Chicken Coop size question (Massachusetts)

[dalcombright]

We got 10 chicks and am about to start the build out of the coop this weekend.

My initial plan was 6x6 raised in a 8x16 run.

I’ve been reading numerous places to go 4x6 to keep the chicks warmer in the winter. Thoughts? We plan to only have 8-12 birds ever.

We got:
2x Plymouth Barred Rock
2x Buff Orpington
2x Silver Wyandotte
2x Light Brahma
2x Easter Eggers

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

You’ll need 4sqFt per chicken. So if you want to hold up to 12 birds you’ll need at least 48sqft.

 

[crazy4ChickensNducks]

Smaller spaces will not keep them warmer in the winter. It will just lead to boredom, fighting and possibly death. If you have a colder climate (like me) you want your coop as big as possible. I would make it at the very least 8x8.
If the coop was only 6x6 you could only have 9 chickens max, but in a colder climate I would only do 6. The rule is a MINIMUM of 4sqft, but in colder climates aim for 6 sqft
Not to mention the breeds you have are extra large breeds

 

[dalcombright]

Thanks. Why do most places recommend 2-3sq a bird in the coop? And I’m not talking about tractor supply bought coops, sites like this one. I figured at 3.7sq ft a bird I was ahead of the game with 6x6.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thanks. Why do most places recommend 2-3sq a bird in the coop? And I’m not talking about tractor supply bought coops, sites like this one. I figured at 3.7sq ft a bird I was ahead of the game with 6x6.

Probably depends on who you talk to. Many people on here do recommend 4 sq ft per bird. While that's what I built for I'd recommend even more if you have the budget/room for it - during periods of bad weather, the space will get used. By giving them more space you're trying to head off potential problems caused by crowding.

I'd increase the run space as well, if you have room for it, as adding birds in the future will be a lot easier if you have more space.

 

[wamtazlady]

Thanks. Why do most places recommend 2-3sq a bird in the coop? And I’m not talking about tractor supply bought coops, sites like this one. I figured at 3.7sq ft a bird I was ahead of the game with 6x6.

Premade coops always exaggerate how many chickens they will hold. The box will say it is for 6 to 8 birds when it will hold just 2 or 3. They want to sell the coops and make them sound as if they will actually work. All those little coops do is make for miserable chickens that get frostbite because there is no ventilation to let the moisture out.

To keep your birds warm in winter think ventilation, not keeping the coop warm. A dry chicken is a warm chicken. You want to vent all that warm but moist air out of the coop. You do this by having about 1 square foot of vent area that is open year round for every chicken up high in the coop. The vents should be above where the birds roost. Making the coop smaller only makes the humidity higher thereby increasing the chance for frostbite. Chickens keep themselves warm. They trap nice warm air under their feathers. You want ventilation but you do not want a breeze blowing on the birds. A breeze will allow the feathers to lose that nice warm air they have trapped next to their bodies.

As for the forum, I have always seen that it is best to have 4 square feet per bird in the coop. It is suggested that you have 10 square feet of run per chicken.

Since you live where the winters are rather chilly you really should think about putting a roof over your run if you haven't planned on doing so. In winter you can cover 3 sides of the run with clear vinyl to keep out the wind. That gives the birds a nice draft free place to be outside during the day. My birds are outside in the run even when it is well below 0.

Think about the birds outside during the winter. They do not appear miserable even when it's cold. They keep that nice warm air next to their bodies. At night they find a place out of the wind to roost.

 

[dalcombright]

Premade coops always exaggerate how many chickens they will hold. The box will say it is for 6 to 8 birds when it will hold just 2 or 3. They want to sell the coops and make them sound as if they will actually work. All those little coops do is make for miserable chickens that get frostbite because there is no ventilation to let the moisture out.

To keep your birds warm in winter think ventilation, not keeping the coop warm. A dry chicken is a warm chicken. You want to vent all that warm but moist air out of the coop. You do this by having about 1 square foot of vent area that is open year round for every chicken up high in the coop. The vents should be above where the birds roost. Making the coop smaller only makes the humidity higher thereby increasing the chance for frostbite. Chickens keep themselves warm. They trap nice warm air under their feathers. You want ventilation but you do not want a breeze blowing on the birds. A breeze will allow the feathers to lose that nice warm air they have trapped next to their bodies.

As for the forum, I have always seen that it is best to have 4 square feet per bird in the coop. It is suggested that you have 10 square feet of run per chicken.

Since you live where the winters are rather chilly you really should think about putting a roof over your run if you haven't planned on doing so. In winter you can cover 3 sides of the run with clear vinyl to keep out the wind. That gives the birds a nice draft free place to be outside during the day. My birds are outside in the run even when it is well below 0.

Think about the birds outside during the winter. They do not appear miserable even when it's cold. They keep that nice warm air next to their bodies. At night they find a place out of the wind to roost.

Thanks, and yes we planned to cover the run with a solid roof and also add all proper ventilation.

I was staying away from box store coops for the sizing issues, I had just read on numerous backyard sites that 2-3 is fine, so I figured 3.7 was plenty.

My chickens will free roam when we are home, otherwise will be in the run unless we see they will stay properly in the yard when not around. We do have some dogs around us so we need to pay attention of course

 

[starri33]

3.7 is a good compromise if the space and budget won't allow for bigger, you do need to take into consideration the ventilation, Hubby and I just built a new coop for ours, there are two windows and 4 ventilation places, we used the things that look like the floor grates for your central air, the windows are just cut outs in the side of the coop, with the board still attached with hinges and covered with hardware cloth, so that they can be left open in good weather and closed in bad. This is a case where bigger is better. Just incase you go to a feed store and see cute little chicks that need to come home with you. My flock went from 12 hens to 24 hens and 3 roo's

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

We got 10 chicks and am about to start the build out of the coop this weekend.

My initial plan was 6x6 raised in a 8x16 run.

I’ve been reading numerous places to go 4x6 to keep the chicks warmer in the winter. Thoughts? We plan to only have 8-12 birds ever.

We got:
2x Plymouth Barred Rock
2x Buff Orpington
2x Silver Wyandotte
2x Light Brahma
2x Easter Eggers

Hi @dalcombright . I started last year with 6 RIR's and my coop is 8 x10 with an 8 x 14 ft covered run. I am brooding 3 BR's now. My coop is a converted shed and right now I'm re-doing the roosting bars and adding a nest box and an in-coop brooder. I had to create a bachelor pad to separate my teenage rooster from the ladies to give them a time-out. Therefore I will be adding an additional 32 square ft of run to compensate for the lost space. Long story, the "moral" is: chicken math will create a boatload more work if you don't plan for it in advance. When planning your coop, think about brooding more chicks (trust me, it happens), you need an area for introducing new birds - the look but don't touch area, then consider where will you put a sick or injured bird. I thought I had planned my coop well, but this past year has been a learning experience. There is a wealth of information in the forum on coop building. Also keep in mind that here in Massachusetts we are fortunate to have a wonderful stock of wildlife everywhere. Unfortunately, many of these wonderful creatures are always happy to help themselves to a free chicken dinner. Congratulations on your new flock and welcome to the wonderful world of chickens!

 

[wamtazlady]

Chicken math worked the opposite for me. I used to have more than double the chickens I have now. I was always trying to find egg cartons or would be buying new cartons. Had way more eggs than we could possibly eat and way more eggs than my neighbors could eat. Would be feeding eggs back to the hens. This year I have 6 layers. Two to three dozen eggs a week is perfect. I have enough for me and enough to share.