I thought my chickens needed a huge coop, but a trip to a farm in Oregon changed my mind

For two years, I built my flock a 12x8 foot coop because everyone said more space is always better. Then I visited a friend's small farm in Bend, Oregon, and saw her healthy, calm birds in a simple 4x6 setup with a huge, secure run. She said, 'The coop is just for sleeping and laying, the run is where they live.' My big coop was just collecting more poop and drafts. Now I'm rethinking my whole setup. Has anyone else downsized their coop and seen better results?

3 comments

3 Comments

thompson.finley14d ago

Honestly, that bit about "the coop is just for sleeping and laying, the run is where they live" really stuck with me. A buddy of mine in Portland built this massive coop at first, but his chickens were always cranky and picking on each other. He ripped it down and built a tight 4x6 with a big covered run, and now they're the calmest, happiest birds I've ever seen. He said the smaller coop actually stays way warmer in the winter and he spends like ten minutes cleaning it versus an hour before.

max9633mo ago

Wait, you built a 12x8 coop for chickens? Honestly, that's bigger than my first apartment. I guess it makes sense that a smaller, tight space is warmer and easier to keep clean. Tbh you might be onto something with the simple setup.

charles_kim3mo ago

Actually a 12x8 is pretty normal for a small flock, right? You want them to have some room to move around inside when the weather's bad.