It has been said that chicken runs and coops must be used as one unit. What kind of benefit can be gained if you keep them separate? If you think about what a run is used for and what a traditional coop is used for, then you might agree that using chicken runs and coops together serves for a better all around living environment for your chickens. Let’s look at what a run provides and the benefits the chickens get from it and then the coop and what benefits the chickens gets from a traditional coop.
The Chicken Run
Most runs are measured with a formula of 4 to 6 square ft. per chicken. A run that would have 12 chickens would be a minimum of 48 square ft. The space allows them to have enough room to be active and move freely. Additional perches and walks for climbing to let them have other activities to keep busy while in the chicken run would be good for the chicken’s health and highly recommended.
Chicken runs that are mobile and light weight can be an advantage because they can be moved on a regular schedule to allow the ground you are using for the chickens to feed from to re-grow and allow the chickens to get fresh grass and insects when rotated regularly. They also are great for the activity portion of raising chickens, but they don’t allow for any weather protection or roosting privacy for laying eggs.
Chicken Coops
The traditional coop was designed only to house chickens. The farmer’s primary use for the coop was for roosting and laying eggs. The free range concept of letting the birds roam the fields of the farm to hunt and peck was used by most ranchers. This method of free range left the birds open to predators and left the farmers with a lot of casualties and loss of his flock. The coop gives them a safe place to feed, roost, and lay eggs in a safe environment.
Chicken Runs and Coops
The combination of a run and coop as one unit has the best of both worlds. The advantage of using the duel design is that you get to house the chickens and have the ability to let the birds go in and out of the two separate sections at will throughout the day. The access to the coop at all times makes it very easy for cleaning, feeding, and gathering eggs. With the chicken run attached you add the safety for an all day safe environment with no worries of predators attacking your flock.
Materials and Design
The design and material cost of the combination building of chicken runs and coops are in most cases the same as if you built them separately. We have talked about the advantages of combining them and for the same money you can have safety and convenience. I would recommend to any new chicken rancher if you are thinking of a design for your coop. Remember to be wise and utilize the chicken runs and coops design for your birds.