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How Big Should a Chicken Coop Be for 12 Chickens?
Full breakdown of box count, separate from this floor plan: how many nesting boxes per chicken.
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Figures for this flock
| Figure | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Coop floor | 48 sq ft | 12 × 4 sq ft. The 4 sits inside eXtension 3-4 sq ft and Minnesota Extension 3 to 5 sq ft. |
| Indoor minimum, not recommended | 18 to 24 sq ft | Penn State Extension laying hens 1.5 sq ft and large chickens 2 sq ft; Maryland Extension uses that same table; Utah State Extension 1.5 to 2.0 sq ft. |
| Run | 120 sq ft | 12 × 10 sq ft. eXtension recommends 10 sq ft outdoors; Penn State Extension and Maryland Extension list 10 sq ft for large chickens. |
| Laying-hen run minimum | 96 sq ft | 12 × 8 sq ft. Penn State Extension and Maryland Extension list 8 sq ft of run for laying hens. |
| Nest boxes, one per 4-5 hens | 3 | Minnesota Extension, Utah State Extension, and Maryland Extension. Full breakdown: how many nesting boxes per chicken. |
| Nest boxes, Penn State count | 4 | 2 for the first 4 hens, then 1 per 4 more (Penn State Extension). |
| Roost, Utah 6-10 in | 72 in (6 ft) to 120 in (10 ft) | 12 × 6 in to 12 × 10 in (Utah State Extension). |
| Roost, Penn State 6 in | 72 in (6 ft) | 12 × 6 in (Penn State Extension). |
| Roost, Maryland 6-7 in | 72 in (6 ft) to 84 in (7 ft) | 12 × 6 in to 12 × 7 in (Maryland Extension). |
| Feeder space | 24 to 36 in | 36 in (Penn State Extension); 24 to 36 in (Maryland Extension). Weekly pounds are below; cost math is in the feed cost guide. |
| Nipple drinkers | 2 | 1 nipple per 6-8 birds (Penn State Extension). |
| Waterer | 1 five-gallon | A five-gallon waterer covers up to 75 hens, and 12 is under 75 (Maryland Extension). |
| Feed per week | 36 lb | 12 × about 3 lb for a 6-pound hen (Minnesota Extension). |
On nests, 12 ÷ 4 = 3 and 12 ÷ 5 leaves a remainder, which still rounds up to 3, so the 4-to-5 rule is 3 boxes. Penn State Extension is 2 for the first 4 plus 8 ÷ 4 = 2 more, which is 4 boxes. The methods differ by one box. Box size, when you cut them: Penn State Extension says nests at least 12 × 12 in, Maryland Extension says one 10 × 10 in box per 4 to 5 chickens, and Utah State Extension says 12-15 in high and wide and at least 12 in deep.
Light sits next to that laying setup and is not a bulb count on this page. Minnesota Extension says hens need at least 12-14 hours of light a day to keep laying. Maryland Extension says 14 hours total light maintains egg production. A 40-watt bulb for about 200 sq ft of floor, also from Maryland Extension, is worked on the 50-chicken page.
How to size it
Twelve divides cleanly by 4, which is why the two nest methods are only one box apart.
- Coop floor. 12 × 4 = 48 sq ft. eXtension publishes 3-4 sq ft indoors (12 × 3 = 36 to 12 × 4 = 48). Minnesota Extension publishes 3 to 5 sq ft (12 × 3 = 36 to 12 × 5 = 60). The 4 sq ft figure used on this site sits inside both ranges.
- Indoor minimum, not recommended. 12 × 1.5 = 18 sq ft and 12 × 2 = 24 sq ft. Penn State Extension lists 1.5 sq ft for laying hens and 2 sq ft for large chickens, Maryland Extension prints the same table, and Utah State Extension lists 1.5 to 2.0 sq ft. Stay above that floor.
- Run. 12 × 10 = 120 sq ft from eXtension. Penn State Extension and Maryland Extension also list 10 sq ft of run for large chickens. Their laying-hen run line is 8 sq ft, and 12 × 8 = 96 sq ft.
