We must be overloaded according to the posts above, but our set up works and our hens are happy and healthy. The 4 sq ft per bird is not a law written in stone but merely a suggestion that someone somewhere came up with. I just need to keep the coop thing in mind if I decide to add more. If you have twenty birds you will need to recruit a helping hand and set up the following ideas below. I have an 8x8 currently, although I am adding on for future birds, and have 11 birds in there. But, it’s not as scary as you think, so long as the temperatures are right (highs in or above the 50 degree range, lows above the 30 degree range) and the birds have fully-feathered out. we heat our coop with a oil heater .looks like a old steam radator but filled with oil perfectly safe even if knocked over [walmart sells ] 40 bucks .we keep our insulated coop at 55 f . And the “clean out lid” can be ordered with a tray that pulls out to make cleaning even easier. Of course, proper ventilation of your coop is important to the health of your chickens. The more open space they have to run about the better. Chickens do better on some soils than others. I don't see an issue because even if you put them in a 100x100 coop they are going to butt up against each other for warmth when they sleep anyway. You need to factor in how many chickens you have for these tips. If your birds are healthy, not picking on each other, and seem happy then you are all good and no one should be judgmental about it. I am hesitant to file a complaint because I am afraid my neighbor will take it personally and start a fight with me. Just make absolutely sure the insulation is completely covered, because chickens … The coop is set in their fenced and 4" deep graveled yard that is about 20 x 20. You can add more space, but never less. The first item on the list before you purchase or build your coop is to decide how many chickens you’ll be raising. Quote:I don't know who you're thinking of that says 10 sq ft per bird is inadequate. I wouldn’t actually recommend cramming that many chickens in. Deciding how many chickens you need can vary depending based on a lot of factors. My chickens have a 60 by 120 ft pole barn for them to run in and out of all winter if they want. Help, Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures, Thankful Thursday. Nice that it's on wheels so you can move them around the yard. Chickens can survive quite well with temperatures down into the teens. I’m cautious and generally give my chickens double the recommended space. I’d argue 0. If my understanding of the formula is correct then for large fowl birds it says 4 sq ft per bird of inside coop space PLUS 10 sq ft per bird of additional run space. Doors open out each of the 4' ends for day time breeze. The noise from the chickens is constant, and the smell is unbearable. I don’t believe it’s this simple to determine the right square footage for all situations. You don't want them getting sick or pecking each other apart. A rule of thumb for free-range space is 250 to 300 square feet per bird. I've used a 150 flood light in the ceiling over the roost & it's kept it warm in 17 degrees before. In an emergency, is it safe to eat the geese at my local park. While some will take to perches or nesting boxes, others conceal themselves inside a bucket on its side or behind a partition. This means that you will need a  6 foot x 6 foot open coop area for the 12 chickens, plus the area needed for their furniture. Use care if you buy chickens or other fowl at a sale or from a local farmer. Are you free ranging the chickens during the day, pasture raising, keeping them in a secure run, or co… Be sure to plan in enough extra space so your chickens are crowded by their own furniture. We have fifteen hens overnighting in their cozy 4 x 6 coop. Carrie Miller has a do-it yourself website/blog that is full of fun chicken projects. Technically, you usually go by 4 sq ft per bird inside so that would be 12 chickens, standard size, in a coop that size, but if they are not locked inside much, you may be able to add a few more. Hope this gives you some of the basics for building a coop and outside run that will keep your birds healthy and free from injury. We have 5 chickens in a 5x5 coop, but their nest boxes are hung on a fence and they have free range of … Obviously, more space is always better. Spend some time insulating areas of the coop that the chickens can hide in when the winds get harsh. 3 square feet per chicken x 12 chickens = 36 sq feet of open chicken room. You can also train your chickens to return to the coop when you call them in case you spot a daytime predator or need to clean their area of the yard. Okay I'm planing to up size my chicken coop to 8x8 with a 15x20 run, how many chickens could I put in it? I'm alittle paniced right now fearing I'm going to have to many in the coop! You must log in or register to reply here. Guess I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed they do OK. Then using the minimum square footage should be fine. Some of my chicks at 7 days old, exploring their Brinsea heater as a place to roost! If you have the money, you can use foam or fiberglass insulation in the walls of the coop then cover them with plywood. If all they are doing is going in a 6x8 coop to sleep and eat and lay the occasional egg then everything is all good. Cute pictures of your chicks and chickens!! Those guidelines are for meat birds that will be killed before they get too crowded. Most chicken owners (and city regulations) say that