64sq ft coop for 6 chickens?

[Nimbletoes]

Hey there! My wife and I are planning on either building or buying a coop this year, and we want to get 6 hens. Would a 64sq ft coop be a good size for this? If so, what height would be best? This size includes room for exploring and nesting boxes. Additionally, what is the best practice for keeping them warm in the winter? The area we live in can frequently get down to zero farenheit for periods, so I want to make sure they stay safe!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Zero F isn't particularly cold (as chickens account such things, anyways). 64 sq ft is tight but potentially doable. More so if its an 8x8 square which will help keep one dominant bird from controlling the whole space.

8x12 or 10x10 would be much better.

The "thumb rules" as a starting place in your design are at least 4 sq ft of house and 10 sq ft of run for each bird, exculding space taken by nesting boxes, food, water, etc. Plus 1 linear foot of roost and 1 sq ft of 24/7/365 free ventilation per bird. Using an open air coop design (basically, covered on one side plus half of two others, with the "back" pointed in to the prevailing winter winds) can help you cheat a bit on the total area requirements by blending "coop" and "run" into a single space.

The time to ensure you have good drainage is before you erect the coop, and the design of your roof is dependent on your snow loads - but you should include big overhangs regardless, they help in a lot of ways.

And two nesting boxes will adequately serve 6 hens. Three if you are feeling very generous.

I threw together an 8x12 hoop-coop style tractor a couple weekends back for a few hundred $ I use as a grow out pen for the latest hatch. Its 96 sq ft and is roomy for four baby ducks. Its adequate for six full sized hens, or as a place for the four baby turkeys going in it next week while they get some size on them.

Most people would consider it big enough for six adult hens, but I free range on many acres, so I am a poor judge of such things.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

End result of said coop is not particularly attractive, so if you have an HOA this is likely a "no go", but it was fast and relatively inexpensive which is what I needed at the time.

I have a raised chicken coop / duck house (about 100' sq f, ea of two floors) and a goat shed (almost 160 sq ft) which are better built (and took longer) - though the raised coop is getting a redo - the goats are destroying the floor (you would be surprised how small a doorway they can get thru!). Its... three? projects down the list. I'm going to expand it "considerably" as I need a place to tuck the new tractor as well, so I'll be extending the back of the barn with a shed-style roof, exact dimensions undecided, likely close to 16x22 under roof.

 

[tlcmurphy]

By my calculations 8X8 would be big enough for 16 birds (though it would be tight), OP mentions 6 birds.

Plenty big enough, I would also suggest an 8X8 design).

 

[ShrekDawg]

By my calculations 8X8 would be big enough for 16 birds (though it would be tight), OP mentions 6 birds.

Plenty big enough, I would also suggest an 8X8 design).

They mentioned in the OP that that includes room for exploring so I assumed they meant the run and the coop combined was 64 sq ft.

 

[Nimbletoes]

I apologize, by exploring I just meant room to move. They will openly roam on my acreage. Sorry!

 

[ShrekDawg]

I apologize, by exploring I just meant room to move. They will openly roam on my acreage. Sorry!

Ohhhh okay! I think that should be plenty big enough then

 

[Sally PB]

Additionally, what is the best practice for keeping them warm in the winter?

If chickens are dry and kept out of any breeze strong enough to lift their feathers, they can keep themselves warm. They are wearing down parkas.

I'm in Michigan, so we can get cold, and it can be a raw, wet cold. I have plenty of ventilation in the coop; more than the 1 sf/bird that is the recommended minimum. When it starts getting windy in cold (November, usually), I put filter material over the openings to cut the breeze. There's still air flow, because it's an air filter, but no direct wind on the chickens. Most of the ventilation is above their heads, which also helps, as the warm moisture laden air and ammonia both rise.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

They mentioned in the OP that that includes room for exploring so I assumed they meant the run and the coop combined was 64 sq ft.

That was my assumption as well - a combined coop/run of 64 sq ft total.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I apologize, by exploring I just meant room to move. They will openly roam on my acreage. Sorry!

Apologies - I assumed otherwise. Yes, that is PLENTY of space for your bird count.

Greetings, fellow free ranger! Your birds will be glad of the space.