage the better. Chickens like to run about and peck.

 

[thomasboyle]

Redsox has the numbers right, 4 ft per bird in the coop and 10 per bird in the run. My recommendation is to go larger than you need today. Raising chickens is addicting, and soon you will want more! My coop is an 8x16 section of a 12x16 shed, and I wish it were bigger so I could add more ducks and chickens to the 35 I already have!

 

[hdmax]

I'm planning on building a Silkie coop next spring just because I really want Silkies, but I'm trying to figure out the size the coop would have to be to make sure these chickens are happy. I'm planning on getting a rooster, just since it's sort of an ornamental flock (who doesn't want ornamental Silkies?). Now, I'm not rich, so I can't just go out and buy some huge coop and be done. So I'm looking for a cost effective design, but still big enough.

So I'm looking for 3 hens and a rooster, with the exception I'm probably going to order another hen or two just for backup. What would be a good size? I also am going to make it a small coop/run combo, just because anything bigger and might as well keep it in place with cement.

So, what should I do? 2x3FT coop with 4x4FT run? Suggestions?

If you are getting just 1 or 2 chickens, then yes that size will work, but anymore then that, and the chickens will not have enough room. But even with just 1 or 2, 16 sq ft of run is extremely small.
If you are building new, and not using an existing structure, I would not consider anything smaller then 6' by 8' for the coop, and as much space as you can give them for the run.