During a storm, you're bored, and you have some chickens. You can just sit in your chair and wait. Or, you can find tools and a few pieces of wood in your barn and build a home for your poultry.
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Part 1 of 5: Planning the chicken coop
Step 1. Determine the size of your chicken coop
The ideal size for a coop changes quickly, depending on the type of cage and how many chickens you have. Below are some rules for the most commonly used types of chicken coops:
- Cages without external cages: This is the basic type mostly used for chicken coops, consisting only of a physical indoor structure. The chickens will be limited in the available space until someone takes them out, so there's at least 5 square feet for each chicken.
- Outdoor chicken coop: This is a bit more difficult to build than a simple coop, but it will give your chickens more space, as well as the option to be outside. Make 2 to 3 square feet per chicken for the coop, and at least 4 square feet per chicken for the outdoor area.
- Special winter cage: This cage is used to keep your chickens inside during the winter months. Since it's not very good for chickens to be outside during the bad weather months, make between 7 and 10 square feet per chicken.
- Note that the hen's nest also requires an incubating area of at least 1 square foot for 4 chicks, preferably 6-10cm per roost area for each hen. This perch is at least 2m off the ground (height will keep your chickens dry during the rainy season)).
Step 2. Choose a location for the cage
If possible, place your coop in the shade of a large tree, where it will shade in the summer and keep your chickens from overheating.
Sunlight interferes with egg incubation, so don't try to place your cage in direct light. Alternatively, you can use a yellow light in the cage to increase egg production (white or blue light will have no effect)
Step 3. Know what you are going to put in the cage
The more you put in the coop, the less room there will be for your chickens. However, it is very important to think about what items you will put in the cage, so you can calculate the available space in your cage construction plan.
- Perch. They are often made of small wooden sticks hanging from the walls of the coop, and the height of the perch takes up a lot of space, making it a comfortable place for your chickens to sleep.
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Place to incubate. You can make a nest out of an old box or basket with straw or sawdust. Without enough room to nest, your hens will lay their eggs on the ground, increasing the chance that the eggs will break. Keep in mind that the average chicken lays an egg every one or two days. The size of the incubator should be based on the number of hens and how often you plan to take eggs. Usually one incubator for 4 to 5 chickens is sufficient.
Another fact is that the height of the nest will keep predators away, the height of your nest is not as important as its location. Make sure that the nest is clean, dry, and that it is separate from the perch (or you make your chickens poop on your eggs!)
- Air circulation. To prevent diseases caused by dirty air, a ventilation system will be needed. If you plan to keep the enclosure closed for the whole year, make sure it includes a small window made of wire to let you get proper airflow.
- Sandbox. Chickens often clean themselves with a sand bath. To keep your chickens happy and looking free, consider adding a few boxes filled with sand or soil.
Step 4. Decide when you build the cage from the ground or remodel an old building
If you have an unused garage, barn, or even a large dog kennel, you can get the job done and remodel for a chicken coop by adding the amenities mentioned above. If you are building a cage from scratch, choose a plan that fits the description above. The methods below will help you build a simple chicken coop, ideally used with the help of an outdoor coop. If that doesn't suit your needs, you can search for hundreds of other plans by typing “Chicken Coop Building Designs” into your favorite search engine.
- Consider convenience. Remember that you need to clean the chicken coop, as often as you change the food and water. If you don't want to build a large enough enclosure, look for a design that gives you several options, such as multiple "access doors".
- If you decide to remodel an old building, avoid wood that has been painted or coated with chemicals, or you risk damaging the health of you and your chickens.
Part 2 of 5: Making walls and floors
Step 1. Scale the size
The basic cage size is 4/6 feet (24 square feet for floor space). If you need additional space, please scale it up.
Step 2. Make the floor
For easy building and cleaning, start with a piece of plywood for the ideal size (in this case, 4 to 6 feet). Make sure the plywood size is between 1.3cm and 0.6cm thick.
- If you are cutting the plywood yourself, use a pen with a straight, easy-to-see edge to make a line before you cut.
- Screw on the frame. To keep the floor firm, 2x4 screws around the bottom edge. You can also screw a straight row down the center of the floor for extra security. To make sure the corner points are firmly attached, use a long pipe to clamp.
Step 3. Build a solid wall
It's just one of those walls that doesn't need to be opened, and it's the easiest thing to build. Use plywood that is 1.8m long and 1.3cm thick. Screw the 2x2 under the vertical edges. Make sure that the 2x2s stop 10, 2cm from the bottom of the plywood.
Step 4. Connect the floor to the wall
Lay the walls on the floor so the excess plywood 10, 2cm covered 2x4s on the bottom of the floor. Then, secure the wall using 1 1, 3cm screw and wood glue.
