How We Research

Every number on Coopgauge comes from an extension guide, a breed standard or a maker's label. We write down the source, then the assumption, then the number.

Most of our numbers come from university extension services. These are the public outreach arms of land-grant universities, and their poultry guides are written by staff who work with farmers and backyard keepers. We lean on Penn State, Oregon State, Minnesota, Maine, Kentucky, Missouri, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Texas A&M.

Breed facts come from three kinds of sources. The first is the breed standard, as summarized by Oklahoma State's Breeds of Livestock pages. The second is The Livestock Conservancy, which keeps a comparison chart of heritage breeds. The third is hatchery breed pages, such as Cackle Hatchery and Townline Hatchery, which list weights, egg counts and broodiness for the lines they sell.

Product numbers come from the maker. Floor area, run area, capacity, wattage and bag volume are read from the listing or the manual. We note the date we read it, because listings change.

Here is what that looks like in practice. The run figure of 8 sq ft per hen is Penn State's. The ¼ in gap that a least weasel can pass is from Kentucky Extension ID-245. The 21 days at 99.5 to 100°F for incubation is from Texas A&M AgriLife. The 2 lb of starter per chick for 6 weeks is from University of Maine Bulletin #2222. The 24 to 26 hours it takes to form an egg is from Ohio State.

Breed weights work the same way. An Orpington hen at 8 lb is the APA figure on Oklahoma State's page. A Leghorn at 250 to 300 eggs a year is from The Livestock Conservancy chart. A Silkie at 100 to 120 eggs is from Townline Hatchery.

• We find the figure in a source we can link to, and we read the page or the PDF ourselves.
• We write the figure into our notes with the source, the page and the date.
• If two sources differ, we show the range, and we say which figure our tables use.
• If a figure is our own math, such as hens that fit a coop by floor area, we say so and show the rule we used.
• If we cannot find a source for a number, we leave the number out.

Every page ends with a source list. Each entry names the publisher, the document and, in brackets, the figures we took from it. If you follow the link, you should find the same number.

Hatchery egg counts are estimates. Hatcheries say so themselves, and lines differ. We print them as ranges and name the hatchery, so you can compare like with like.

The coop size calculator multiplies your hen count by per-hen figures. For a standard hen, it uses 4 sq ft of coop floor, 8 sq ft of run, 8 in of roost bar and 1 nest box per 4 hens. Bantams get 2 sq ft of floor and 4 sq ft of run. Large breeds get 5 sq ft and 10 sq ft.

Those figures sit inside the published ranges. Minnesota Extension gives 3 to 5 sq ft of indoor space per bird, and we use the middle. Penn State gives 8 sq ft of run per laying hen and 4 sq ft per bantam. Oregon State gives 1 nest box per 4 birds. The calculator page lists each source.

Our research happens at the desk. We read published guides, breed standards and maker listings. Product boxes show sizes and capacities as the maker lists them. Prices change by the week, so we leave them to Amazon.

Our pages stay with numbers you can measure. Space, heat, feed, eggs and gear. For anything outside that, your local extension office is a good first call. Most counties have one.

We cover coops, runs, equipment, hatching and brooding, feeding and breeds. Each page starts with the numbers, then explains them. Tables carry their sources in the caption, and diagrams carry them in the figure note.

We use AI tools to help draft text and to run checks on reading level and sentence length. Every number is checked against its source page before a page goes live, and every page passes an automatic check for words we do not use, such as claims outside our scope.

Product links go to Amazon. A product appears because its listed size or capacity fits the job on the page.

When we find an error, we fix it and log the change below with the date. If you spot a number that does not match its source, email contact@coopgauge.com with the page and the line. We reply, and we fix it.