How to Build a Minicoop for Chickens
If you only have a few chickens, you can create a miniature coop in which to house them. Mini chicken coops are typically portable and can be moved from place to place with a little effort, saving your grass and giving your chickens a new area on which to feed. The size of a mini chicken coop varies, depending on the number of chickens you're housing inside the structure. A typical chicken needs at least 1 to 2 square feet of space. Remember to make your mini chicken coop small enough that you can move it. A typical, moveable mini chicken coop will only house up to about 10 chickens. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 4-by-8 sheets of 3/4-inch thick plywood
- 2-by-4s
- Circular saw
- Drill
- Screws
- Measuring tape
- Nails
- Hammer
- Shingles or roofing tin
- Handsaw
- 2 hinges
Instructions
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1
Decide how big you want your mini chicken coop to be. Cut four 4-by-8 sheets of 3/4-inch plywood to length to create four walls. Make your walls no more than 4 feet long each, if you want to move your mini chicken coop.
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2
Use a circular saw to cut a number of 4 foot long 2-by-4s. Cut enough 2-by-4s to place one every 2 feet along your walls.
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3
Drill pilot holes every 6 inches in a vertical line down each of your 2-by-4s. Drill a second line of pilot holes parallel to the first line about approximately an inch from the first line.
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4
Place the long, flat side of one of the 2-by-4s against the plywood. Position the 2-by-4 at one end of the plywood, so the short side of the 2-by-4 is flush with the edge of the plywood. Screw the 2-by-4 to the plywood. Repeat the process on the other end of the plywood board.
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5
Position another 2-by-4 approximately 2 feet from the first 2-by-4 on the plywood. Screw it to the plywood. Repeat until there's a 2-by-4 approximately every 2 feet. Do the same thing on the side of the chicken coop intended to be parallel to the first.
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6
Place a sheet of plywood against the end of one of the sheets with the 2-by-4s installed. Drill holes through the plywood sheet without 2-by-4s into the 2-by-4 on the end of the plywood sheet. Screw the plywood to the 2-by-4, creating a corner. Repeat the process with each piece of plywood until you've created a basic square.
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7
Place a 2-by-4 in each corner flush against the first corner 2-by-4 to create a bracket. Drill holes and screw the 2-by-4 to the wall.
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8
Position, drill and screw the remaining 2-by-4 into place approximately every 2 feet on the walls without 2-by-4s.
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9
Use a measuring tape to measure the length of each of your walls. Cut additional 2-by-4s to create a frame for the roof. Screw each of the roof frame 2-by-4s to the top of the corresponding 2-by-4 studs in the wall. Repeat this process on each side until you've created a frame.
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10
Measure the top of your mini chicken coop with your measuring tape. Add 2 inches to the length measurement and 2 inches to the width measurement. Cut a piece of plywood to size. Center the plywood on top of your chicken coop. Nail or screw the plywood around the edges to 2-by-4 roof frame underneath the plywood. Attach shingles or tin to the roof for extra protection against the elements.
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11
Use a handsaw to cut a 12-inch square into the side of your wall between two 2-by-4s. Add additional support to the door by framing the inside of the door with 2-by-4s. Attach two hinges to the top of the piece of board you removed and the wall of your chicken coop, so you can open and close it with ease.
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Tips & Warnings
Cut two of your walls at an angle, and make the front wall taller then the back to increase drainage and protect against the elements.
If you plan to keep younger birds in your chicken coop, you may want to apply farm-grade insulation to the walls.
If you want to add a floor to your coop, create a basic floor frame using 2-by-4s. Then screw plywood to the frame to create a floor.
Always wear protective gear such as safety glasses, when using power tools.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/BananaStock/Getty Images
