Chickens / Coop Requirements

How Big Should a Chicken Coop Be, and What Actually Keeps Predators Out

Size the Coop for the Flock You'll End Up With

The most common coop mistake is building for today's flock instead of the one you'll actually have. Undersized coops drive pecking-order problems and stress-related feather-picking — crowding turns a normal flock hierarchy into a nasty one. Build a little bigger than current needs, not a lot bigger; oversized coops are harder to keep warm through body heat alone in cold climates.

Predator-Proofing, Done Right the First Time

Hardware cloth, not chicken wire. Chicken wire keeps chickens in but does nothing to keep a raccoon out. Half-inch welded hardware cloth on every window, vent, and gap is the real standard.

Dig-proof the perimeter. Bury hardware cloth at least 12 inches down around the run, or lay it flat and outward from the base as an apron, so a digging predator hits wire before open ground.

Raccoon-proof latches. Raccoons can work simple hook-and-eye and slide latches. Use a carabiner, spring-loaded latch, or padlock — if you can open it one-handed without looking, assume a raccoon eventually can too.

Cover the run. Hawks hunt in daylight and don't care that a run is technically enclosed. Netting or welded wire over the top turns a daytime vulnerability into a non-issue.

Close up at dusk, every night. Most nighttime predators are looking for exactly one night the door was left open. An automatic coop door closer is a worthwhile investment if manual closing isn't reliable on your schedule.

Ventilation Without Drafts

A sealed coop builds up ammonia and moisture that damages respiratory tissue. A coop with drafts blowing directly across roosting birds does real damage in cold weather. The fix: ventilation up high, near the roofline above where birds roost, so stale air escapes without cold air blowing across sleeping birds.