size with roost

[doug59]

i'm getting ready to build my coop going to have 8 barred rocks at 4 sqft per bird that comes to a 4ft by 8ft coop my question is does the 4x8 include the roost bars they will take up at least 3ft which leaves only 4 by 5 floor space minus food and water so for 8 barred rocks should the coop really be 4ft by 11ft to give a full 4ft by 8ft floor space. thanks for the help

 

[Pork Pie]

As the roost bars are above the ground, it does not affect your floor space dimensions. The 4ft recommendation is only a minimum. Basically, the more space you give your birds, the happier they will be (and you are bound to want more chickens

) so if you have the opportunity to build big - go for it!

 

[doug59]

thank you for the reply I doubt if we'll ever go above 8 or ten and I want to keep it small enough to conserve their heat in the winter

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

As the roost bars are above the ground, it does not affect your floor space dimensions. The 4ft recommendation is only a minimum. Basically, the more space you give your birds, the happier they will be (and you are bound to want more chickens

) so if you have the opportunity to build big - go for it!

The use of a "poop board" beneath the roost bar can help to further preserve the floor space beneath the roost for use as it catches the waste expelled during the hours the birds are at roost (they drop a LOT of waste in those hours) which keeps it from fouling the floor down beneath it -- this is one of many threads on poop boards here on BYC https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/621363/poop-board-convert-warning-graphic-gross-poop-pictures

 

[ScottandSam]

thank you for the reply I doubt if we'll ever go above 8 or ten and I want to keep it small enough to conserve their heat in the winter

don't doubt it unless laws apply. Chicken math does not kick it right away but will shortly after there laying and you get more experience.

Scott

 

[junebuggena]

thank you for the reply I doubt if we'll ever go above 8 or ten and I want to keep it small enough to conserve their heat in the winter

That's a big mistake first timers make. Thinking that a smaller coop will help hold in body heat and that it will be better for the birds. Ventilation is just as important in winter as it is in summer. A small, closed up coop may seem a great idea to help keep the birds warmer, but it is a recipe for overcrowding stress, frostbite, and respiratory issues.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

thank you for the reply I doubt if we'll ever go above 8 or ten and I want to keep it small enough to conserve their heat in the winter

Their feathers will do that - what you need to provide is a sheltered area that blocks them from drafts, while still providing proper ventiation, and provides them the space they need to allow the feathers to do their job. A small space, especially one that is ill-ventilated, will not only hold the heat, but also hold the humidity (they create a lot of humidity in the area through respiration and through expelling waste, which is VERY wet) and in winter the humidity that is held in brings the risk of frostbite.

 

[ChickenMammX4]

Their feathers will do that - what you need to provide is a sheltered area that blocks them from drafts, while still providing proper ventiation, and provides them the space they need to allow the feathers to do their job.  A small space, especially one that is ill-ventilated, will not only hold the heat, but also hold the humidity (they create a lot of humidity in the area through respiration and through expelling waste, which is VERY wet) and in winter the humidity that is held in brings the risk of frostbite. 

Ditto