What size coop for tiny chickens?
- Thread starter Jenbirdee
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Is that a Serama?? Oh my goodness, what a cutie patootie! What's her name?
Some people may disagree, but I give my bantams the same space I'd give my large fowl. If they're enclosed most of the time, I like a minimum pen size of about 9x12ish, even for just a couple bantams. That gives you space to add some chicken furniture/perches and an extra feeding station. Bigger is always better, just in case you want to add more little chicken nuggets.
Some people may disagree, but I give my bantams the same space I'd give my large fowl. If they're enclosed most of the time, I like a minimum pen size of about 9x12ish, even for just a couple bantams. That gives you space to add some chicken furniture/perches and an extra feeding station. Bigger is always better, just in case you want to add more little chicken nuggets.
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Bantams seem to fly better (or at least more often) than standards, so my little Nankins get the full-space allotted for bigger birds.
How many are a few? All females? I don't like to look at it as "What is the teeniest tiniest space I can shoehorn these chickens in?" but more to determine how many you will have and how can I supply ample room. Also, instead of just looking at the chickens and their needs, how can I make it easier for me? You are important also.
In Maryland, you will experience some pretty hot days with high humidity. You will also have days in winter where they are going to be limited in how much they can go outside. You are going to need more coop space in winter than in summer. For chickens you will not have weather that cold, their feathers and down will protect them.
You are going to need ventilation for both seasons. In summer a cool breeze will be nice. In winter you want to keep cold breezes off of them so ventilation should be high where a cross breeze does not hit them on the roof.
You have two choices. You can build a small coop, maybe raised, that you cannot get inside. You need to be able to access all points inside so you are limited in how big these can be. I've seen some 4' x 8' designs that work but you need a few access points. Another issue is that you need some vertical height so you can have the roosts higher than the nests but not so high that they are sitting in a draft from ventilation or bumping against the ceiling.
My preference is something that you can walk into. It needs to be tall enough that you can stand up in it and you need some room to move around. If you are building from scratch most building materials come in 4' or 8' dimensions so it is most economical and you have less cutting and waste if you incorporate those dimensions but a 6' dimension isn't that bad as you can use the cut-offs for nests and such.
For the run, 10 square feet per chicken isn't horrible though I prefer more. If you build a run out of lumber the 4' and 8' dimensions are again most economical and require less cutting. If you use posts and wiring you have a lot more flexibility in how you arrange them.
This link takes you to the "Coops" section of this forum where you can find all kinds of examples of possible coops. Many have plans on how to build them.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/categories/chicken-coops.12/
Good luck, it can be a fun adventure.
In Maryland, you will experience some pretty hot days with high humidity. You will also have days in winter where they are going to be limited in how much they can go outside. You are going to need more coop space in winter than in summer. For chickens you will not have weather that cold, their feathers and down will protect them.
You are going to need ventilation for both seasons. In summer a cool breeze will be nice. In winter you want to keep cold breezes off of them so ventilation should be high where a cross breeze does not hit them on the roof.
You have two choices. You can build a small coop, maybe raised, that you cannot get inside. You need to be able to access all points inside so you are limited in how big these can be. I've seen some 4' x 8' designs that work but you need a few access points. Another issue is that you need some vertical height so you can have the roosts higher than the nests but not so high that they are sitting in a draft from ventilation or bumping against the ceiling.
My preference is something that you can walk into. It needs to be tall enough that you can stand up in it and you need some room to move around. If you are building from scratch most building materials come in 4' or 8' dimensions so it is most economical and you have less cutting and waste if you incorporate those dimensions but a 6' dimension isn't that bad as you can use the cut-offs for nests and such.
For the run, 10 square feet per chicken isn't horrible though I prefer more. If you build a run out of lumber the 4' and 8' dimensions are again most economical and require less cutting. If you use posts and wiring you have a lot more flexibility in how you arrange them.
This link takes you to the "Coops" section of this forum where you can find all kinds of examples of possible coops. Many have plans on how to build them.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/categories/chicken-coops.12/
Good luck, it can be a fun adventure.
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