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How Big Should a Chicken Coop Be for 5 Chickens?

Full breakdown for the next head count: how big a chicken coop should be for 6 hens. Prefab shopping sits on best chicken coops for 6 hens.

Quick answer: Five hens need 20 sq ft of coop and 50 sq ft of run. That is 5 × 4 sq ft and 5 × 10 sq ft, with the 4 drawn from inside the eXtension 3-4 sq ft range and the Minnesota Extension 3 to 5 sq ft range. The indoor minimum of 7.5 to 10 sq ft is a minimum, not a recommendation.

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Figures for this flock

FigureAmountSource
Coop floor20 sq ft5 × 4 sq ft. The 4 sits inside eXtension 3-4 sq ft and Minnesota Extension 3 to 5 sq ft.
Indoor minimum, not recommended7.5 to 10 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.
Run50 sq ft5 × 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 minimum40 sq ft5 × 8 sq ft. Penn State Extension and Maryland Extension list 8 sq ft of run for laying hens.
Nest boxes, one per 4-5 hens1 to 2Minnesota Extension, Utah State Extension, and Maryland Extension. Full breakdown: how many nesting boxes per chicken.
Nest boxes, Penn State count32 for the first 4 hens, then 1 per 4 more (Penn State Extension).
Roost, Utah 6-10 in30 in (2 ft 6 in) to 50 in (4 ft 2 in)5 × 6 in to 5 × 10 in (Utah State Extension).
Roost, Penn State 6 in30 in (2 ft 6 in)5 × 6 in (Penn State Extension).
Roost, Maryland 6-7 in30 in (2 ft 6 in) to 35 in (2 ft 11 in)5 × 6 in to 5 × 7 in (Maryland Extension).
Feeder space10 to 15 in15 in (Penn State Extension); 10 to 15 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 5 is under 75 (Maryland Extension).
Feed per week15 lb5 × about 3 lb for a 6-pound hen (Minnesota Extension).

Twenty square feet does not land on a square. A 4 × 5 ft floor multiplies back to 20, and a 5 × 10 ft run multiplies back to 50. The nest spread is wider here than at 4 hens: one per 5 hens is 1 box, one per 4 hens rounds 5 ÷ 4 up to 2, and the Penn State Extension added group makes 3. Report both results instead of picking a compromise.

The 6-hen article is the neighboring question, linked above, and it is not reworked here. If the flock is about to become 6, use that page. If it is 5, the products on this page are the ones to build.

How to size it

Five is the awkward count between a square 4-hen floor and the separate 6-hen page. This page stays on 5.

  1. Coop floor. 5 × 4 = 20 sq ft. eXtension publishes 3-4 sq ft indoors (5 × 3 = 15 to 5 × 4 = 20). Minnesota Extension publishes 3 to 5 sq ft (5 × 3 = 15 to 5 × 5 = 25). The 4 sq ft figure used on this site sits inside both ranges.
  2. Indoor minimum, not recommended. 5 × 1.5 = 7.5 sq ft and 5 × 2 = 10 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. 5 × 10 = 50 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 5 × 8 = 40 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: 5 ÷ 5 = 1. One per 4: 5 ÷ 4 = 1 with a remainder of 1, so round up to 2. The range is 1 to 2 boxes. Penn State Extension starts with 2 nests for the first 4 hens, then one more per 4 additional hens. 5 − 4 = 1 additional hen, and 1 hen is fewer than 4, so add 1. The total is 3 nests.
  5. Roost length. Utah State Extension 6 to 10 in is 30 in (2 ft 6 in) to 50 in (4 ft 2 in). Penn State Extension 6 in is 30 in (2 ft 6 in). Maryland Extension 6 to 7 in is 30 in (2 ft 6 in) to 35 in (2 ft 11 in). Divide inches by 12 to get feet.
  6. Feeder, nipples, water. Penn State Extension feeder space is at least 3 in, so 5 × 3 = 15 in. Maryland Extension is 2-3 in, so 5 × 2 = 10 to 5 × 3 = 15 in. 5 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 5 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. 5 × 3 = 15 lb per week. That is 15/50 of a 50-lb bag per week.
  8. Example footprint. 20 sq ft is 4 × 5 ft. 50 sq ft is 5 × 10 ft.

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FAQ

How big should a chicken coop be for 5 chickens?

Size 5 standard hens at 20 sq ft of coop and 50 sq ft of run. That is 5 times 4 sq ft and 5 times 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.

What indoor minimum applies to 5 hens?

Multiply 5 by 1.5 and by 2. That is 7.5 to 10 sq ft, from the Penn State and Maryland laying-hen and large-chicken lines and from Utah's 1.5 to 2.0 sq ft. It is a minimum, not a recommendation.

How many nests do 5 hens need?

One per 5 hens is 1 box. One per 4 hens rounds 5 divided by 4 up to 2 boxes. Penn State is 2 nests for the first 4 hens plus 1 more for the single additional hen, which is 3 nests.

What footprint equals 20 sq ft?

A 4 by 5 ft floor is 20 sq ft. A 5 by 10 ft run is 50 sq ft. Other side lengths that multiply to the same areas are the same floors.

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