Materials, dimensions, functionalities, the choice is vast among the multiple offers from chicken coop manufacturers. Know how to select the best criteria in order to promote the well-being of your poultry and effectively protect them from bad weather and potential predators, also thinking about a chicken enclosure.
What should be the minimum dimensions of a henhouse for 4 hens?
Space is the key to the good development of your chickens. Far from catastrophic battery breeding for our feathered friends, freedom of movement is fundamental. Too much promiscuity causes stress, conflicts and behavioral problems. This is why you need to provide a minimum space for a hen
of 0.50 to 0.70 m2 in the henhouse
and an outdoor tree space of 15 to 20 m2 per hen. Count a little less for dwarf chickens. You are probably aware that the henhouse is mainly used as a place for laying eggs and sleeping for poultry.
Also read: Chicken feeder: how to choose the right one?
The henhouse is mainly used as a place for laying and sleeping by poultry. Copyright (c) 2022 Vampiresse/Shutterstock. No use without permission.
The presence
of a perch
is therefore essential: chickens only sleep perched to protect themselves from predators. Allow approximately 20 cm of perch per hen. Likewise, to encourage your hens to lay their most beautiful eggs, select a henhouse with at least two nests for 4: the hens generally take turns laying. In summary, for a 4-hen henhouse, plan for a minimum surface area of 2 m2, i.e., for example, dimensions of approximately 1.70 m in length and 1.20 m in width.
Also read: Top 12 of the most “trendy” chicken breeds!
What are the important criteria for choosing your 4-hen chicken coop?
Robustness:
your 4-hen henhouse must resist bad weather and last over time because it represents a significant financial investment or an investment in time and energy if you DIY a “homemade” henhouse. So opt for a sturdy material like wood or metal. Plastic is a breakable material that you must handle with more caution;
Protection against cold and humidity:
wood is the most insulating material but also the most ecological for sheltering your chickens. They are, in fact, quite sensitive to cold and humidity. Make sure that your henhouse has a shingle roof, a material that is very resistant to UV and rain. Also apply linseed oil to the wood every year to waterproof it. The choice of a henhouse on stilts is quite judicious: it prevents the penetration of cold and humidity through the floor. That said, you can also install your chicken coop on a support (concrete blocks, wooden planks, etc.) so that it does not rest directly on the ground;
Against predators, installing your 4-hen henhouse in a completely screened enclosure (don't forget the roof!) is recommended! Copyright (c) 2018 ND700/Shutterstock. No use without permission.
Easy cleaning:
ensuring good hygiene in the 4-hen henhouse is fundamental if you want to keep them in good health! Wood is, however, not the easiest to maintain. Mud and poultry droppings stick to it and the moisture they contain seeps in, potentially weakening the material. It is therefore advisable to remove droppings from the henhouse daily or at least every 2 to 3 days and to carry out a small cleaning of the whole thing every week.
Disinfection:
a thorough cleaning using a high pressure cleaner is recommended twice a year (in spring and at the beginning of winter) followed by disinfection using natural products such as white vinegar. If above all you want a chicken coop that is easy to clean, opt instead for metal or plastic which are not damaged by droppings. In any case, choose a chicken coop with an opening from above: this will allow you to clean without breaking your back!
Safety from predators:
the arrival of chickens in a garden can attract multiple flying and terrestrial predators. Driven by hunger, they are quite capable of approaching homes. It is often after dark that they strike, when the chickens are sleeping in their shelter. So plan a henhouse with a solid closure offering maximum security for your gallinaceous birds. Installing your 4-hen henhouse in a fully screened enclosure (don't forget the roof!) is recommended.