What size coop is the ideal size?

[Archimedes65]

Hi there, I am looking for some input regarding the ideal size coop for the average family living in a rural environment. I am looking to market custom high quality coops here in Marion Co. MS and trying to get a feel for what is the ideal size flock and square footage of space for the to roam in. While all kinds of chickens are bread around here, game hens seem to be the most common.

Any and all advice is welcome, thank you.

 

[Mimi13]

I won’t give you advice on coop specifics, I’ll let other more knowledgeable people do that and I applaud you for beginning your research on a notable poultry site. I beg that you please listen to them and/or do very thorough research before building any to sell. Why? Because people who want chickens, but who know nothing about what they need, will buy any coop even though it is not predator proof, big enough, ventilated well, etc., just because the builder/manufacturer says it is. Unfortunately, people like me, who had no idea the coop they were planning on purchasing wouldn’t really be large enough, go by what is advertised by the builder. Please do backyard chicken keeping justice by not providing inaccurate details regarding the coop. This will hopefully be a start in the rehabilitation of chicken coop advertising. Thank you very much!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to the forum, glad you joined.

You might try following the link in my signature to see what I think are important space considerations. Most of the stuff on this forum is for small flocks of a handful of all hens in an urban back yard. Don't go by those for a rural area.

It is hard to say what is "typical" for a rural area. We all have different goals, experience, management techniques, and conditions. Some people free range or use fencing for very large areas for the chickens to roam in. Many are more likely to have roosters with the hens and hatch chicks to integrate with the flock, either brooder raised or raised by broody hens. In urban areas you are more likely to contain the chickens in small areas to keep them out of gardens, off patios or other places you don't want em pooping, or to keep them out of roads and on your property. In rural areas they may tend more to fencing gardens to keep the chickens out. There are an infinite variations of all of these.

You have to consider transporting them too if you assemble them. You could always sell kits for them to assemble or assemble them on the spot.

I can't come up with anything typical, there are way too many variables. You might try developing a few different versions and posting the design on here to see if some of us can critique them. Good quality means a lot more than just good materials and workmanship. It also means functionality. Most of the coops marketed fail miserable for functionality. And they need to fit your climate.

 

[aart]

Any and all advice is welcome, thank you.

Welcome to BYC!
I too applaud you for doing your research first.
Tho the best research would probably be keeping your own chickens for a few years.
Do you have, or have you ever had, chickens?

Good quality means a lot more than just good materials and workmanship. It also means functionality. Most of the coops marketed fail miserable for functionality.

Yes, Yes, YES!!!

Definitely read RR's article, it's one of the best ever.
Just in case you're on a device that doesn't show signatures, here's the link:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-much-room-do-chickens-need.66180/

And here are my basic tips on heights that might help too:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coop-stack-up-how-high-should-stuff-be.73427/

Ventilation will be very important in your hot climate,
here's a pretty good discussion about that:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1048597/ventilated-but-free-of-drafts

 

[jthornton]

And even more reading The Modern Fresh Air Poultry House.

Most of the rural coops around here are built from whatever materials they have on hand and many don't even resemble a coop.

JT

 

[lazy gardener]

Agreed with @aart. If you have not owned a flock of chickens for at least a year, you are not able to even sift through the advice provided her on BYC. 10 members will give you 10 different responses. There is no such thing as an average coop.

Minimum specs: 4 s.f. in coop/bird, 10 s.f. in run per bird. 10% of floor space, or 1 s.f./bird (which ever number is greater) dedicated to ventilation. Predator proof: NO CHICKEN WIRE! All openings in coop that you could push a quarter through must be covered with 1/2" hdw cloth.

Absolute minimum size that I would consider building or offering would be walk in, shed style 4 x 8, with perches along one 4' wall. Perches must be at least 18" above floor, and 18" below ceiling, 15" away from back wall, with plenty of "landing space" in front of them.

Lots of natural lighting.

Floor and at least 12" high on walls should be waterproofed. Check out "Black Jack".

