How Big a Coop Do 24 Chickens Need?

24 standard-size chickens need a 96 sq ft coop, a 240 sq ft run, 240 inches of roost, and 6 nesting boxes.

Figures reviewed against university extension guidance · Last reviewed July 2026

Bird typeCoopRunRoostNest boxes
Standard breeds96 sq ft240 sq ft240 in6
Bantams48 sq ft192 sq ft192 in6
Heavy breeds144 sq ft240 sq ft288 in6

Rates: 4 sq ft coop and 10 sq ft run per standard bird (Virginia Cooperative Extension; Colorado State University Extension). Run figures assume birds are confined; free-range flocks need only the coop numbers.

What that looks like in practice

For 24 standard chickens, a 6 × 16 ft coop covers the96 sq ft floor requirement. Floor space means usable floor — don't count feeder footprints or the area under nest boxes mounted lower than 18 inches. The 240 sq ft run works out to roughly a24 × 10 ft enclosure attached to the coop.

Inside, plan 240 inches of roost — 5 four-foot roost bars mounted higher than the nest boxes — and 6 twelve-inch nesting boxes in the darkest corner. These are extension-guidance minimums for healthy birds, not luxury targets: cold climates, bossy roosters, and pecking-prone breeds all appreciate more room.

Keeping different birds, or planning to free-range? Use the full Coop Size Calculator to adjust for bantams, heavy breeds, and run type.

Other flock sizes

Sources