What size coop to successfully integrate flocks

[Dirtbowls]

I currently have 8 hens living in a 8*4 henhouse inside a 8*12 coop/run that they always have access to, attached to a 12*10 run that's open during the day and they're allowed free range access to .5 acre when the weather permits.

I've recently been asked to take over 12 more birds, 1 rooster + 11 hens.

I'm just wondering how much I need to add onto my current setup to make them happy.

 

[Pullet Press]

The henhouse (for one) is too small. I'd suggest you give them around 3 square feet per chicken, meaning you should probably have a 6x10 henhouse. I'm currently calculating the coop/run space right now.

 

[Pullet Press]

I believe you have enough run space, especially if they free range every now and then.
(that's my faulty conclusion...) (it's probably wrong)

 

[Mrs. K]

* Just so we are talking the same thing - Coop = henhouse, where as, (to me anyway) a run is the outdoor fenced area that is attached to the coop. The coop/henhouse is where they lay or roost.

I have a lovely 8 x 6 foot coop, and I can keep 10-12 birds in there, pretty well. I live in western SD, and far enough north of the equator that our winter nights are long. People can cheat a bit in the summer, because the days are long and nights are short. But come winter, mine are roosting up at 4:00 and not coming off the roost til nearly 7:00. At that time, they need SPACE INSIDE the coop, and no amount of free ranging is going to make up for it.

So one cannot use free-ranging or big runs to compensate for too small of coop. In my opinion that is too many birds for your set up. You will have a lot of strife in the flock.

For 20 birds, I would want about 80 square feet, so a building about 8 x 10. Roughly thinking, give or take.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

I currently have 8 hens living in a 8*4 henhouse inside a 8*12 coop/run that they always have access to, attached to a 12*10 run that's open during the day and they're allowed free range access to .5 acre when the weather permits.

I've recently been asked to take over 12 more birds, 1 rooster + 11 hens.

I'm just wondering how much I need to add onto my current setup to make them happy.

Your coop is maxed out now.
Integration takes extra space.
Triple the coop(where they sleep at night) size...double the run.

Pics of coop and run would help here.

Taking in a flock can be risky due to pests and disease.
Not sure what the circumstances are, but never take birds because you feel sorry for them or the keeper.

Would help to know your location as climate can make a difference.


Heres some tips about adding birds....

Consider biological/medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article


Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[3KillerBs]

For 20 chickens you'll need 80 square feet of coop -- the enclosed area where they go at night -- after the integration process is complete. You will also need 200 square feet of run -- the area, covered or uncovered, where they go out in the daytime. Also 20 linear feet of roost and 20 square feet of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation in the coop.

These numbers are guidelines, not hard and fast rules (chickens don't read rulebooks), but higher stocking densities tend to increase health and behavioral problems as well as require more intensive maintenance for sanitation.

You will need to quarantine the new flock before integrating too.

Will these extra 12 birds come with their own feeders, waterers, and other such equipment? If not, you'll need to invest in extra equipment too.

 

[Georgia460]

Not to hijack thread but when I am figuring space I deduct roost and nesting box square footage from total footage to see how much space my girls actually have to move around without "obstacles". Am I correct in doing this?

 

[3KillerBs]

Not to hijack thread but when I am figuring space I deduct roost and nesting box square footage from total footage to see how much space my girls actually have to move around without "obstacles". Am I correct in doing this?

Yes, actual open floor space is what they need -- though the roosts are usually high enough that the chickens can walk under them.

Also deduct for feeders and waterers that are in the coop.

 

[aart]

Am I correct in doing this?

Yes.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm just wondering how much I need to add onto my current setup to make them happy.

I think the real question is what do you need to do to make you happy. I find the tighter I squeeze them the more behavioral problems I have to deal with, the harder I have to work, and the less flexibility I have to deal with issues when they show up. I consider myself an important part of this equation. If I can provide enough room to keep me happy with this the chickens are much better off.

I don't believe in any magic numbers for chickens as far as space goes. If you follow the link in my signature you'll see why. We are each unique in so many different ways. Our goals, flock make-up, management techniques, and so many other things make a difference. Climate too, where are you located. Climate could be important for you in this.

Are these 20 all you will want or will you be adding more chickens in the future, either hatching your own, getting new chicks, or getting more older birds? You need to plan for where you will be to avoid this type of problem in the future. If you live where your chickens can spend most of their winters outside you can get by with a little less space inside.

Not to hijack thread but when I am figuring space I deduct roost and nesting box square footage from total footage to see how much space my girls actually have to move around without "obstacles". Am I correct in doing this?

Depends a bit on how small your coop is and how it is laid out. In a tiny coop maybe. But I consider my nests, feeder, and water to add clutter to the coop, which is a good thing. They help break the line of sight which improves the quality of what room they do have. My roosts are high enough that the other chickens cannot peck the chickens up there. When I integrate younger birds I often find the young ones on the roosts in the morning while the adults are on the coop floor. The young are avoiding the adults so the roosts improve the quality of that space. I think having my roosts high enough and the nests low enough contributes a lot to me being able to integrate immature chicks with my flock.

@Dirtbowls my suggestion is not to add on but to build totally new. Leave what you have, that can be valuable in the future for integration or having a place to isolate chickens if you need to. But it is totally inadequate for a flock the size you will have. I don't know what your terrain looks like as far as adding more space but I'd build a new coop big enough for the entire combined flock. Having the two runs connected with a gate between them so you can either isolate each coop/run or open it up and give them access to it all is great.

For 20 chickens you need a walk-in coop. That's too many for an elevated coop that you have to reach into. You need to be able to be inside so you can access everything and you need to be able to stand up. Most building materials' most economical sizes are typically 4' or 8' dimensions, a sheet of plywood or paneling and maybe a 2x4. If you can incorporate those in your design you can avoid a lot of cutting and waste. It usually makes for an easier build. A 2' cut-off isn't horrible as you can often use that cut-off for nests or such. But 4' or 8' dimensions are my goal.

One area that messes with this is your roof. Your roof needs to be sloped so rainwater and maybe snow or ice can fall off. Since it is sloped it will not conveniently fit a coop based on 4' or 8' dimensions without cutting. Whether you build a single slope or gable slope type roof they just don't fit perfectly with no waste or maybe longer rafters if it is a single sloped roof.

I don't know your weather or what your future plans are. With my goals and the way I manage mine I'd build an 8' x 12' new coop attached to your second run if you are building form scratch and buying the material new. Those two runs together are probably big enough if you pen the gate. That should give you enough room and be a fairly economical build. If you price out the material for an 8' x 10' and an 8' x 12' and consider cutting and waste you may find that the cost difference isn't very much. Just having that little bit of extra wall space to give you a bit of flexibility may be handy. If you can find another building, maybe on Craigslist, or you have other material on hand cut to a different dimension then design for that.

Good luck!