Big roof overhang on all sides.

Nest boxes must be AT LEAST 12 x 12, and I recommend taller than 12". Many newbies don't know that chickens stand up when they lay their eggs!!! Community nest is a great option.

Finally, look at the Woods open air style coop. I would build a shed style that could be offered as a panelized coop, which could be modified to offer the front end of the Woods coop at a later date.

 

[Chad Oftedal]

I'll just throw this out there for the OP as food for thought...

Is the rural market your best option? I don't know how close you live to more populated towns/cities, but I would think that they would provide a much stronger market than rural would. A lot of my relatives farm, and if they wanted chickens, they'd just build something themselves. Much like @jthornton said, it'd be with materials that they had on hand.

I think something to consider - take all the advice you're being given here, come up with some solid plans based on sizes that would work well for areas in town or cities (say a flock of 4-6, 6-8, etc), then, build a prototype or two, and get the system down. Then, make it self-assemble. By that, I mean, cut the pieces to fit, include the fasteners to put everything together, and offer two options - they buy it flat, and assemble themselves, or for a charge, you'll assemble. With a quality "kit" that's ready to be assembled, I think you could pull in the people that are handy enough to assemble, but don't have the space/time/knowledge to do a full on build. Those that want it all and just have it delivered, you can provide that as well.

I think if you went with quality, ready-to-assemble, and targeted the more populated areas that don't have the means to easily build themselves, you could give yourself the best shot to make it work. Granted, you need to be within reasonable distance of some more populated areas. To me, rural folks are more used to finding their own solutions and may not be so quick to lay out money for something they can try to manage themselves. Folks in town may romance the idea of doing it themselves, but the practicality factor would make them more likely to buy a quality product, and do the last 10-15% assembly themselves.

Anyway, just something to mull over.

 

[Howard E]

I have built two coops, the latest one being this one........

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/the-victory-house.1225477/

Currently serving as a brooder / grower house for 22 pullets. They have been in it about 2 weeks, and are doing well. Yesterday, I decided it was time to let them outside, so built a small playpen out front and in about 3 hours or so of opportunity, one bird was pushed out, but none of them had any desire to "leave the nest". By the second day, about half of them had been outside to look around, but most preferred the comfort and safety of home sweet home.

If you could build this under $1000, it will make a really good house for up to 12 birds. An optional run could be added on the side to make it a solid, bomb proof house for any backyard or lot. I made no attempt to doll it up (make it cute), but with some effort, a person could.

From a functional standpoint, it seems to be working really well. If made with metal siding and roof, I would insist on using 1/2" polyiso insulation to keep the heat gain down. This one is running cooler inside than out, and the metal is too hot to touch.

When I'm done with this one in a few months, I intend to loan it to some Amish kids for use as a display model. They have a market along a busy highway. They and I am curious to see what interest it attracts. Hopefully the can sell a bunch of them.

 

[aart]

When I'm done with this one in a few months, I intend to loan it to some Amish kids for use as a display model. They have a market along a busy highway. They and I am curious to see what interest it attracts. Hopefully the can sell a bunch of them.

What will the price be?
Sold fully assembled(as opposed to a 'kit') and delivered for a fee?

 

[Howard E]

Knowing these kids, they build economical and fast, so I would hope the price tag, with run of similar size, would be under $1,000....with a nod to marketing, $999 or less. Once they had the pattern and materials list figured out, I suspect those two could easily build one in a day. An example is the metal siding. They would order each piece cut to the length needed from the supplier......so when it arrives, they just screw it in place. The only cutting would be around the doors, windows and trim. They can make the windows, etc. Materials cost what they cost, but they did a barn job for me in which they probably threw away enough scrap metal to have built one of these for almost free.

Built local......fully assembled and available for pickup, but not delivered. They only have a horse and buggy. They are about an hour outside the KC Missouri market on a major highway with high traffic count. They already run a roadside produce market at this location.

If they do this, and it works for them......I also mentioned the 8' x 12' Woods house.