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?

2 comments

2 Comments

max96310d 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_kim9d 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.