Coop big enough for 10 chickens?

[bscorpio73]

I currently have 7 hens, and am looking to expand to 10. I have a fully sheltered/enclosed 6'x10' coop with the roosting area at 3'x4' (roughly). I also let them outside of the coop during 85% of the day inside a fenced off section in my back yard. Fenced off section is about 30'x30'. My concern is the roosting area. Is it big enough to house 10 chickens in the evening, or when inclement weather prevents them from venturing into fenced off section?

The fenced in area is a new addition, and is not shown in these pictures (the pictures are about a year old). I used to have the chickens free ranging in my entire back yard, but lost almost all of my deck plants and other garden/herb plants. Also got tired of cleaning off poo from kids shoes.

So, I felt the fencing protected the shoes, my plants and the chickens from the hawks that keep circling my yard.

 

[jenesis536]

How big is the red enclosed part of the coop? I'm assuming 6x10 means the entire thing including the run.

 

[bscorpio73]

The red area (or what I call the roosting/laying area) is 3'x4'. Yes, the entire enclosure under the roof is 6'x10', but they are out in the fenced in area (30'x30') during daylight, unless there is snow on the ground.

 

[suburbanchickymama]

Hi from Apex! I'm no help with your question but wanted to say

! That is a good lookin' coop!

Good luck!

 

[bscorpio73]

Thanks. We are neighbors.

I'm in the Raleigh area.

 

[jenesis536]

I really like your coop and pen. It's very nice! I do think that the coop is too small for 10 birds... even 7. My coop is 3x4 (3x5 if you include the nest boxes) and I have 5 birds in it. I think mine is too small. They are all happy it it, but I know it should be a little bigger. Also, with 7-10 birds in a coop that size you will need to clean it very often. They might fight over roost space. Are the nest boxes on the inside? For the coop, you should probably only have 3-4 birds in there and for the enclosed run area about 6.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

I think the standard rule of thumb is 4 square feet per bird of coop. So a 3 x 4 you have 12 square feet. That means you are already over your space limit.


Granted if the coop is ONLY for sleeping you may get away with more, but you will have to let them out most of all the time. Otherwise you will have health and psychological problems with your birds.

 

[bscorpio73]

I use the deep litter method and I scoop out the poop every day, inside the coop and inside the roosting area. I change the entire litter frequently, as I do live in the city limits, inside a neighborhood, and am conscious of offending neighbors with smell. Again, they stay in the fenced in yard (30'x30') during daylight hours, and only go inside the coop to eat and inside the roosting area to lay eggs, and of course to roost at night. I am just at odds, because I was told by the builder that this coop could hold 10. It is really discouraging to see sellers advertising their coops can hold more than they should. I don't want them to be overcrowded at night, and might consider alternatives to adding to the coop, to accommodate them. Just wish my husband was handy with stuff like this.

 

[bscorpio73]

I will post picture of current set up, including fenced in area, so you can get a better sense of their enclosure.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

I think you could *probably* get away with it as long as they are kept;

1. very clean (as it sounds you ARE doing)

2. lots of free-time to get out and stretch and run around and amuse themselves.

3. Get enrichment in there for them, (whether it be hanging cabbages or whatever)

4. watch carefully for picking or signs of stress




Hope it works out for you!