What Size is you coop & run and how many hen do you house in there??

[jrsckn]

you think that in total, 9x9x8 which equals 648 square feet for 15 birds which also equals 43.2 sq feet per bird is small? From what I see on here, it's rather large. Plus, that is also 452 sq feet of run per bird... which gives them 30 sq feet per bird in the run. Where do you think I should enlarge?

If you check your original post, you stated it was 6X6X8 which is much smaller than 9X9, a difference of 2.4sqft to 5.4sqft.

I think that's an acceptable size. If I keep all my hens and a rooster or two, I will only have 2.5 sqft per bird but at this point they're never in the coop unless roosting at night and they only use a 3' x 2' area to roost. I'll send a few to the freezer if I feel they are too cramped.

 

[chickenbythesea]

ok... however, vertical use is really all they use the coop for... they're outside from 6am to 9pm every day and there's only about 6 weeks from feb- mid march that they're inside. I've never had any issues of stress, pecking, not laying etc and I've never lost a bird. You guys really think that coop is too small? I'm not sure I can enlarge it right now, any suggestions other than getting rid of birds?

 

[20736]

We have 1 rooster and 8 hens in a 24 sq ft coop(4 x 6) inside a 200 sq ft run (10 x 20).
We have had this arrangement for at least 10 years. The run is covered and raccoon proof

Oh, and my grandson has 2 banties in there as well.

 

[jahphotogal]

My birds are so bored! I have five 9 week old pullets in a run that's 8x5 (40 square feet, or 8ft per bird) with an upstairs loft (coop) half that size, so 4ft per bird. They can come and go upstairs and downstairs as they please, and there are several different roosting places, so they theoretically have enough space, but they beg me to go out and play and seem very bored inside. (They just sit around most of the time!) I read to hang up a cabbage, so I did that, but they don't peck or play with it, and I'm not sure what else I can do to entertain them while I'm away at work all day. I let them out in the evening, but they do tend to wander off (luckily my neighbor doesn't seem to mind, though she did call me yesterday to tell me they were visiting her) and I lost one to an unknown chicken thief last week so I want to be careful.

 

[1987MJ]

I just finished my new run/coop.

The whole enclosure is 10X20. Inside at one end I built a wall on the west side and plan to wall in the north side. We live in central FL so the only weather I would ever worry about would come out of the N-NW. For the last 2 winters my old flock actually didn't go inside much at all...even with some days below freezing and nights in the teens. They stayed on their outside roosts with heat lamps over them...but totally open air.

The 'roof' of the 'coop' is 8X8 so 64 sq ft...but again it's all open anyway. So technically we have 150 +- sq ft of run and 64 +- sq ft of coop.

11 hens and a rooster. based on 10/ bird for the run I have more than enough and based on 4/bird for the coop I have more than enough.

Now...if the darn birds would start laying eggs...we have 7 of my hens are 6 mos old and none of them lay yet.

 

[Wrigley62]

I told ya....Everybody has an opinion. Whose right and who isn't???? Like I said, give your girls as much room as you can spare. I wouldn't go under 2 square feet per bird in the coop and in the run, I wouldn't go much under 10 square feet per bird. You'll know if they're crowded. Give them plenty of room to perch (min 12 inches per bird). Keep them fed and watered. Protect them from predators, as you would any pet. Let them free range when you can and pay them plenty of attention. That's what I do and my girls dig me and I dig them.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Wrigley62

 

[karlamaria]

Quote: well this is what you wrote..hence the reason I said that was way to many chickens.

 

[karlamaria]

you think that in total, 9x9x8 which equals 648 square feet for 15 birds which also equals 43.2 sq feet per bird is small? From what I see on here, it's rather large. Plus, that is also 452 sq feet of run per bird... which gives them 30 sq feet per bird in the run. Where do you think I should enlarge?front
side
extension. It hasn't been stained yet.. we live on the ocean and staining is a challenge with the weather but it's on the to do list.

I was talking to critterbug here is her post'


Quote:

 

[karlamaria]

We have 1 rooster and 8 hens in a 24 sq ft coop(4 x 6) inside a 200 sq ft run (10 x 20).
We have had this arrangement for at least 10 years. The run is covered and raccoon proof

Oh, and my grandson has 2 banties in there as well.

So thats 11 birds in one 4x6 coop

 

[teach1rusl]

Keep in mind guys, that the space suggestions are very generic - use common sense based on the weather in your region, the size birds you're keeping in that space, and breed temperament.

Someone who gets 6 months of winter and lots of snow is going to need lots more indoor space than someone who lives down south and whose birds only go inside to roost at night or to lay an egg. Two sq.ft. per bird is not roomy, but if they're only in there to roost, and are outside year round due to mild weather, it's certainly doable.

But could you imagine only 2 sq. ft. per bird (HOUSING space) with a foot or more of snow on the ground for months on end so the birds stay indoors a lot??? I cringe thinking about that...

Or how about a big 10- 12 lb Brahma or Jersey Giant at 2 sq. ft per bird vs a little 1.5 lb D'uccle????

That's part of the reason there is such discrepancy in size recommendations...