Space question....plus design help

[Grog]

Ok I am about to build a 8'x16' coop i guess is the word. They will sleep, lay, and have thier food and water in this. I will have close to 60 birds in here. They only use this to sleep and lay mostly as they free range through out the day. Is this big enough?

 

[ECBW]

It is tight but with enough roosting space, it will do. My setup is about the same ratio.

 

[Grog]

my dimentions are based on full sheets and boards since I am NOT a very good wood worker. As for roost space my plan is a rack with 2 perch boards that will be 16' long so about 32' linear for roost on the back wall.
I will be doing bucket nests(5gal) in a 4' long space stacked 4 high and 3-4 long so 16 nests or so. And a second roost on the front wall 4' long with 3 perches so 12' more roost space. At least these are the plans.

 

[SteveBaz]

2 to 3 sq ft per chicken 3 is what has been preached here on the site or even 4 but that is all based on room available. I have always believed its easy to build bigger than adding on later.

 

[Fred's Hens]

You are looking at 8'x16' in this photo, perhaps an 8'x18'. You can see a 14 young birds in the photo. That amount of space is truly JUST enough during winter's long days of being cooped up. The birds get huge. Equipment, waterers, boxes, roosts all take space.

To be honest, I've wintered over 20 birds in that space, but no more. I simply couldn't do 60 birds in that space, no way. If your climate allows daily access to the outside? Perhaps. Here? There just isn't anyway to pack 60 full sized birds into an 8x16 coop with our winters.

 

[moetrout]

I agree that is too small for 60 full sized checkens. 4 sq/ft per full sized chicken is what I shoot for.

 

[rpchris]

Quote:
44 total feet of roost space for 60 full sized hens isn't going to be enough in my opinion. They need at least a foot each just to perch let alone getting up and down without causing a huge commotion.

 

[Grog]

So we are lookin at like 12'X20'? or 16'X20'? I am limited to the 20 by the area its in. bigger than 20' requires fence work. And no during the winter they do spend LOTS of time in doors I live in Pa. and It will be partially raised my ground slopes pretty bad I will do concrete filled blocks as the pillars and ground support.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Go 16x20 if you live in a snowy area of PA. You will never, ever regret going bigger. Ever.

The building would be sooooo much more useful as a storage shed or what have you, should decide to go another direction one day.
The barn in my avatar is 18x20 with a full loft on one side for storage. We use every single inch. Like you, would have gone bigger but there were restraints. Money, space, and time. The big Three it seems.

 

[Grog]

so for roof slope the front will be 8' tall should the back be 5'?