there is alot of debate on the amout of space for chickens,, so,, just asking everyone what size coop are you useing,, with how many birds? I have an 8 x 12,, full height, , with 20 birds, had 25

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), February 23, 2002

Answers

4' by 8' with 9 birds. It's insulated for very cold winters.

-- Cat (catcrazy@somewhere.com), February 23, 2002.

I have an old ice-fishing house. Approx. 10x6x10 I had about 25 birds but they were in there only at night. I had perches/roosts but they seemed to like sitting on the floor cuddling-up with each other.

-- Susan in Minnesota (nanabo@paulbunyan.net), February 23, 2002.

Don't forget that space per bird depends upon what kind of chickens you have. We have Buff Orpingtons and Rhode Island Reds so our coop is 7 feet high and 6X6 for 7 birds..there is plenty of room for 7 more big birds. Our "girls" are 100% free-ranged and only are locked in the coop at night...I dont think I would keep that many (14 or 15) large breed chickens in a 6X6 otherwise.

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), February 23, 2002.

6X8 ft., height is 6 ft. in the front sloping down to 5 ft. in the back. 15 birds.

-- Cathy N. (homekeeper86@sympatico.ca), February 23, 2002.

20 x 40 foot barn - 150 chickens. But they free range through the day, and are only locked up at night.

-- Cheryl in KS (cherylmccoy@rocketmail.com), February 23, 2002.

When I kept mine confined, I figured 2-3 sq.ft. per bird, depending on the size of the bird. More room is always better of course, cuts down on fighting and chance of disease. Yours sound like they have plenty of room to be comfortable. :) Since mine free-range now (fancy term for not bothering to lock them up) the only thing to consider is roosting space which is not a problem for us as they roost in the rafters of several barns. "Official" roosting space needed is something like 8-10" per bird.

-- Lenette in OR (kigervixen@webtv.net), February 23, 2002.

My coop is 5'x6' I keep 10 hens and 1 rooster. I have a 10'x16' coop also and do not use it. I find my chickens do much better in tight quarters.I very seldom lose a chicken in the small coop, yet they drop like flies in the big coop, even though my routine is the same. None of the wood is treated either. I think the problem is in the winter, the bigger coop is just too big for them to keep warm enough.

In the little coop I leave the chicken door opened so they can go in and out as they please. My fenced in chicken yard is about 15'x25'

-- george nh (rcoopwalpole@aol.com), February 23, 2002.