Chickens are the poultry that beginner farmers choose when trying to earn some money on the side. They are the easiest poultry to raise for beginners.
Sometimes the ducks and chickens compete for the title of favorite farm animal. However, they are more or less standing at a draw while in some criteria, one of them outperforms the other.
People are still trying to raise chickens, even though most are purely for fun and not for profit. However, even though it is just a hobby, we would still need to properly care for them.
This would require a coop large enough to house the number of chickens we would have. A 4×8 coop is a typical size for beginners.
Keep reading below to learn more about raising chickens and how many chickens will fit in a 4×8 coop.
How Many Chickens Can You Keep in 4×8 Coop?
It is possible for some poultry birds to spend days inside their coops, even if it is due to the weather.
In that case, the general rule is to keep one adult chicken to every four square feet. Therefore, 8 large chickens in a 4×8 coop are enough.
When designing a coop, we can get overboard if we are not experienced or well-versed in it. In most cases, this happens to people who are most interested in a small farm in their backyard.
Owning chickens is fun since they offer many benefits with just a little bit of maintenance.
Consequently, if we want to do things right, we should have 8 chickens of standard size and let them live in a coop of 4×8 size and not smaller.
If you have too many chickens, you’ll find them stressed and prone to other problems that will cause you more anxiety than anything else.
A well-made coop will go a long way in ensuring the health and well-being of the chickens. In this case, we should be careful about the number of chickens and not mess things up in a way that will hurt them.
Raising animals requires us to strictly adhere to the general rule of thumb.
In A 4×8 Coop, How Many Chickens Can Sleep?
Depending on their breed, chickens can vary in size. For example, White Leghorn chickens require less space than their cousins.
The white leghorn breed spends almost all of their daylight outside, so they only need 3 square feet per chicken. This means 10-11 chickens can sleep in a 4×8 coop.
The larger breeds of chicken, on the other hand, require a little more space. This is due to the fact that a standard size large chicken will take up around 4 square feet.
Therefore, a 4×8 coop can only accommodate 8 chickens of standard size.
2 Factors Determine How Many Chickens Can Line In A 4×8 Coop
Two factors cannot be ignored when it comes to how many chickens we can house inside a 4×8 coop. These are briefly discussed below.
Bird’s Health:
A good deal of consideration should be given to the bird’s health when selecting how many chickens to keep in a 4×8 coop.
This is because when the appropriate space is not maintained in a coop for chickens, the flock might become stressed.
As a result, they will be involved in cannibalism and pecking to the point of killing other birds.
Breed:
Chickens of the same breed cannot all fit in the same coop of 4×8. Therefore, the breed of the bird plays an important role in how many can be housed in a confined area.
If You Have A 4×8 Coop, How Many Nesting Boxes Do You Need?
If the chicken breed is a standard large size, then we can keep around 8 chickens in a 4×8 coop.
However, if they are anything other than White Leghorns, then the number of chickens in the coop will increase.
In order to figure out how many nesting boxes we need, we first need to know how many chickens we can keep in a coop.
It is generally accepted that for every four chickens in a coop; the chickens need a nesting box each. Since a 4 x 8 coop can have eight chickens, we would need two nesting boxes for them.
How Much Running Space Do You Need For A 4×8 Coop?
Chicken breeds matter a lot when it comes to determining the space you need for your chickens. This is due to the fact that chickens of different breeds behave and grow differently.
The heavier chickens will need more space than the smaller ones, so it’s best to choose the breed first and then proceed with the measurements.
For a 4×8 coop, 8-10 chickens will require 3-4 square feet of run space for every chicken. This is due to the size of a standard chicken.
How To Set Up A 4′ X 8′ Chicken Coop To Raise Chickens?
The following steps will guide you through the process of building a 4×8 chicken coop.
Prepare the ground:
We will begin the building process by preparing the ground. If the weather is good and has been the prior days, we will start building.
Remove all the debris from the site, as well as any bushy or branching areas that are overhanging the coop.
Choose a frame design:
In order to build a 4 x 8 coop, we’d need to select a frame design from many that are available. We might have to make some adjustments when choosing a design that requires more ground level.
Start building:
The next step is to visit the local hardware stores and find out what measurements and requirements they recommend for the 4X8 coop you have chosen.
Next, we gather the necessary equipment and materials. We begin building with the instructions and materials at hand.
Putting on the panels:
As soon as we get the structure layer out, we start installing the panels on the walls and two roof panels, which is very important for the safety of the birds.
Fence the area:
We then fence the run area and add waterers and nesting boxes to the coop once the panels are in place.
How Big A Coop Do I Require For 15 Chickens?
It is important to consider the reasons chickens need space in the first place. Sometimes, chickens will resort to cannibalism or pecking at the other chickens due to stress.
Depending on the breed, the size requirement also differs. For example, if we wanted to build a coop for 15 chickens, we would need 30-60 square feet.
It is therefore recommended that a minimum of 60 feet of space is provided for at least 15 chickens in order to ensure their health and well-being.
Final Thoughts
When we are designing a coop farm, we would always need to know the number of chickens it can hold.
The 4×8 coop is a standard design for any sort of starting farmer or your backyard. In the case of a 4×8 coop of standard-sized chickens, there can be 8 chickens in total.