chickens need a minimum of 2-3 square feet per chicken inside the coop, and 8-10 square feet for outdoor enclosures. Are you free ranging the chickens during the day, pasture raising, keeping them in a secure run, or confining them to the coop? Maybe 1. Haven't seen anyone say that on BYC. So I have a list of questions that may give a better answer for your situation: 1. Bantams This is one reason they are popular in backyard flocks. Some people say chickens need 4 feet in the coop but that means I would only be able to fit 2 chickens in it, I would say a 8x8 coop could hold 15 or 20 chicken, but I'm not sure pls help If you are working with the recommended minimums, this would be the math: Example 1 Say you want 12 chickens. Chickens that are confined should be given at least 7 1/2 square feet of space, so a 5′ by 10′ coop would be big enough for about 6 chickens. They can really go anywhere on the property during the day but do have shelter if they need it. There's a lot of information out there saying you only need 2–3 square feet per chicken. Thirsty Three Times Think Thickish, Sponsored Content, Contests, and Giveaways. The easiest way is to insulate the chicken coop as best you can. I have a 4x8 coop with nothing but outer plywood for the walls & nothing else. I've used it for 3 years & have never had a chicken get frostbite, etc in that coop. More chickens in a coop means more manure. It’s easy to put together a cheap and basic chicken coop for three hens. JavaScript is disabled. Alternatively, you can put up a low-level shelter, which can double as a dust bath. Answer. What about the run or outside area? Chickens that are kept indoors or in small pens can and often will become aggressive if confined for long periods of time. Keeping 1 duck with chickens can exaggerate this, too. Do you plan to keep the food and water indoors? Ours is a different arrangement that seems to fit our hens' needs. How many hens could you humanely put in the little cheap coop? You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Website, and Twitter. I often get asked how many chickens can you reasonably put in a coop. I don't see an issue because even if you put them in a 100x100 coop they are going to butt up against each other for warmth when they sleep anyway. How many nesting boxes and how large of an area is going to be taken up by them? If you’ve never raised chickens or owned a coop, the sort of regulations put in place to manage backyard poultry might not be obvious. Chickens do not learn as quickly or as easily as dogs do, but with a little patience you will find that training chickens to return to their coop … Providing you have at least a 11 foot by 10 foot garden you can easily keep chickens in your backyard. I just want them to be locked up at night. Not 5. Pasture-raised or free-ranged chickens typically require fewer square feet per bird. Not 7. If you’re a stickler about your coop being clean, you can purchase the optional “clean out lid” to give you better access to the coop floor for ease of cleaning. If you free range during the day then the only part of the formula that would apply would be the 4 sq ft per bird of inside coop space. After you determine how much space you have in your garden for a chicken coop, outside pen, and free-ranging, you can figure out how many chickens you can optimally have. Or visit our Learning Center for articles on How To Raise Chickens. The … ... and need to have at least one or two other chickens around. There are different sizes of chickens, so decide if you want large, medium, or small chickens. Quote:Thanks you made me feel better anyway. Quote:It seems to me that since you already HAVE the chickens and the coop, and are not contemplating changing the #s on either one of them, you're kind of well past the question of 'how many will fit'. Okay I'm planing to up size my chicken coop to 8x8 with a 15x20 run, how many chickens could I put in it? For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You don't want to bring lice home to your lice-free chickens. Radiant, flat panel heaters are a safe alternative to dangerous 250 watt heat lamps. To convert a dog house with kennel into a chicken coop and outside pen, all you need is time, muscle power, a few additional construction materials, and your creativity. I have a 10x6 and 20 pullets. An 8 foot x 9 foot open area plus their furniture means that you will need a 10 foot x 12 foot coop. Some people say chickens need 4 feet in the coop but that means I would only be able to fit 2 chickens in it, I would say a 8x8 coop could hold 15 or 20 chicken, but I'm not sure. Doors: The Chicken Run door is a hinged door that doubles as the ramp with steps when it is open.The … 10 square feet per chicken x 12 chickens = 120 square feet– or an 11 foot x 11 foot area. Mine will only sleep in their coop. You may need permits or even to petition for special permission. When you only have six birds it is going to be easier to leave them for a few days with minimal attention. Don't give them even low perches until they're around 4 weeks old - heavier breeds about 6 weeks, when their bones are more developed. Laying boxes extend beyond the floor down the 6' side. They can learn to get along, and usually the ducks will fight back after a while, too. You can do this in many ways. However if you just have a 4'x6' outside pen for them then you just can't croud them in without future problems. It'd be too hard to decide who to get rid of! A lot of new chicken keepers — or even those just expanding