How to Learn to Build Chicken Coops

Numerous chicken coop designs utilize a wide array of building materials.

Chicken coops are built to provide dry, draft-free housing for chickens at all stages of development. Coops protect the birds from harsh weather and predators. Their design is intended to minimize injury to the chickens. Chicken coops vary greatly in size and design because of the wide variety of chicken breeds, the range in climates and the availability of construction materials. There are numerous factors to be considered when learning how to build chicken coops.

Instructions

1. Select the breed of chickens you wish to raise. Research the breed characteristics, such as hardiness in cold weather or tolerance to hot weather. Find the average weight of the mature birds. Determine if the chickens are laying hens, meat birds, dual-purpose chickens or show birds. These factors are all important considerations when designing the coop.

2. Research the purchase of hatching eggs, chicks, young chickens or mature birds. Chicks up to 6 weeks of age require a brooder to provide them with heat and protection. Young chickens may require a more secure coop design.

3. Contact the county or city and obtain information about any building ordinances for chicken coops and restrictions on raising chickens. Research the local climate and note problems such as high winds, deep snow or heavy rain. Ordinances and severe weather can mean you need to alter the coop design. Coops often face south to allow the sun to dry and warm the coop during the day.

4. Obtain designs for portable or permanent coops. Portable coops are used for free-range flocks. The coops have a bottomless floor and are moved by hand or a tractor. Permanent houses are usually made from sturdier materials, house a larger number of chickens and are designed to make chores easier.

5. Calculate the space requirement for the chickens. Laying hens require a minimum of 1.5 square feet per bird in the coop and 8 square feet per bird in the attached run. Bantam chickens require less space, 1 square foot in the chicken coop and 4 square feet in the run. Chickens require 6 to 10 inches of perch space and one nest box for every 4 to 5 laying hens.

6. Create a budget for the chicken coop. Gather any construction materials you have on hand and estimate the price of materials you will need to purchase. Select strong, easy to clean chicken coop materials. Alter the chicken coop design to match your budget.

7. Protect the chickens from predators by planning the style and type of fencing for your coop. The outside fencing is buried at least 12-inches deep or embedded in a concrete floor. The run may be covered with mesh or netting to protect against hawks and owls. Talk to chicken farmers in the area and obtain information about local predators. Chickens are locked up at night in the coop during a severe predator threat.

8. Design an easy-to-use chicken coop. A coop height that allows full access, doors that swing inward, easy-to-fill water and feed troughs, and laying boxes for fast egg collection are all useful.

9. Makes plans to provide light in the chicken coop. Hens require 15 hours of daylight per day to continue egg laying. One light installed at ceiling height for each 40-feet of coop is usually sufficient.

References

• Virginia Cooperative Extension: Small Scale Poultry Housing
• University of Massachusetts Extension: Poultry Housing
• Penn State Cooperative Extension: The ABC's of Backyard Poultry
• New Mexico State University: How to Keep a Small Poultry Flock

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish