Chicken run plans: run size and hardware cloth for your flock
How big a run your hens need, how a CoopCut run is framed, and how much hardware cloth it takes, from the engine that draws CoopCut plans.
How big a chicken run should be
| Bird size | Run per bird | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Bantams | 8 sq ft | Virginia Tech (5-8) |
| Standard breeds | 10 sq ft | Virginia Tech (10) |
| Large breeds | 12 sq ft | University of Tennessee (heavy breeds +2) |
CoopCut sizes the run from these numbers and builds it from 2x4 panels covered in 1/2 in hardware cloth, with a mesh top. A lean-to's run is 4 ft high and includes the shaded space under the raised coop; a walk-in run is 6 ft high with its own door.
Run sizes by flock
What CoopCut recommends for a mild climate when you leave the design to it, with the run it draws and the hardware cloth for the whole build (run walls and top, apron, vents and windows, in 48 in wide rolls). Standard breeds:
| Flock | Coop | Coop size | Run | Run area | Hardware cloth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 standard hens | Lean-to with run | 4' x 4' | 6' x 4', 4' high | 40 sq ft | 59 ft |
| 6 standard hens | Lean-to with run | 6' x 4' | 10' x 4', 4' high | 64 sq ft | 93 ft |
| 8 standard hens | Walk-in with run | 6' x 6' | 20' x 4', 6' high | 80 sq ft | 150 ft |
| 12 standard hens | Walk-in with run | 10' x 6' | 20' x 6', 6' high | 120 sq ft | 169 ft |
| 16 standard hens | Walk-in with run | 12' x 6' | 20' x 8', 6' high | 160 sq ft | 189 ft |
Large breeds:
| Flock | Coop | Coop size | Run | Run area | Hardware cloth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 large hens | Lean-to with run | 6' x 4' | 6' x 4', 4' high | 48 sq ft | 72 ft |
| 6 large hens | Lean-to with run | 8' x 4' | 10' x 4', 4' high | 72 sq ft | 103 ft |
| 8 large hens | Walk-in with run | 8' x 6' | 12' x 8', 6' high | 96 sq ft | 135 ft |
| 12 large hens | Walk-in with run | 10' x 6' | 24' x 6', 6' high | 144 sq ft | 197 ft |
| 16 large hens | Walk-in with run | 10' x 8' | 24' x 8', 6' high | 192 sq ft | 221 ft |
How the walk-in run is built
The run for 12 standard hens is 20' x 6', 6' high (120 sq ft). Its frame, from the plan's members list:
- Run front: 1 x bottom rail (on the ground) 96", 1 x top rail 96", 9 x post 69", 2 x mid rail (flat, at mesh seam) 45 3/4", 2 x bottom rail (on the ground) 72", 2 x top rail 72", 4 x mid rail (flat, at mesh seam) 33 3/4".
- Run left end: 1 x bottom rail (on the ground) 68 1/2", 1 x top rail 68 1/2", 3 x post 69", 2 x mid rail (flat, at mesh seam) 32".
- Run right end: 1 x bottom rail (on the ground) 68 1/2", 1 x top rail 68 1/2", 3 x post 69", 1 x mid rail (flat, at mesh seam) 32".
- Run right end door: 2 x door stile 68 1/2", 3 x door rail 28 1/2", 2 x door diagonal brace 41 7/8".
- Run back (past the coop): 1 x bottom rail (on the ground) 72", 1 x top rail 72", 5 x post 69", 2 x mid rail (flat, at mesh seam) 33 3/4", 1 x bottom rail (on the ground) 48", 1 x top rail 48", 1 x mid rail (flat, at mesh seam) 45".
- Run top: 1 x ledger on the coop front wall (flat, into studs) 120", 6 x top joist (on edge, 48 in on center) 72".
Bottom rails sit on the ground, so they are pressure-treated; everything else is plain 2x4 or 2x3. Mid rails lie flat where two widths of mesh meet, so every seam is screwed to wood.
Hardware cloth, apron and fasteners
| Item | Qty | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ground staples or 12 in landscape pins (apron) | 37 | |
| 1/2" hardware cloth, 19 gauge galvanized, 48" wide | 169 ft | never chicken wire; rolls of 25, 50 or 100 ft |
| 1 1/4" screws + 1" fender washers (hardware cloth) | about 1200 | every 6 in around each piece |
| Heavy-duty staples, 1/2 in | 1 box | to hold mesh while you screw it |
- 1/2 in hardware cloth, never chicken wire: chicken wire keeps hens in, but raccoons tear it and weasels go through it.
- A 24 in apron around the run, buried 12 in and bent out 12 in, so a digging predator hits mesh. Virginia Tech and Penn State advise burying it 12 in; CoopCut also bends it 12 in out.
- Screws with 1 in fender washers every 6 in around each piece of mesh; staples only hold it while you screw.
- The mesh top keeps hawks out, but it does not carry snow: brush snow off before it piles up.
Size a coop and run for your flock: the drawing, size and lumber count are free; the full plan is $29.99.
Before you build
- A CoopCut plan is guidance for a backyard hobby building, not an engineered or stamped drawing.
- Check your local building code, zoning, setbacks, permit and HOA rules before you build.
- Plans are not engineered for heavy snow or a specific snow or wind load.
- Lumber is listed at actual size; measure your own boards and plywood before you cut.
Get a coop and run plan sized for your hens
Questions
How big should a chicken run be?
8 sq ft per bantam, 10 per standard hen and 12 per large hen. CoopCut rounds the run up to whole panels, so the run it draws is at least that big.
How much hardware cloth do I need for a chicken run?
For 12 standard hens CoopCut's walk-in with a 20' x 6' run takes 169 ft of 48 in hardware cloth for the whole build, including the apron, vents and windows.
How tall should a chicken run be?
CoopCut's walk-in run is 6 ft high, so you can walk in; the lean-to's run is 4 ft high and you reach in through its doors.
Should a chicken run have a roof?
CoopCut plans cover the run top with hardware cloth to keep hawks and climbing predators out. Mesh does not carry snow: brush snow off, and in heavy-snow areas consider a solid roof over part of the run.