Well! how many chickens will fit?.

[Fancy Feather Poultry]

I found plans for a 4'X4' dog house with insalition do you think I could fit, 2 silkies, 2 ducks, 1 D'uccle, and 7 standard chickens in it just to sleep in at night and then run around in my 12'X12' run during the day, and can run in and out of the house when ever they feel like it in the day? Think it will work or too small?

 

[countrygirl4513]

Usually around 3-4sq. ft. per chicken is needed.

 

[Southern28Chick]

To small!!! You'll barely be able to put the 7 standards in without them wanting to kill each other.

 

[justusnak]

Oh my no! In a 4x4 "house" you can get 4 standards....thats it. They need 4 sq ft per bird. Sorry.

 

[Fancy Feather Poultry]

Well, one of the ducks are really going to be a house pet, (dont worry were going to put diapers on her) but anyways how big would the house have to be to fit 8 standard 3 bantams 1 duck

 

[greginshasta]

Quote:
The piece of this that I have been wondering is if that refers to floor space or total cubic footage wall to wall and floor to ceiling?

I have 10 standards and am plotting what I will build for them.

 

[justusnak]

4 sq ft per bird, is total floor space.
Silkelovr : 2 silkies, 2 ducks, 1 D'uccle, and 7 standard chickens = about 48 sq ft....so maybe something like.... 6 x 8
you said your run is 12'X12'....well....technically, they need 10 sq ft per bird outside...you have 144 sq ft. so 14 birds will fit in there.

 

[silkiechicken]

Your run will be fine but you need a much bigger house.

 

[aran]

have you all noticed that the chickens spend next to no time on the floor of the coop? I have a 10x6 and an 8x4 coop and the birds all roost...there always seems to be SOOOOOOOOOOOOO much extra room in the coops its crazy. I am planning to expand the 10x6 coop before the winter to be 14x10 and my wife thinks im crazy. She says why would you give the birds more floor space when they dont ever use even 10% of the floor space they have now.

Also quick q about the winters...does the space per bird decrease for the winter months so they can cram up and keep warm?

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Aran, you may see your chickens spending more of their time indoors, once bad weather hits. Most chickens aren't overly keen on snow or really frigid temperatures in winter. My birds still want to spend time outdoors, but they spend more time indoors in the winter, than they do in the warmer months. My coop is light, airy and warmer than the outdoors. Their feet, comb and wattles get a break from the cold and wind, indoors. Walking on litter is a lot easier on the feet than walking in snow. Right now, they have bugs to chase and lots of tender plant growth to lure them outdoors all day. That will change.