How much coop space do chickens need?

Planning guidance is roughly 3–4 square feet of coop floor per standard hen plus 8–10 square feet of run. The calculator sizes framing and hardware cloth from the flock size you enter.

Hardware cloth or chicken wire?

Hardware cloth resists predators; poultry netting mainly contains birds. The takeoff quantifies hardware cloth including a buried or skirted apron.

Are the material costs accurate for my area?

Costs are regional estimates only, indexed by ZIP against national material averages. Always confirm current prices with your supplier before buying — the numbers here are for planning and budgeting, not a quote.

Do I need to confirm my measurements first?

Yes. The calculator asks you to verify key dimensions before it will produce material, cut, or shopping lists, because a single mistyped dimension changes every quantity downstream.

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Chicken coop · Step 1 of 5 · Flock size

How many chickens?

Rule of thumb: 4 sq ft inside the coop and 10 sq ft in the run — per hen. Too little space causes pecking and disease.

Number of hens

Live estimate

Prices for your area

Enter your ZIP to re-price materials, or keep national averages.

Reviewed weekly · price book updated 2026-07-27See what changed

DIY vs. hiring a pro

Free

Save about $2,310 (57%)

building this chicken coop yourself.

You build it$1,711

Materials only, your sweat.

A contractor builds it$4,021

Typical bids land $3,538–$4,745.

Materials: $2,139
Labor: $1,882
Est. hours: 34

Contractor figures assume a $55/hr blended labor rate (national average). Estimates only — use them to sanity-check a bid, not as a quote.

Cut-list optimizer

Free

Buy 23 boards · 13% offcut

264 linear ft purchased, 230 ft used — 34 ft ($40) left over. Cutting from these stock lengths avoids about $68 of scrap versus one board per piece.

9 × 2 × 4 @ 16'
Wall studs · ~2.9 pieces per board
14 ft scrap (10%)
9 × 4 × 4 @ 8'
Skids, Run posts · 1 piece per board
4 ft scrap (6%)
4 × 2 × 6 @ 10'
Floor joists · 1 piece per board
12 ft scrap (30%)
1 × 2 × 2 @ 8'
Roost bar · 1 piece per board
4 ft scrap (50%)

Estimates only. Includes a 1/8" blade kerf per cut. Measure your own site and check board lengths at the yard before buying.

Check a contractor bid

Free

Enter what a pro quoted you. We'll break it down against this project's materials and national labor rates.

Bid totalMaterials (optional)Labor (optional)

$1,711

incl. 10% waste

Materials

Coop: 24 sqft
Run: 60 sqft
Per hen: 21 sqft
Nest boxes: 1
Hardware cloth rolls: 4

Chicken coop calculator questions

Common questions about this takeoff. All output is an estimate only — confirm quantities and prices before you buy.