Ever stood in your backyard, scratching your head while trying to figure out just how tall to make your chicken run? You’re not alone! This is one of the most common questions I get from new chicken keepers, and today I’m gonna break it down for ya in simple terms.
When I built my first chicken run I made the rookie mistake of making it too short. Trust me, you don’t want to be hunched over like Quasimodo every time you need to clean the run or check on your feathered friends!
The Perfect Chicken Run Height: 6 Feet Is Your Magic Number
Here’s the straight answer A chicken run should be at least 6 feet tall
Why 6 feet? Well, this height serves multiple important purposes:
- Human comfort: You’ll be able to walk in without stooping (unless you’re really tall!)
- Chicken containment: Discourages even your most determined flyers from making a great escape
- Predator protection: Makes it harder for climbing predators to get in
- Proper ventilation: Allows for good airflow throughout the run
Some folks think they can get away with a 4-foot tall run, but I strongly advise against it. While it might contain some chicken breeds, it makes cleaning and maintenance a real pain in the neck (literally!).
Why Height Really Matters for Your Chicken Run
Predator Protection
Hawks, owls, raccoons, and other predators are constantly looking for an easy chicken dinner. A taller run, especially when covered with secure netting or roofing, creates a significant barrier against these unwanted guests.
When I lived near a wooded area, we had frequent hawk visits. After upgrading to a 6-foot tall covered run, we never lost another chicken to aerial predators.
Chicken Comfort and Health
Your chickens need vertical space to:
- Flap their wings comfortably
- Perch at different heights
- Avoid overcrowding stress
- Express natural behaviors
Low runs lead to stressed chickens, and stressed chickens lay fewer eggs and are more prone to health problems. Not what we want!
Human Accessibility (Don’t Underestimate This!)
Listen, I’ve spent enough time bent over in a too-short run to know that your back will thank you for those extra inches of height.
A taller run allows you to:
- Stand upright while cleaning
- Easily access feeders and waterers
- Comfortably interact with your birds
- Perform health checks without contortionist moves
Factors That Might Affect Your Chicken Run Height
Chicken Breed Considerations
Different breeds have different needs:
| Breed Type | Flight Ability | Recommended Run Height |
|---|---|---|
| Large Breeds (Brahmas, Jersey Giants) | Low | 6 feet minimum |
| Medium Breeds (Rhode Island Reds) | Moderate | 6-7 feet |
| Light Breeds (Leghorns) | High | 7+ feet or covered top |
| Bantams | Very High | Must have covered top |
My Leghorns once cleared a 5-foot fence like it was nothing! After that, I added another foot of height and a net over the top.
Local Climate and Weather
In areas with heavy snow, you might need extra height to account for snow accumulation. Similarly, in very hot climates, a taller run can provide more shade options and better air circulation.
When we moved to an area with regular snowfall, I made sure our new run was tall enough that snow wouldn’t block the entrance or weigh down the roof.
Run Size and Chicken Population
The smaller your run’s footprint, the more important vertical space becomes. If you have limited yard space, build up instead of out!
Common Questions About Chicken Run Height
Can I get away with a 4-foot tall chicken run?
Technically, you could, but I really don’t recommend it. While it might contain some breeds (especially if the top is covered), it severely limits human access, makes cleaning difficult, and doesn’t provide enough vertical space for your chickens to thrive.
Do I need to cover the top of my chicken run?
In most cases, yes! A covered run protects from:
- Aerial predators (hawks, owls)
- Flying chickens escaping
- Rain and snow
- Excessive sun exposure
My favorite covering options are:
- Hardware cloth for maximum security
- Poultry netting for basic protection
- Clear corrugated roofing for weather protection
- Shade cloth for hot climates
How does run height relate to coop height?
Your coop needs to be at least 3.5 feet tall on the lowest side, with roosting bars about 20 inches high. The run should be taller than the coop to allow comfortable human access.
In my setup, I’ve made the run 6 feet tall, while the attached coop is about 4 feet at its highest point. This works perfectly for my needs.
Practical Considerations for Building Your Chicken Run
Materials Matter
When building a tall run, structure stability becomes more important. I recommend:
- Pressure-treated lumber for the frame (4×4 posts for corners)
- Hardware cloth instead of chicken wire (much more predator-resistant!)
- Strong corner bracing to prevent leaning
- Concrete footings for posts in very tall runs
Cost Considerations
A taller run will require more materials, which means higher costs. However, the investment is absolutely worth it for:
- Easier maintenance (saving your back)
- Better chicken health (less vet bills)
- Improved predator protection (saving your chickens)
- Longer-lasting structure (better stability)
When I upgraded from our original 4-foot run to a 6-foot run, the material cost was about 30% higher, but the benefits have been priceless.
Creative Ways to Maximize Vertical Space
If you’ve built a nice tall run, make the most of that vertical space:
- Install perches at different heights
- Create ramps to elevated platforms
- Hang treat dispensers and toys
- Make a dust bath area under raised platforms
- Install hanging feeders and waterers to free up floor space
In my run, I built a multi-level jungle gym of sorts, with different perches and platforms. The chickens absolutely love it, and it makes full use of the vertical space!
Final Thoughts: Go Tall or Go Home!
When it comes to chicken run height, taller is almost always better. The minimum 6-foot height balances chicken needs, predator protection, and human comfort.
Remember, a well-built chicken run is an investment in your flock’s health and your enjoyment of chicken keeping. Trust me, your back and your chickens will thank you for those extra inches of height!
