What Size Coop?

[Fryze]

Ok folks I have a very newbie question to ask.

I am planning on getting 12 Speckled Sussex hens and about 25 mixed batch of cockerels in about 2 weeks so I have about 10 weeks to build a coop large enough to handle the load. The hens will be our layers and we will be keeping those but the males will be for the freezer, so my question is what size coop should I build? Any help and advice you can give will be highly welcomed.

P.S.
We live in central Ohio and we do have some very cold days and nights in the winter if this info helps in answering my coop size question.
Oh and we plan on having a fenced yard run for them also so coop only needs to hold them at night and during bad weather.

Thank you in advance for any and all info

 

[Summerlove]

4ft of coop space per chicken 10 ft of run space per chicken

 

[Fryze]

Thank you Summerlove

 

[wsmith]

Ok folks I have a very newbie question to ask.

I am planning on getting 12 Speckled Sussex hens and about 25 mixed batch of cockerels in about 2 weeks so I have about 10 weeks to build a coop large enough to handle the load. The hens will be our layers and we will be keeping those but the males will be for the freezer, so my question is what size coop should I build? Any help and advice you can give will be highly welcomed.

P.S.
We live in central Ohio and we do have some very cold days and nights in the winter if this info helps in answering my coop size question.
Oh and we plan on having a fenced yard run for them also so coop only needs to hold them at night and during bad weather.

Thank you in advance for any and all info

I would do two pens. One for the hens and one for the cockerels. 12 large fowl hens will need a minimum of 48square feet f floor space in the coop, and at least 120 square feet of run space. However for that many more is better. I would build your hen house as big as you can. If the hens are "cooped up" during bad weather, then the coop is actually functioning as the run as well, thus the larger space suggestion.

For the boys, you will probably be processing at between 16-26 weeks. They will be growing most of the time, but will still need some good space. I would make sure that they have at least 50-75 square feet of coop space total, and some good run space as well. One reason for this is that cockerels tend to be very active, and prone to fighting anyway. Cramped quarters only makes it more intense, as they feel closed in.

I usually put my cockerels that are growing out for processing into two pens, each has a 4 x 6 coop, and an 8 x 24 run. I try to keep only 10-15 in each, and no longer than when they are 26 weeks.

 

[Fryze]

Thank you so much for the detailed answer wsmith! As I am a newbie at this I really need alot of advice, I have been reading and studying Storey's guide to raising chickens but I also would like feed back from all you good people out there! Nothing beats hands on advice

 

[Mother Hen 101]

4ft of coop space per chicken 10 ft of run space per chicken

X2

 

[Fryze]

ok another question on construction, we live in central ohio and have some cold winter days and nights, should I insulate the coop? and if so what type should I use? As always Thank you for you time to answer my questions

 

[Fryze]

oooops also meant to ask do I need that much space for the males since I will be slaughtering them at about 16 weeks of age?