What is your coop size?

[Nicole01]

Our coop for 4 hens will be 12x4 and 8 feet high. We built a solid room in the garage next to a door outside. We will have a nice secure chicken run outside the door. I was hoping hubby would make it a little bigger, but I'm sure he knows I would put a couple more hens in there if he did so. We are allowed 7 without a permit and I would love to have our limit.

I'm also starting to think I have all bantam hens. My girls are 3.5 weeks old and still pretty small. I guess I'll be able to tell in a few weeks. Maybe if they are bantam I could add two more to the flock.

 

[Blazer]

Hi Nicole,

I'm pretty new to raising chicks (I expect to get mine this weekend!), but I believe the general rule of thumb is to have 4 square feet per bird inside the coop. In the run, you should try to give them about 10 square feet per bird. If your coop is 12x4' you could have up to 12 birds in that space and still be in good shape. As long as you have an appropriate sized run for your birds, I think you could have your limit of 7 easily.

To give you some perspective, the coop I'm building now is 6'x 3.5' and is raised 2' off the ground. I plan to have 5 Buff Orpingtons in that space. I hope this helps!

 

[flowergirl60]

4X 8 with 3 hens.

 

[DickGJ]

4' x 8' x 5' high and elevated 20" off the ground for 14 young birds. I plan on finding new homes for the birds I confirm to be roos...right now I think I have five. At five weeks of age, all are happy with their abode.

 

[DickGJ]

I forgot to mention that I have a 10 x 35 foot run that the coop sits in! They seem quite happy with that...

 

[Bi0s]

12x 10 9 foot high coop 12 x12 run 6 foot high 10 hens 1 rooster

 

[Nicole01]

Quote:
Thank you. My two youngest girls(8 and 10) would love to show the chickens. The girls I have now were bought at a feed store. I've heard it's best to buy show birds from a breeder. Since we do have enough room, maybe I can talk hubby into getting 2-3 show girls. I know hubby really wants a silkie.

Their nest boxes will be off the ground as well. I'm planning on putting bedding in the floor. The chicken run outside will be pretty big. We don't have it up yet, so I'm unsure of the dimensions. We have to cover the run and we will put shading on it as well.

 

[annie3001]

coop is 8 x 15

run for the chickens on the left side is 6 x 15
run for the ducks on the right side is 4 x 19

 

[DickGJ]

I'm getting a little off topic here, but was wondering if it's an absolute that you have to have a pond or something for ducks?

 

[BayouPoules]

6x8,.. 14 feet to ceiling peek.with external nest box,. they have and L shaped covered run that's 176 sq ft,.. it's for 16 chickens,.. but they free range from dawn till dark every day all year long,. all they do is sleep and lay eggs in the coop,.