- Nests, two published counts. Minnesota Extension, Utah State Extension, and Maryland Extension say one nest per 4 to 5 hens. One per 5: 12 ÷ 5 = 2 with a remainder of 2, so round up to 3. One per 4: 12 ÷ 4 = 3. Both ends land on 3 boxes. Penn State Extension starts with 2 nests for the first 4 hens, then one more per 4 additional hens. 12 − 4 = 8 additional hens, and 8 ÷ 4 = 2, so add 2. The total is 4 nests.
- Roost length. Utah State Extension 6 to 10 in is 72 in (6 ft) to 120 in (10 ft). Penn State Extension 6 in is 72 in (6 ft). Maryland Extension 6 to 7 in is 72 in (6 ft) to 84 in (7 ft). Divide inches by 12 to get feet.
- Feeder, nipples, water. Penn State Extension feeder space is at least 3 in, so 12 × 3 = 36 in. Maryland Extension is 2-3 in, so 12 × 2 = 24 to 12 × 3 = 36 in. Penn State Extension says 1 nipple per 6-8 birds. At one nipple per 8 birds, 12 ÷ 8 = 1 with a remainder of 4, so round up to 2. At one nipple per 6 birds, 12 ÷ 6 = 2. Plan 2 nipples. Maryland Extension says a five-gallon waterer can accommodate up to 75 hens, and 12 is under 75, so 1 waterer covers the flock.
- Feed. Minnesota Extension says a 6-pound hen eats roughly 3 pounds of feed each week. 12 × 3 = 36 lb per week. That is 36/50 of a 50-lb bag per week.
- Example footprint. 48 sq ft is 6 × 8 ft. 120 sq ft is 10 × 12 ft.
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Related
- Chicken coop size calculator — any other bird count.
- Coop size for 10 chickens
- Coop size for 15 chickens
- Coop size for 8 chickens
FAQ
How big should a chicken coop be for 12 chickens?
Lay out 48 sq ft of coop and 120 sq ft of run for 12 standard hens. Multiply 12 by 4 sq ft and 12 by 10 sq ft. The indoor 4 sq ft rate sits inside the eXtension 3-4 sq ft range and the Minnesota Extension 3 to 5 sq ft range.
Why do the nest counts for 12 hens come out 3 and 4?
12 divided by 4 is 3, and 12 divided by 5 rounds up to 3, so one box per 4 to 5 hens is 3 boxes. Penn State is 2 nests for the first 4 hens plus 2 more for the next 8 hens, which is 4 boxes.
How much feeder for 12 hens?
Penn State is at least 3 in per bird, which is 36 in. Maryland is 2-3 in, which is 24 to 36 in. Nipples are 1 per 6-8 birds: 12 divided by 6 is 2, and 12 divided by 8 rounds up to 2, so 2 nipples.
How many hours of light do laying hens need?
Minnesota says at least 12-14 hours of light a day to keep laying. Maryland says 14 hours total light maintains egg production. This 12-hen page does not convert those hours into a bulb wattage.
Sources
- eXtension Small and Backyard Poultry, "Space allowances in housing for small and backyard poultry flocks". https://poultry.extension.org/articles/getting-started-with-small-and-backyard-poultry/housing-for-small-and-backyard-poultry-flocks/space-allowances-in-housing-for-small-and-backyard-poultry-flocks/. Accessed Oct 2, 2026.
- University of Minnesota Extension, "Raising chickens for eggs" (reviewed 2025). https://extension.umn.edu/agriculture/animals-and-livestock/poultry/raising-chickens-for-eggs. Accessed Oct 2, 2026.
- Penn State Extension, "Small Scale Poultry Housing" (updated June 25, 2026). https://extension.psu.edu/small-scale-poultry-housing/. Accessed Oct 2, 2026.
- University of Maryland Extension, "Housing Requirements" (updated May 11, 2022; space table from Clauer, 2009). https://www.extension.umd.edu/resource/housing-requirements. Accessed Oct 2, 2026.
- Utah State University Extension, "Housing Backyard Chickens" (peer-reviewed fact sheet, 2008). https://extension.usu.edu/poultry/research/housing-backyard-chickens. Accessed Oct 2, 2026.