6 chicken coop dimensions?
I am working on drawing up plans for a small 6 lady chicken coop, I am in a small town in Southern Oregon so it's mildly cold in winter and hot AF in summer. We are using our front yard for tall veggie beds, kids and chickens. Back yard is dog area and our food garden, small yards but doing what we can with what land we have. I am hoping to build a coop soon, any ideas as far as dimensions ? We don't plan to expand the flock. Thanks ahead for the love!
Top answer
From the KNF library
Drake has no fixed blueprint. For a 40-50 hen flock, he points to the poultry pages on naturalfarminghawaii.net and his Hubble Bubble build videos. (Office Hours Ep. 78, 32:57)
For a scaled-down coop, Drake names the Hubbel Bubble coop, a small design in a University of Hawaii poultry publication. (Office Hours Ep. 67, 33:25) The library spells the name both ways.
- Walls run about 8 feet for chickens. Add a metal roof with a vent slit and a gap at the bottom for airflow. (Office Hours Ep. 4, 24:37)
- For cold nights, tape over half the roof vent so it vents slower. A fully open vent pulls out heat and moisture. (Office Hours Ep. 155, 40:20)
- For the floor, lay 3-4 inches of wood chips. Inoculate with IMO3 or IMO4, then spray lactobacillus and maintenance on top. (Office Hours Ep. 31, 34:50)
The library gives no square feet per bird and no coop size for six hens. It does not confirm the 4 sq ft figure above. It also says nothing about summer heat beyond the airflow gap.
Sources
- 32:57 Office Hours Ep. 78 (Jun 2023) — IMO4 Liquid vs Top Dress, Chicken Coop Plans, KNF Barn Design · “points to natural farming hawaii.net's poultry pages and his channel's Hubble Bubble build videos.”
- 33:25 Office Hours Ep. 67 (Mar 2023) — Mosaic Virus, Banana Bunchy Top, and Making Lactic Acid Bacteria · “Yes, the Hubbel Bubble coop, a small design documented in a University of Hawaii poultry publication”
- 24:37 Office Hours Ep. 4 (Oct 2021) — IMO1-4 Explained, Pig Pen Roof Design, Mold on IMO2 · “Metal roof with a vent slit, walls about 10 feet up for pigs and 8 feet for chickens, with a gap at the bottom for airflow.”
- 40:20 Office Hours Ep. 155 (Dec 2024) — Quick LAB From Rice Bran, IMO for Fuel Spills, Chitosan vs WCA · “Tape over half the roof vent so it vents slower — a fully open vent's chimney effect sucks out heat and moisture.”
- 34:50 Office Hours Ep. 31 (May 2022) — Cucumber Beetle Armor, No-Smell Chicken Coop, Biochar for Dry Soil · “Lay 3-4 inches of wood chips, inoculate with IMO3 or IMO4, then spray lactobacillus and maintenance on top.”
