There are many things that poultry farmers should know when building a shelter for their chickens. The number of chickens can be one of the factors, but it does not always apply. The size of the chicken coop and chicken run do not fit your flock. It is because some chicken breeds are heavier, and some are lightweight.
Read this post to avoid lapses when building a shelter for your fowl.
Things to Consider for Chicken Coop Size
Before buying the materials for building your chicken coop, you must know the factors influencing its size. Evaluating these things is necessary to prevent wasting your money and time. It does not base on the number of your chickens in your stead. A small coop cannot accommodate a large flock, but having a large enclosure with a small herd is also not ideal. There has to be flexibility in your decision-making.
Here are the factors that influence your coop size.
Type of Chicken Breed
A bantam chicken breed is small in size, and their eggs are smaller but delicious. This breed requires smaller rooms to roam around, which are approximately six bantams. With this number, they can freely walk, and bullying is inexistent.
But six standard-size chicken breeds cannot live comfortably in a small room. It only works for roosting at night, but not enough space for moving in daylight. It leads to a congested coop leading to bullying and pecking order.
The standard size for a coop should be ten square feet (10×10) of run space for each chicken. A 6by10 run space is ideal for six chickens, while a 5×6 run space is suitable for three birds. A small room is perfect for two or three standard-size chickens.
A larger area is advantageous for enough birds if you choose between a small or big chicken run. Fighting and bulling are likely to happen if chickens live in an undersized run. It also leads to infection and sickness. Learn more about different types of chicken breeds.
For Bantams
Bantams do not require ample space, which makes them a favorite breed in backyard flocks. A two-square-foot area per bird is ideal if they forage during the daytime. A 4by8 coop can accommodate sixteen bantams.
For Heavy Breeds
Buff Orpingtons and Barred Rocks are heavy chicken breeds that require 4-square feet of space per chicken if they forage in the daytime and returns at night for sleep. If you have eight of this breed, an area of 4by8 would be enough to roam around in the daylight.
A 10-square foot of space per chicken is ideal if you keep them all the time in a coop. For example, if you have five Barred Rocks, they need a five-by-ten coop size.
For Light Breeds
White Leghorn and other lightweight chicken breeds that forage outside daylight require 3-square foot space per bird. A 4by8 coop can accommodate ten to eleven light birds. Chickens not allowed to graze outside need an area of 7.5 square feet. A 5by10 enclosure can house six chickens. Bantams that are always confined should stay in a five-square foot coop, which means a 5by10 space can accommodate ten bantams.
Size of Property
Property size is another factor when building the coop. For example, buying a ready-made chicken coop can be a problem if your property size is small. You have to calculate the area and the backyard accessibility because the delivery of the finished product could be impossible.
Is there an exit point in your backyard as an entrance option, or is the property has permanent fencing? The service provider can modify the coop by reducing its size, which can also be costly and cumbersome.
The best solution is to build it on your property using small-size coop kits. You can create a tiny coop if you have three or four chickens. A small coop is aesthetically appealing and easy to install.
Local Zoning Ordinance
Local zoning is a crucial factor you must not take for granted when building the coop. Some states limit poultry farmers in choosing the size of the backyard flow.
The chicken coop should have enough ventilation to exit ammonia fumes, heat, carbon dioxide, and moisture, allowing fresh air circulation. Chickens may get sick and die in an unventilated and moist coop.
If you plan to raise chickens, you also need to check with the homeowners association guidelines. The normal airflow per kilogram of live weight per hour is four cubic meters of air.
Does My Chicken Need a Chicken Run?
Some chicken farmers allow their fowl to roam around in the backyard, not in a chicken run. But fencing the space protects your fowl from predators like snakes, rats, or hawks.
A chicken run is a perfect place to roam around, get fresh air, and spend a lot of outdoor time. It allows them to have a dust bath and meet their relatives. A large run is ideal for placing a small coop inside for easy clean-up and care for your fowl. Having a small coop limit bending to collect the manure, gather the eggs, and cleaning the roosting and nesting areas.
The downside is that there is no additional space for water and food during winter. You can transfer a small coop inside a 10by10 wire mesh or chain link enclosure and place a cover on top to move around in the daytime and discourage predator attack.
What is the Ideal Space Size for Free Range Chickens?
The classification of free-range chickens depends on the existing law in your country. The European Union states that a hen should live in a single square foot of inside floor space with an outdoor area of 13 square feet. The law did not mention the frequency of the chickens staying outside.
The US Department of Agriculture says that a free-range chicken is classified as such if it has access outside. However, it did not mention the space requirement and length of time they must be outside.
A 25-square-foot outside space could be ideal for free-range chickens, but it is not a good option as predators have enough space to catch them.
Why Chickens Need Extra Space
Chickens, like humans, have emotions and feelings that you must understand. They are, by nature, social animals that need interactions with their flock to improve their health and state of mind.
But, you may not realize that chickens have their space bubble. Their complex feelings and relationships affect how they interact with their flock. They can be friendlier to their fellow but do not want to establish a close relationship with the same chickens.
Chickens need enough space to be alone in a particular coop area. As they mature, their relationships may change. Molting chickens want to distance themselves from other full-feathered chickens. Hens and hormonal chickens also need their own space when they are moody.
Chickens behave and feel like humans. Sometimes they are happy, moody, angry, or lonely. Getting stuck in a crowded room makes chickens agitated and hurts their flock, so giving them enough space to move around improves their mental health and production.
When to Let My Chicken Go Outside?
The chickens forage outside during mild weather, get some sunshine, and eat fresh grasses in the yard. If you allow them to free range, you need a smaller indoor coop as their sleeping area. Letting your flock stay outside boost their health and mental well-being rather than confining them in a chicken coop.
Give your chicken an outdoor space of 10-square feet or more to make them happy. Buy a nesting box to accommodate 3 to 4 hens, and don’t forget to install a coop heater or heating pad. Their roosting bars should have a length of 8 to 12 inches per chicken for a sound sleep at night.
Should I Have a Large Coop for My Chicken?
There are many reasons when to build or buy a sizeable ready-made coop, such as:
- If you have more than a dozen mature and full-size chickens
- You have large breed chickens, such as Cochins, Brahmas, and Jersey Giants
- Your chicken farm is a permanent structure
- You get tired of repairing, renovating, or building new shelters for your chicken.
- You have plans to expand your poultry business.
These things prod you to have a large coop, but always remember the factors you need to consider before making your decision.
