To small or not to small... That is the question

[TJordan]

I've been reading a lot of 'recommended' sizes for coops... Some say 4x per some say 2x if they have access to free or semi-free range... I hope this thread helps find some answers...

 

[TJordan]

Ok... Here's my problem, I have a coop about 4.5x5' with access to a LARGE back yard to semi-free range..it is also on a 3.5' frame for bad weather access.. I had a bigger one almost ready but it got crushed during a storm and this size was all we could salvage for redoing it... My 10 birds are so ready to see the sunshine, play in the grass and GIVE ME SOME EGGS... Will they be ok in this coop for about a week until I can get supplies to build a bigger one?

 

[tcstoehr]

22 square feet for 10 birds. That would be OK to roost/sleep in for a week if they have access during daylight hours to that large yard you speak of. But if you're keeping them coop'ed up in there for a week, I think they'll get extremely unhappy.

 

[TJordan]

22 square feet for 10 birds. That would be OK to roost/sleep in for a week if they have access during daylight hours to that large yard you speak of. But if you're keeping them coop'ed up in there for a week, I think they'll get extremely unhappy.

Thanks.. As long as the weather is nice they will be roaming around and playing happy chicken games and such... I've set it up so that the feeder and waterer will be under the coop stand so they can eat and drink in the shade.. And can be moved into the coop in bad weather..I pray that we can start the frame work for the 4x8 coop by next weekend and this smaller one will become our brooder/nursery coop later... The new coop will be a simple A-Frame set up something like this picture...