If your birds have access to an outdoor run, give a minimum of 2 to 3 square feet per bird inside the coop and about 4 square feet per bird in the run. The bigger, the better. If your birds are cooped all winter (chickens don’t like snowy surfaces), allow for 5 to 10 square feet per chicken. For birds confined in a chicken tractor without an outdoor pen, make sure you have a minimum of 5 square feet per bird. Provide roosting poles that are at least 2 to 3 feet off the ground (they don’t like to be too low). Plan for at least 6 to 10 inches of roosting space per chicken. If the roosting poles are more than 4 feet high, they will need a way to get up to them, such as by a plank with wooden strips for makeshift steps.
