What size should my Hen House be?

When designing a chicken house, space is perhaps the most important consideration. Space is essential for good social interaction and by restricting it, you risk stressing your flock and inviting unhealthy behaviour.

So what is the perfect size house for your chickens?

The British Hen Welfare Trust suggest that the minimum space hens need is 30cm² of floor space each inside the house.

Perches in a coop are really important, ideally they should be 3-5cm wide with rounded edges, with the height to suit the bird. There should be enough space for the hens to all roost together and according to the RSPCA that should be from 15 to 25cm per bird, with enough spaces between perches to let them go up and down without hurting themselves.

The British Hen Welfare Trust also recommend a minimum outside run space of 1m² of for ex-caged hens and 2m² for ex-free-range hens, plus room to free range each day. 

This Hen House is a great example of one that has been carefully designed to consider all the recommended sizing to produce a spacious and practical hen house.

What else should I consider when designing a hen house?

Chickens need a warm, dry and well-ventilated chicken house. According to the RSPCA this should include a big enough entrance for them to pass through easily without crouching, a flooring covered with dry material such as wood shavings or straw to allow for foraging and dustbathing (especially important when it is wet outside). This also absorbs the poop and makes cleaning much easier.

Egg-laying hens also need quiet, enclosed nest boxes, lined with a clean, dry, comfortable nesting material. This nest box is a great example of a community nest box, where the partitions have been removed to reduce stress and provide a sociable environment that hens may feel more comfortable using.

Don’t forget, Hens are sociable creatures and need to be part of a flock, so the minimum number you should keep is three, but choose a house which can accommodate more birds than you intend to get, firstly to give them plenty of space, and secondly because owning chickens is so rewarding you are very soon likely to want more!