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How Big Should a Chicken Coop Be for 4 Chickens?

If you are shopping instead of framing: best chicken coops for 6 hens.

Quick answer: Four hens need 16 sq ft indoors and 40 sq ft of run. The indoor number is 4 × 4 sq ft, using the figure that sits inside eXtension 3-4 sq ft and Minnesota Extension 3 to 5 sq ft. Forty square feet of run is 4 × 10 sq ft from eXtension.

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Figures for this flock

FigureAmountSource
Coop floor16 sq ft4 × 4 sq ft. The 4 sits inside eXtension 3-4 sq ft and Minnesota Extension 3 to 5 sq ft.
Indoor minimum, not recommended6 to 8 sq ftPenn 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.
Run40 sq ft4 × 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 minimum32 sq ft4 × 8 sq ft. Penn State Extension and Maryland Extension list 8 sq ft of run for laying hens.
Nest boxes, one per 4-5 hens1Minnesota Extension, Utah State Extension, and Maryland Extension. Full breakdown: how many nesting boxes per chicken.
Nest boxes, Penn State count22 for the first 4 hens, then 1 per 4 more (Penn State Extension).
Roost, Utah 6-10 in24 in (2 ft) to 40 in (3 ft 4 in)4 × 6 in to 4 × 10 in (Utah State Extension).
Roost, Penn State 6 in24 in (2 ft)4 × 6 in (Penn State Extension).
Roost, Maryland 6-7 in24 in (2 ft) to 28 in (2 ft 4 in)4 × 6 in to 4 × 7 in (Maryland Extension).
Feeder space8 to 12 in12 in (Penn State Extension); 8 to 12 in (Maryland Extension). Weekly pounds are below; cost math is in the feed cost guide.
Nipple drinkers11 nipple per 6-8 birds (Penn State Extension).
Waterer1 five-gallonA five-gallon waterer covers up to 75 hens, and 4 is under 75 (Maryland Extension).
Feed per week12 lb4 × about 3 lb for a 6-pound hen (Minnesota Extension).

Sixteen square feet is 4 × 4 ft. That square is the recommendation, not the minimum. The minimum is 4 × 1.5 = 6 sq ft through 4 × 2 = 8 sq ft, and a 4 × 4 ft floor is already past that floor. Penn State Extension feeder space is 3 in × 4 = 12 in, which is 1 ft of trough, so the feeder is a one-foot problem rather than a second-bar problem.

The same 5 × 8 ft rectangle that makes the 40 sq ft run shows up again as the coop floor on the 10-chicken page. Same lumber, different job: here it is outdoor space for 4 hens, there it is indoor space for 10.

How to size it

Four is the first count in this set whose recommended floor is a square.

  1. Coop floor. 4 × 4 = 16 sq ft. eXtension publishes 3-4 sq ft indoors (4 × 3 = 12 to 4 × 4 = 16). Minnesota Extension publishes 3 to 5 sq ft (4 × 3 = 12 to 4 × 5 = 20). The 4 sq ft figure used on this site sits inside both ranges.
  2. Indoor minimum, not recommended. 4 × 1.5 = 6 sq ft and 4 × 2 = 8 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.
  3. Run. 4 × 10 = 40 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 4 × 8 = 32 sq ft.
  4. Nests, two published counts. Minnesota Extension, Utah State Extension, and Maryland Extension say one nest per 4 to 5 hens. One per 5: 4 is under 5, so round up to 1. One per 4: 4 ÷ 4 = 1. Both ends land on 1 box. 4 hens sit inside the first group of 4, and Penn State Extension assigns 2 nests to that first group, so the count is 2.
  5. Roost length. Utah State Extension 6 to 10 in is 24 in (2 ft) to 40 in (3 ft 4 in). Penn State Extension 6 in is 24 in (2 ft). Maryland Extension 6 to 7 in is 24 in (2 ft) to 28 in (2 ft 4 in). Divide inches by 12 to get feet.
  6. Feeder, nipples, water. Penn State Extension feeder space is at least 3 in, so 4 × 3 = 12 in. Maryland Extension is 2-3 in, so 4 × 2 = 8 to 4 × 3 = 12 in. 4 hens are fewer than the 6 birds on the low end of the Penn State Extension nipple rule (1 nipple per 6-8 birds), so 1 nipple covers this flock. Maryland Extension says a five-gallon waterer can accommodate up to 75 hens, and 4 is under 75, so 1 waterer covers the flock.
  7. Feed. Minnesota Extension says a 6-pound hen eats roughly 3 pounds of feed each week. 4 × 3 = 12 lb per week. That is 12/50 of a 50-lb bag per week.
  8. Example footprint. 16 sq ft is 4 × 4 ft. 40 sq ft is 5 × 8 ft.

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Related

FAQ

How big should a chicken coop be for 4 chickens?

Plan 16 sq ft of coop and 40 sq ft of run for 4 standard hens. Multiply 4 by 4 sq ft indoors and 4 by 10 sq ft outdoors. The 4 sq ft indoor rate sits inside the eXtension 3-4 sq ft range and the Minnesota Extension 3 to 5 sq ft range.

Is a 4 by 4 ft coop the minimum for 4 hens?

No. A 4 by 4 ft floor is 16 sq ft, which is the recommended floor on this page. The extension minimum is 6 to 8 sq ft, from 4 times 1.5 and 4 times 2, and that range is a minimum, not a recommendation.

How many nesting boxes for 4 hens?

One nest per 4 to 5 hens is 1 box, because 4 divided by 4 is 1 and 4 divided by 5 rounds up to 1. Penn State still wants 2 nests for the first 4 hens.

How long is the roost for 4 hens?

Penn State is 6 in per bird, which is 24 in, or 2 ft. Utah is 6 to 10 in, which is 24 to 40 in, or 2 ft to 3 ft 4 in. Maryland is 6 to 7 in, which is 24 to 28 in, or 2 ft to 2 ft 4 in.

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