So I live in the desert and want to start a farm

[Seiena]

I know I need a 100 by 100 foot enclosure for the chickens. We have a lot of different predators so I know I need to put up an electric fence around the coop and all to keep the coyotes and bobcats out, Is the 100 by 100 that the coop space or the coop and run space? Like how big should the coop itself be?

 

[saysfaa]

That is enough for up to 1,000 chickens as a run (or coop that they don't range out from).
And enough for 2,500 chickens as a coop that they do range out from it.
You can certain have fewer chickens in that amount of space.

If they range out from the coop all of the time, then about 4 square feet per chicken of coop space. They will need roost space also.

 

[Seiena]

I may have gotten my math wrong....it's a 1000 square feet according to the internet for a non-free range chicken...

edit: 10 chickens.

 

[saysfaa]

um, where on the internet? It is usually put as 10 square feet per chicken for backyard chickens. As a rule of thumb; some tolerate closer spacing better than others (and other factors) and they like space so it is certainly fine to give them more.

The commercial buildings with forced air ventilation and so on can keep them alive at about 1 square foot per bird but it isn't very nice.

 

[rosemarythyme]

General guidelines on here are minimum 4 sq ft inside the coop, 10 sq ft in the run. More space the better. If you want to make a 100x100 run for 10 chickens go right ahead, your chickens won't complain! But it'll cost a pretty penny to fence all that.

 

[Seiena]

Oooo It's 10 square foot....I'm an idiot. I thought it was 10 by 10 because what I read was 4 by 4 unless the chickens don't leave the run at which case it's increased to 10. Ok, so in that case I will redo my math!

 

[paintedChix]

I'm really, really confused!! I almost had a heart attack when you said you were going to build a pen 100x100' (or 10,000 sq ft). Wow, wanna' come help me fence in some areas?? Lucky birds those!

Then you change to 10 square feet (so 5'x2' - ??? not big enough to do a coop for 2 birds?). Or are you meaning 10' ft per bird and still doing a 100x100' run/coop arrangement? That's approximately a little less than 1/2 an acre of land that you are totally fencing in hardware cloth to prevent predators from getting your birds... Yep, I agree, LUCKY BIRDS!

You can do a variety of open air coops, rather than doing a full coop. With predators, you'd want to do it in such a way as to prevent them from eating, digging or reaching thru to get to your birds. Several of us here on BYC do hoop coops, made out of cattle panel. Others do hoops coops made from PVC or electrical conduit, others start with a dog kennel type fenced pen. You don't need to have a floor, you don't necessarily have to do full wooden sides all the way down. You want something for a roof and protection on at least 3 sides while on the roosting bar or in their nesting box.

You can look thru all the coops here on BYC. Here is a style of open air coop I hadn't seen before, it's 10' x 40' (400 sq ft) and she keeps 9-10 chickens at a time. It's not protected enough for our flock, at least not at night. Becky's Homestead.