Chicken coop plans for 20 chickens
20 standard hens need 80–100 sq ft of coop floor, 200 sq ft of run, 200 inches of roost and 5 nest boxes. The best fit is a walk-in coop: 10 × 10 ft coop and a 20 ft run.
Preview of the walk-in coop for 20 hens, standard breed, cold winters.
30 × 10 × 10.5 ft
Estimated materials $4,213 (estimate).
| Space check | Required | Provided | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coop floor (sq ft) | 100 | 100 | ✓ |
| Run area (sq ft) | 200 | 200 | ✓ |
| Ventilation (sq ft) | 10 | 12.6 | ✓ |
Change the breed, climate, roof or size and every cut is recalculated before you pay.
What 20 chickens need, by breed and climate
| Breed | Coop floor | Run | Roost |
|---|---|---|---|
| bantam | 50 sq ft | 100 sq ft | 120 in |
| standard | 100 sq ft | 200 sq ft | 200 in |
| large | 125 sq ft | 240 sq ft | 240 in |
| Climate | Coop floor | Vent | Insulation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mild | 80 sq ft | 8 sq ft | not needed |
| Cold winters | 100 sq ft | 10 sq ft | optional |
| Severe cold | 100 sq ft | 10 sq ft | included |
Other ways to house 20 chickens
Chicken run only
20 × 10 ft for an existing coop, with a hardware cloth apron against diggers.
Questions about a coop for 20 chickens
How big should a chicken coop be for 20 chickens?
Standard-size hens need about 4 sq ft of coop floor each, so 20 hens need 80 sq ft in a mild climate and 100 sq ft where winters are cold. The plan below uses 10 × 10 ft coop and a 20 ft run.
How big should the run be for 20 chickens?
At 10 sq ft per standard hen, 20 hens need 200 sq ft of run. Bantams need 100 sq ft and large breeds 240 sq ft.
How many nest boxes and how much roost space do 20 chickens need?
One nest box per 4 hens (at least 2 from 4 hens up), so 5, and about 10 inches of roost per standard hen: 200 inches in total.
How much does it cost to build a coop for 20 chickens?
The materials for this plan come to roughly $4,213 at typical big-box prices. Prices vary by store and season.