How to Make a Chicken Coop

A chicken coop is a building structure, which is erected for housing chickens. A well-planned coop provides the best living environment for the chickens. Some of the features of a chicken coop include outdoor run, temperature control, predator protection, proper ventilation and insulation. For easy cleaning of the coop floor, majority of the hobbyists prefer to add certain dry materials such as straw, wood chips or rice husk (whichever is available).

A chicken coop is a basic necessity to raise poultry, either for commercial benefits or for fun. Nevertheless, the size and features may vary based on the number of chickens and the purpose of raising. You can consider chicken coop construction on your own, rather than purchasing the ready-made coops. Surf the Internet and you will find several sites that offer free chicken coop blueprints. Let's take a brief look on how to make chicken coops at home.

Making a Chicken Coop

The chicken coop design should be such that it meets the basic needs of the particular chicken breed. For example; there should be enough space for each bird, perches and nest boxes. In case, you are raising chicken for meat, then you can skip adding the nest boxes. The location of the coop should receive sufficient sunlight to warm up the inside of the coop. According to your plan, prepare the chicken coop layouts prior to constructing the coop. In the layout, you can add certain features as per the availability of space.

Speaking about the chicken coop finish, wood is the best durable material. Other building material options include plastic, metals and PVC. You can purchase scrap lumbers at low prices for making chicken coops. The amount of lumber depends on the dimension of the coop that you are going to construct. Also, get ready with the tools and materials such as measuring tape, fencing plier, shovels, hammers, cement blocks, boards, screws, grill, wiring, light fixtures, small fans, salvaged doors and windows.

Construct the frame of the chicken coop as per the layout. The flooring area should be such that each chicken is provided with two square feet space. Measure the dimensions accurately and erect the walls and ceilings. Consider insulating the walls, if you are residing in a cold region. Following this, you can fix mesh wire to the top and sides of the coop. Install the door and window frames with the bolts. The door size should be large enough for easy access to cleaning and maintaining the inside of the chicken coop.

Place the feeders and water tubs and nest boxes for laying eggs inside the chicken coop. If you are raising many chickens at a time, add more than one feeders and water tubs. Speaking about the chicken run, you can consider adding a free ranging area, particularly if the coop is located in the backyard. However, if there is possibility of predator threats, you can construct enclosed chicken coops without attaching a chicken run. Complete the task of making a chicken coop by connecting the light fixtures and the fans.

You can add a finishing touch to the constructed chicken coop by painting the shed with a light color. Do not opt for bright colors, as it may attract the predators, instead you can select a wooden color or green color to match the landscape. Chicken coop construction on your own will also cost about $150-$200 (for four to five chicken). In addition to these tips, you can also find several sites that provide free plans for building a chicken coop.