Have you built a chicken run before? What height did you choose, and would you build it differently next time? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments!
This article is based on my personal experience keeping chickens for over 10 years, as well as research from trusted sources in the chicken-keeping community. Always check local regulations and zoning laws before building any permanent structures on your property.
How to build a tall enough chicken coop for 5-6 Chickens
If you want to build a chicken coop yourself, but have no idea where to start, you’re in luck! I’ve actually put together detailed plans and a step-by-step video course to show you exactly how to build the red coop that’s featured in this article.
Learn more about the course here!
Why a chicken coop must be at least 5 tall
My first chicken coops were all walk-in chicken coops. They were so spacey, I never really thought about how much vertical area chickens needed in a coop.
But later on, I needed a chicken coop to house only 5-6 chickens. I wanted the coop to be as small as possible, while still being large enough that all of my chickens’ physical and psychological needs were met.
You can see the coop my husband and I ended up building in the photo below. And you can see the interior of the coop in the annotated photo up above.
You can see this coop has a sloping roof. The actual coop itself (not including the legs) is about ~3.5 feet tall on its shortest end.
In the sections below, I break down exactly how I’ve determined 3.5 feet as a minimum height.
And please, do keep in mind, this is a minimum height. I cover this more below, but my chickens are free range and they only use the coop for roosting and laying eggs. They don’t need as much space in their coop as chickens who live in an enclosed run.
If your chickens will be spending a lot of time in your coop or if they have a very small run, you’ll want to increase the size of your coop. Your chickens will always appreciate more space. For more information on chicken coop size, check out my article, How big should your chicken coop be?
You want your roosting bars to be high enough that chickens can walk underneath them. In the coop above, the roosting bars are 20 inches high. This is the bare minimum height I would suggest for roosting bars.
If your roosting bars are any shorter than this, your chickens won’t be able to use the floor space, and you will need to build a larger coop.
You will want about 4 square feet of space per chicken, assuming your chickens have a nice-sized run. If your chickens don’t have a nice-sized run, they will need more floor space, at least 5 square feet/chicken, but the more, the better. If your roosting bars are too low, then you’ve lost that floor space.
If your nesting boxes are higher than your roosting bars, your chickens will sleep on them or even inside of them. They like to roost on the highest spot they can access.
In the coop I’ve shown above, the nesting boxes are at floor level. They are built off the side of the coop – you can see them better in the photo at the bottom of this article.
This is crucial, especially if you live in a place that gets cold winters or any inclement weather. You need your coop to be tall enough that chickens are not exposed to drafts when they’re up on their roosting bars at night. In the coop pictured above, the ventilation was installed on the lowest and highest sides of the coop, just under the roof.
On the lowest side of the coop, the ventilation begins at 18” above the roosting bars. Again, this is the bare minimum amount of height you want to consider for your chickens. If your ventilation is any lower, your chickens will likely be exposed to drafts.
If your chickens do get exposed to drafts, they will, at the very best, be living a very miserable, low-quality life. At worst, they may get frostbite and even die. Your smartest chickens will learn to sleep in the nesting boxes, and then you’re going to have a lot of poop in your nesting boxes.
You’ll notice that over the left roosting bar in the photo above, I have hung an overhead heater. This helps warm the chickens during the cold months, and prevents their combs from getting frostbite. This type of overhead heater, made for chicken coops, is a Sweeter Heater—I ordered mine from Amazon and I can’t recommend it highly enough.
These heaters come in many different sizes, so they work in small and large coops. I use them in all of my coops, and I highly recommend them.
You want to make sure your coop is tall enough that you can add enough ventilation near the ceiling for your chickens. In the coop pictured above, I have 5-inch high ventilation running all the way across the top of the shortest and tallest walls in the coop.
Chicken coop ventilation is a very difficult topic for the first-time chicken owner. I had such a hard time trying to figure out how much ventilation my first coop needed. I really couldn’t find a trustworthy source to give me straight numbers.
There’s a reason for this. The amount of ventilation you need will be specific to your management style, the number of chickens you have, how large your coop is, and the area where you live. There is no easy number.
If you live in a humid place, you may need more ventilation. If you have a lot of chickens in your coop, you’ll need more ventilation. If you have a very spacious coop with very high ceilings, you can get away with less ventilation than if the ceilings were low.
Even the type of bedding you use can make a huge difference in how much ventilation you need. If you use sand bedding, and especially if you scoop the droppings out weekly (or better yet, daily), you can get away with less ventilation.
Because sand is inorganic, a lot less ammonia and other odorous gases are produced in the coop. For more on using sand, see my article, Using sand for chicken coop bedding.
If you’re using organic bedding and you replace it weekly, you can get away with less ventilation than somebody who replaces it monthly. If you’re using the deep litter method, you’re going to need a whole lot of ventilation.
Many websites give the number of at least 1 square foot of ventilation per chicken. In most of my coops, I have less than that. The only time I ever had a problem with not enough ventilation was when I tried the deep bedding method with pine shavings in my large, walk-in coop.
Other sites say you should have at least 1 square foot of ventilation per 10 square feet of floor area. This tends to be considerably less ventilation than the 1 square foot per chicken estimate.
My best suggestion is that if you have a smaller coop, like the one I’ve shown you here, try to have a 4-6 inch strip of ventilation across a couple of the walls, like I’ve done. And remember, if you think you’re going to need more than that, make sure to build a coop with higher walls so that the ventilation doesn’t get too close to your chickens’ heads when they’re roosting.