Size of coop and run

[catterbug]

I am building my first ever coop and run. I have read so many different ideas. What do you think? I have 8 chickens and would like to be able to walk in to the coop. I live in the suburbs in Ohio so our winters get cold which means they may be spending quite some time in the coop.

 

[cafarmgirl]

I have 8 birds in a 5 x 13 coop (odd dimensions because it's built into an existing shed) and tall enough to walk into. That's a little over 8 square feet of floor space per bird in the coop and I wouldn't want it any smaller. They are comfortable in there when they stay in on stormy days. Larger is always better especially if they'll be inside a lot during winter. Some people will pack a lot of birds into small coops but for myself I like to know my birds are comfortable and happy when they're stuck inside all day.

 

[teach1rusl]

I have five hens in a 6 x 8 walk-in coop. So they have a little over 8 sq. ft. each for the days/weeks/months that they spend a LOT of time inside (as they did last winter). If you can, I would do an 8 x 8 coop. That way, if you ever go out of "chickening" you can still use it as nice storage shed. Four sq. ft. per bird is the minimum I recommend, but I can't imagine going through last winter with only 20 sq. ft for my girls. So I totally can't imagine when people recommend only 2-3 sq. ft. per bird. IMO, they might as well be stuck in a commercial poultry house at those measurements.
As for the run, the minimum I recommend is 10 sq. feet per bird. I have a very large run, and having such, I can't picture my hens making due with a 5 x 10 run.

 

[patandchickens]

The practical real-world answer is simple and is independant of different folks' theories and preferences and chicken-keeping styles:

Build it as big as you can possibly stand to.

You will never, ever regret it. If you have fewer chickens in it, they will be extra happy and 'natural' and comfy; and if you decide to get more chickens in the future, it provides more option for doing so than if you'd built smaller.

So there ya go

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Dora'smom]

I agree. You really can't build it too big, only too small. The guidelines of 4 square feet per standard breed, 2 square feet per bantam as far as coop guidelines, and run guidelines of 10 square feet per bird are just the minimum. Your birds will be happier if they have more space. If they are happy, there will be fewer or no issues with pecking, feather picking, squabbling, etc.