[foxi loxi]

Hey guys
I've been considering getting some hens now i've got an allotment and was wondering how much coop space per hen i need?
The ready made coops i've been looking at look really small for the amount they state can go in there.
Many thanks
jenni

[foxi loxi]

Found the information on the poultry pages! 

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi Foxy, sorry no one was around to answer your question!

Everyone like us out in the garden I suppose!

I've been helping OH dig out our manure heap!  Lovely day to do it!!! lol

You are right about what people say you can get in a coop!  They say 8, but it looks overcrowded if you put 4 in there!

It really is a shame because lots of new owners don't know what's right, they buy these coops, then have to enlarge or buy another one when they realise they really aren't big enough!

runs are the same.  I was looking at a commercially built run earlier which was attached to a coop.  Coop supposedly big enough for 8 hens, but I don't think the run looked big enough for 2!!   

[foxi loxi]

Thankyou for the reply GrannieAnnie

I'm looking to start off with six hens with plans to get more. I have been offered a coop that is six square feet, will that be ok untill i build a bigger one? I know the minimum requirement is one square foot per hen so it seems ok and it will only be temporary as i'd like to give them as much space as i can!
I also wanted to ask if you have any tips for when i build it? Things that will make life easier maybe, i'm already planning a hinged roof to make cleaning easier.

jenni

[carolbriar]

Hi Foxi
Mine is 4'x3' and I have 5 hens.  They are only really in it at night so as long as they have enough perch space and nest boxes they should be fine.  They do need a good run space though.  I have a very large enclosed run as my hens don't free range really.  They do get let out once in a while.  Good luck with your new hens.

[foxi loxi]

Thanks carol
I'm looking at starting off with around a 10' x 26' run area, if it doesn't look big enough i can always expand!

[GrannieAnnie]

At least you are on the right track Foxy, we like to encourage people to give their chickens as much room as possible.  To look at some of these coops that are sold, you think a battery hen may have more room! lol

One thing I would say when building your own coop, is to think about the amount of nooks and crannies you've got.  The scourge of chook keepers is red mite!  They are tiny little things, but wreak havoc amongst your girls.  They suck their blood and can make them anaemic, can stop them laying because of this and can eventually kill them!

So, think about the design!  nest boxes and perches that can be taken out and cleaned down easily.  keep the interior lines simple and easy to clean out.  Decent quality wood, nothing with too loose a grain.etc etc

[adamgodfrey]

Having built my own wooden house and then suffering from red mite, I wholeheartedly recommend also looking at plastic houses.  

After weeks of battling, trying to wipe out my red mite infestation, I bought a plastic green frog house and have been delighted with it.  I haven't had a sign of any red mite since.

They do cost a little more to start with, but if you consider your time, the cost of chemicals if you get red mite, plus the fact that the plastic houses are maintenance free and will last for 20+ years then they are actually great value.

As others have said, the most important thing really when considering a house is the amount of perch space, I'd say around 9-12 inches a bird, and approximately one nestbox per 3 hens.
Adam

[hillfooter]

Hi Foxi,
Houses (or coops) are purely for chx to roost in and so need to provide a dry safe place for them.  They don't actually live in the house during the day but spend their time foraging in their run so that's why the house can be small.  It's best to have one with ample perch space and a slatted floor keeps them away from picking in their droppings.  Before you buy a house look at some of the threads on house design on this site as ebay houses might look good but aren't always well designed for easy maintenance or the birds needs so DON'T rush out and buy the first cheap house you see there are very few really good designs out there and that includes plastic too.  

For 6 chx two nestboxes are more than ample (4 birds perbox is fine).

If you can find a thread by Diggit on a DIY house he is making that's excellent as it discusses many of the practical issues of house design and what to look out for.
HF

[hillfooter]

Here's Diggits thread.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=69975.msg799456#msg799456

HF

[foxi loxi]

Thankyou very much for all your replies, i am thinking very carefully about this and not wading in without doing my research!
I am just about to have a look at that thread hillfooter, thankyou.
jenni

[foxi loxi]

After reading as much information as possible i've deciced to build the coop with the frame on the outside as suggested in one of the threads. I just wanted to ask another question, would it help to insulate the coop over winter? I though if we where to make the coop out of marine ply ( i think thats what it is called) and then use some thing like ship lap on the outside to make it more pleasing to the eye it would have a 2-3 inch gap between and we could pack that gap in the winter for insulation purposes, is this a bad idea?
Many thanks
jenni

[joyfull]

yes a bad idea as it would give the dreaded redmite lots of hiding places  . also remember chickens come with their own feather duvets 

[foxi loxi]

Thanks joyfull i will do away with the aesthetics all together just me worrying about my hens before i've even gotten them!