Chicken coop plans for 40 chickens
40 standard hens need 160–200 sq ft of coop floor, 400 sq ft of run, 400 inches of roost and 10 nest boxes. The best fit is a walk-in coop, built as 2 coops of 20 hens because one walk-in tops out at 10 × 16 ft: 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 $8,425 for 2 coops (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 40 chickens need, by breed and climate
| Breed | Coop floor | Run | Roost |
|---|---|---|---|
| bantam | 100 sq ft | 200 sq ft | 240 in |
| standard | 200 sq ft | 400 sq ft | 400 in |
| large | 250 sq ft | 480 sq ft | 480 in |
| Climate | Coop floor | Vent | Insulation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mild | 160 sq ft | 16 sq ft | not needed |
| Cold winters | 200 sq ft | 20 sq ft | optional |
| Severe cold | 200 sq ft | 20 sq ft | included |
Other ways to house 40 chickens
Chicken run only
40 × 10 ft for an existing coop, with a hardware cloth apron against diggers.
Questions about a coop for 40 chickens
How big should a chicken coop be for 40 chickens?
Standard-size hens need about 4 sq ft of coop floor each, so 40 hens need 160 sq ft in a mild climate and 200 sq ft where winters are cold. The plan below uses 10 × 10 ft coop and a 20 ft run for each of 2 coops of 20 hens.
How big should the run be for 40 chickens?
At 10 sq ft per standard hen, 40 hens need 400 sq ft of run. Bantams need 200 sq ft and large breeds 480 sq ft.
How many nest boxes and how much roost space do 40 chickens need?
One nest box per 4 hens (at least 2 from 4 hens up), so 10, and about 10 inches of roost per standard hen: 400 inches in total.
How much does it cost to build a coop for 40 chickens?
The materials for this plan come to roughly $8,425 at typical big-box prices. Prices vary by store and season.