their flocks — worry about the introduction of new chicks from the brooder to the coop. Her family is raising all-natural chickens with no antibiotics, no medications and no pesticides in Kinsman, Ohio. Photo by Carrie Miller. If all of the above is true then keep your feathery friends and tell everyone else to go butt a stump. How much roost space do you plan to include. Join BYC FREE here to see fewer ads, post questions, upload pics, & more! Once you’ve had them for a while you may find that there are certain design features of your coop that you hate. A good example of materials you will need are wood (2 x 4), concrete cinder blocks, chicken wire or fence wire, insulation strips, and of course nails, screws, saw and hammer. I just use a thick layer of hay or straw on the floor & … Plan on cleaning biweekly or even monthly? When the snow won’t ease up. If their outdoor spaces get really muddy, the chickens will be at more risk for injury or disease. But, working with those minimum figures means you can house 16 chickens at an absolute maximum in a 4×8 coop. The #10 poster is right. My biggest concern with it would be space and air circulation. if you have a muddy wet pen the chickens will tend to all want to stay in the coop, who wants to go outside & walk around in the mud all day chickens are not stupid. I was sure this was too crowded, but I was proven wrong. As long as you let them out in the day or they have a run attached I see no issue with this. And I guess and below 0 days they will have to live with each other. Does this math apply to chickens that live in their coop and run all the time or only sleep in there? I like to give my chickens 3 square feet each, meaning 10-11 is the number of chickens that size coop can house comfortably. This is wrong. So teaching your chickens to lay their eggs in their nesting boxes is important. Chickens will often stay indoors when it’s snowing or raining, so they’ll need room to move and flap. 6x8 Chicken Coop With Lean to Roof Plans Include The Following: Interior Heights - The short side wall is 5'-0" the tall wall is 6'-0" tall the roof goes up to over 6'-6". (20 square feet per chicken x 12 chickens = 240 square feet). If you use something like the Brinsea brooder lamp, you'll know what a mess they can make! What can I do? IF you decide to add heat to the chicken coop in the winter, please put safety first in choosing a heat source. You … You only want birds that are healthy and disease-free. Even on rainly days they can always go in the pole barn. The outside run will measure 15 feet x 16 feet. 2 square feet per bird is adequate if they are allowed daytime forage, so a 4′ by 8′ coop could house 16 bantams. The coop would have 8 nesting boxes and two 8 feet long roosts too. In the summer heat and humidity, you’ll notice the ammonia smell of their manure more, but in a small space it can be a problem year-round. Personally, I’d build a 8 foot x 10 foot coop to comfortably accommodate everything. However, if you put 12 chickens in this field below, we’re sure they would be the most faithful hens you… The method is basically for chickens that are not allowed out of the coop area ever. I have seen this happen more often when there are one or two ducks facing off to 6-10 chickens. Scouring the internet gives me lots of different answers, from barely room for the birds to move, up to spacious chicken palaces. but if it's nice & has lots of grass they will not care to be in the coop unless they are laying an egg. Grit Magazine, Mother Earth News Magazine, Community Chickens Blog, Homestead Hustle Blog, Chickens Magazine, Hobby Farms Magazine, and The New Pioneer Magazine, A Beginner’s Guide: Raising Chickens for Meat, How To Keep Your Chickens Safe This Winter, An Education on the Pheasant Raising Business, Build a Low-Cost Playground for your Chickens, 5 Ways to Cool your Chicken Coop this Summer, Farm Fresh Eggs: 7 Things to Tell Your Customers, How to Cook (and Peel) the Perfect Hard Boiled Egg. There may be plenty of guidelines for the type of coop you keep, as well as rules regarding the chickens themselves. Well so far everyone seems to get along fine. So I have a list of questions that may give a better answer for your situation: If the chickens are going to be free-ranged or pasture-raised, less room will be needed than if kept indoors or in a pen. Even if you don't free range your chickens, if they start laying their eggs on the floor of the coop, the eggs can get stepped on and broken, tossed out with the coop bedding, or covered with poop. It's not a mathematical thing anyhow. Milo Hastings had this to say about soil types in his delightful and practical 1909 book, The Dollar Hen (reprinted by me under my Norton Creek Press label): Soil is important in poultry farming; in fact it is very important, and many failures can … If so, are there limits on how many? Again I don't use this method. What are the yearly weather conditions, temperatures, and average perception? If all they are doing is going in a 6x8 coop to sleep and eat and lay the occasional egg then everything is all good. Before you build a backyard chicken coop, make an effort to collect all the materials you will need so that you won't have to take unexpected trips to and from the hardware or lumber store. Why? Some sleep on it; others nest on the floor in deep pine shavings or in the egg boxes, usually snuggled up two in a box, clucking contentedly. ~G, You know I counted the number of chickens in your signature line and I believe I came up with 22.