How much space does a chicken need?

In the UK, coop floor space is about 0.11 m² per hen (a flat per-hen figure under both the legal minimum and RSPCA Assured), plus 2 m² per hen of run space if given. The US has no legal minimum; Cooperative Extension guidance gives 3–4 sq ft per hen with run access, or 8–10 sq ft without.

Can I keep chickens in my backyard?

In most residential areas, yes — chickens are the most commonly permitted backyard animal. Roosters are the main exception, since many places that permit hens ban roosters specifically over crowing noise. Some places also require flock registration, regardless of flock size.

Does giving hens a run mean I need a smaller coop?

No. Coop and run are two separate space budgets — a run adds space on top of the coop requirement rather than reducing it.

How much does it cost to keep chickens?

The birds themselves are cheap (often well under $100 for a small starter flock), but feed commonly runs $50–100 a month and genuine predator-proofing (hardware cloth, buried skirting, a secure latch) is a real cost that a simple coop-kit price usually leaves out.

Chickens

Coop, run and perch space, feed, bedding and the guides behind the numbers — everything for keeping a backyard flock.

Start with the housing calculator

The rules differ between the UK and the US, so each has its own calculator citing its own standard.

🇬🇧 UK chicken coop calculator 🇺🇸 US chicken coop calculator

Need a vet that sees chickens?

Most vets only treat dogs and cats. Our directory lists clinics whose own websites say they treat chickens, across the UK and the US.

Chicken vets in the UK →Chicken vets in the US →

Chickens at a glance

The headline figures, each traced to its source on the page it links to. Starting points for planning, not a substitute for the calculators.

Coop floor space: About 0.11 m² per hen (UK legal minimum / RSPCA Assured); A flat per-hen figure, not weight-banded. US: no legal minimum; Cooperative Extension guidance gives 3–4 sq ft per hen with run access, 8–10 sq ft without.; How much space a chicken needs →
Outdoor run: 2 m² per hen (UK, British Hen Welfare Trust); Run space is additive on top of the coop, never a substitute for it. US extension guidance recommends about 10 sq ft per hen.; Coop-only vs coop and run →
Nest boxes: 1 box per 5 hens; A widely-recommended convention, not a legal requirement — driven by flock size, not floor area.; Work out your coop size →
Running cost: Feed commonly $50–100/month for a small flock; The birds themselves are the smallest line item; predator-proofing (hardware cloth, buried skirting) is the cost first-time keepers most often underestimate.; What it costs to keep chickens →
Flock size: At least three hens, not one or two; RSPCA guidance — chickens are social and need company, not just tolerate it. Cockerels shouldn't cohabit unless raised together.; Do chickens need a companion? →

Planning to keep chickens? Work through it in order

8 steps, each a couple of minutes — click a step to open it.

01Think hard before you buy+−
A backyard hen can live five to 10 years — five times longer than a commercial laying hen ever gets to — and the RSPCA highly recommends at least three from the start.
Buying your first chickens →
02Check you're allowed to+−
Chickens are the most commonly permitted backyard animal, but roosters are often a separate rule — check registration and flock-size caps too.
Can you legally keep chickens? →
03Work out the space+−
Coop floor, perch and run space for your flock size, against the UK legal minimum / RSPCA Assured standard or US extension guidance.
Chicken coop size calculator →
04Decide coop-only or coop and run+−
Coop-only means more indoor space per bird but simpler predator protection; a run needs genuinely secure fencing but shrinks the coop footprint.
Coop-only vs coop and run →
05Plan for a real flock, not one or two hens+−
The RSPCA highly recommends at least three hens — chickens are social and need company, not just tolerate it — plus how to introduce a new bird safely.
Do chickens need a companion? →
06Budget for predator-proofing, not just the coop kit+−
Hardware cloth, buried skirting and a secure latch are what actually keeps a flock safe — and what a simple coop-kit price usually leaves out.
What it costs to keep chickens →
07Work out feed and bedding+−
Feed needs are age-banded (chick, grower, layer); coop bedding shares its starting depth with ducks.
How much a chicken eats per day →
08Learn the day-to-day health checklist+−
Worming, worm types, lice, red mites, feather pecking, and the signs that mean a call to the vet, from RSPCA guidance.
Chicken health and vet care →

Calculators and tools

These cover all nine species — following a link opens them with chickens already selected.

Plan My Setup
Housing, outdoor land, bedding, feed and running cost together in one place, for a species and headcount.
Feed Cost Calculator
Estimate daily, weekly and monthly feed cost from a headcount and your local feed price.
Water Calculator
How much water your animals drink a day and a week, from the published figure for each species.
Bedding Calculator
How much bedding to start with, based on your floor area and species.
Cost of Keeping Calculator
Feed, vet allowance and other ongoing costs, by species — a weekly, monthly and yearly running-cost estimate.
How Much Land Do I Need?
Indoor housing plus outdoor paddock or run space combined — the total footprint, not just the pen size.
Breeding & Hatching Due-Date Calculator
Enter a mating or egg-set date and get an expected due/hatch date, by species.
Compare Animals
Which backyard animal needs the most space, land or vet budget — a side-by-side comparison of all nine species.
Sources & Methodology
Every figure behind every species' housing calculator, traced to its source, what it applies to and when it was last checked.

Chickens guides

How Much Space Does a Chicken Actually Need?
The principles behind coop and run space for hens — why more birds don't scale simply, and what a small flock actually needs versus a large one.
Can You Legally Keep Chickens in Your Backyard?
What actually determines whether backyard chicken-keeping is allowed — land-use rules, flock registration, and the roosters-specifically problem.
Coop Only vs Coop + Run: What's the Real Difference?
Why giving hens a run doesn't shrink the coop they need, and the genuine trade-offs between a confined coop and a coop-plus-run setup.
How Much Does It Cost to Keep Chickens?
A realistic breakdown of what backyard chickens actually cost — purchase price, feed, predator-proofing and setup costs first-time keepers underestimate.

See all 16 guides →

Common questions about chickens

How much space does a chicken need?: In the UK, coop floor space is about 0.11 m² per hen (a flat per-hen figure under both the legal minimum and RSPCA Assured), plus 2 m² per hen of run space if given. The US has no legal minimum; Cooperative Extension guidance gives 3–4 sq ft per hen with run access, or 8–10 sq ft without.
Can I keep chickens in my backyard?: In most residential areas, yes — chickens are the most commonly permitted backyard animal. Roosters are the main exception, since many places that permit hens ban roosters specifically over crowing noise. Some places also require flock registration, regardless of flock size.
Does giving hens a run mean I need a smaller coop?: No. Coop and run are two separate space budgets — a run adds space on top of the coop requirement rather than reducing it.
How much does it cost to keep chickens?: The birds themselves are cheap (often well under $100 for a small starter flock), but feed commonly runs $50–100 a month and genuine predator-proofing (hardware cloth, buried skirting, a secure latch) is a real cost that a simple coop-kit price usually leaves out.

Want to see what keeping chickens is actually like?

Try My Backyard — a simple interactive simulation. Adopt one, feed it, play with it, keep its bedding clean, and see how it gets on.

Play My Backyard →