Sq ft clarification...

[blakwing]

with a plz and ty of course..

I've seen varying amounts of space listed for keeping your chicks happy.. 4ft, 6ft, 10ft etc per bird.. Is that Coop space AND run space combined or just coop space?

 

[wing it]

I beleave most go by 4 sqf per bird for coop space and 10 sqf per bird for the run. If your bird have a biger run or free range you can get by with less coop space. There really are no hard and fast rules when it comes to space per bird. I have had less then the 4sqf per bird and all were happy but its good to give them as much room as you can.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Quote:
If that run is accessible during bad weather. My chickens won't go out in the snow. So I'm having to cover part of my run roof with something to keep snow out because my coop is a bit too small for 5 birds.

My main run is 10x30 with 2 smaller attached runs that are 5x10 each for the other 2 houses. One housing OEG and new chicks coming to the other.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Can I suggest you regard it as neither, and just ignore it (except in the sense of giving you a very vague ballpark, i.e that a chicken requires more space than a salt-shaker and less space than a blue whale).

Just build the biggest coop you can, and put in it the fewest chickens you can stand, and they will be as happy as you are equipped to make them. SERIOUSLY

Good luck, have fun,

Pat, with 15 sq ft per chicken indoors and about the same in the runs, although I wish the latter were a lot larger.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

The most common recommendation for minimum, not optimum, space is -

Coop - 4 sq. ft.
Run - 10 sq. ft.
Confinement - 10 sq. ft. This is where the chicken lives in a building 24/7, which most people don't do.

When calculating, you use free floor space, not space occupied by feeders and nest boxes. I think this is more important for a tiny coop. A feeder, waterer and one or two nest boxes inside a coop can take up the entire space allotment for one chicken.

Going smaller with the coop means you are going to have to put more effort into poop management. Going smaller with the coop or the run can result in more aggression problems or it might work out fine. Some chicken breeds have a more aggressive temperament and some are more docile.

 

[bigstack]

Yep! The 4 and 10 is the overall rule, but it is really ify. It is the best for the birds to use this rule but it really depends on the size of bird. the breed of bird how much feed you want to provide and your work ethic and dedication to their happieness and cleanliness! If you want to spend alot of money and time working on disenfecting, cleaning, and feeding you can use less space. But the less room they have the more fighting, disease, and un happieness you will have. Witch equals more deaths and less eggs!!! again all of this depends on your work and their size and breed. Thats why the general rule of 4 and 10. It is a safe measurement for all around general happieness! That being said.....The more room you can provide the better! Just think if it was you in there and you will have your answer to how much room you want. Just keep in mind, Yes! you have to be practicle the 4 and 10 rule is a really safe way to go. but if you can allow a lil more thats even better. especially if you are prone to giving in to whims of adding chickens! LOL

Good Luck and God Bless!

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
I may have missed it, but I don't think anybody has mentioned that the "4 square feet coop space" and 10 square feet run space" are MINIMUMS that are suggested.

You insinuated that you want to keep your chicks "happy" and the more individual room that they have the happier (and healthier) they will be....do as Pat suggested by building as big as you can and keeping the fewest birds that you can stand.

Best wishes,
Ed

ETA: I overlooked where WoodlandWoman had stated the 4' and 10' spaces were MINIMUMS.

 

[4CiTyCHicHENs]

Im having 6x6 coop (the building is built & 6x8, Id like to block off 2 feet for storing food, having the nest boxes stick out so I can retive eggs with out entering coop & cleaning supplies--i dont know how its going too work yet but theat my plan, otherwise the coop will just be 6x8) & 6x8 run... VERY comfortalbe for legally 4 birds, illegally still comfotable for the 5-6 I MIGHT have...

 

[blakwing]

Thanks for the responses!! It seems like we're going to be a bit small to start with with around 2 sqft per Chicken in the coop and no space problems at all outside.

When I started this project and began building we were just going to have the 9 Chickens in 40 sqft.. But that number has expanded by almost double so I will have to grow my coop a bit more later this summer/fall. Luckily as I'm building along an inside wall in my garage I can easily add to the side to expand this out.

Thanks again for all the replies!!

Blakwing

 

[speckledhen]

Honestly, it depends on the size of your chickens. Going by the 4 sf rule, in my BBS Orp coop, I have room for 8 birds. There's no way on earth that many of those big tanks will fit in there! Suede alone weighs about 13-14 lb and the three girls are about 8-9 lb each. Four birds is about all that will comfortably fit in there. If I had bantams in it, I could probably put a dozen or more.