Step 5. Create the front board
Use 1 and inch screws and wood glue to attach the 1.2m long and 1.3cm thick plywood to the front of the cage. Screw the plywood into the 2x4s on the bottom of the cage and the 2x2s on the side walls. Then, cut to open the door.
- Design an open front door before you cut. Open doors must be 0.6-0.9m wide. Cut the height of your choice, but keep in mind that you should leave 15, 2-25, 4cm between the edge of the door and the top and bottom of the plywood board.
- Use a saw to cut. This will give you an easy, clean cut. When you are done, secure the top of the door using pieces of wood that are 50.8 cm long and thick enough to hold together using a lot of screws and glue.
Step 6. Build the back wall
Join the two pieces of plywood to the back of the cage using the same method as you did for the front panel. Then, cut and secure the open door, again the same as you did for the front.
Step 7. Create the final wall
This will be finished using 3 small sections of plywood, instead of using one large section. To start, cut two long sections of 0.6m plywood, and one long section of 1.2-1.5m plywood that is of the height of your chicken coop. Then, join a 2x2 under one of the vertical edges of the 0.6m long section of plywood. Repeat this step on the second 0.6m long piece of plywood.
For the other side, make sure that the 2x2s stop 10, 2cm from the bottom of the plywood. This will make the plywood hang from the 2x4s on the underside of the floor
Step 8. Put the walls together
Screw one 0.6m long board directly into the front of the cage, and the other straight into the back. Join the 0.6m longer boards between the long boards. Make sure the top edge with the top of the board is aligned so that the exposed part is close to the 0.6m floor.
Strengthen the center board by joining the two pieces of wood where the plank points to the two sides of the board. Make sure that the piece of wood is long (vertical) parallel to your center board
Part 3 of 5: Building the Roof
Step 1. Make a hole in your gable
A gable is a triangular piece of wood that sits on top of the front and back walls of the cage, which helps the roof. However, in this case, both gables must be 1.2m long. Use a saw to make holes in the 1.9cm thick gable facing the strands of the plank.
- Use the angle finder to determine the exact roof ridge. If you don't have an angle finder, you can use the vertex eyeball (to make sure the gables are the same!)
- Gable Notch. Once the gable is installed properly, you will need to make a few notches where it will strengthen the opening. If the wood you use on the front is the same size as the back, you can make the same holes in both gables. However, if you are using wood chips, you will need to make a unique cut for each gable.
Step 2. Screw on the gable
Place the front gable facing in from the front wall and secure it using wood glue and screws. Repeat for the back gable.
It doesn't matter if there is a small gap between the notch-reinforced wood. The important thing is that the gable must be strong when attached to the wall
Step 3. Make the truss
The posts, like the gable, will support the roof. However, instead of supporting the ends of the roof, the posts will support the middle. To ensure that the angle of your truss matches the angle of your gable, sandwich two 2x2s to the slope edge of one of your gables. Make sure that the 2x2s hang a little longer (2 to 4 inches) than the edge of the gable.
Reinforce your truss by cutting a cross section of your plywood 0.6cm thick. Cut it to the same size as your gable, then screw it into 2x2s
Step 4. Notch truss
When you screw the cross into 2x2s, you can remove the clamp. Rest the posts in the center of the cage and mark where the sidewalls intersect with the 2x2s posts. Then, make a 1.3cm notch in the wood where you marked it. This will allow you to attach the support posts to the top of your sidewall.
Step 5. Make the roof
To make a simple roof, join two 101, 6cm by 213, 4cm sections of plywood with cheap hinges. Make sure the combination of the two is 213, 4cm long so the roof will cover the whole chicken coop.
Lay the roof over the cage. Check to see that there are overhangs on the front and back of the cage. Emper is useful for structural and aesthetic reasons
Step 6. Make the gable pieces
Screw a pair of 2x2s into the bottom edges of the front and back of the overhang. To look beautiful, this will strengthen the roof and help prevent structural failure.
Step 7. Unite and finish the roof
Screw the roof to the posts and the gable. Then, add a roof cap to maintain the roof's resistance to weather. The easiest way to do this is to cover the roof with a layer of tar paper and galvanized roofing. Attach the tar paper with staples and use exterior screws for the galvanized roof.
Part 4 of 5: Uniting the Doors
Step 1. Cut the wood
Use medium density fiberboard for doors. The size of the pieces will depend on the chosen height of your chicken coop. Each door must be high and half the width of the door opening.
Step 2. Install the door frame
Screw 2x2 along the side of the door opening, like along the top. This will give you a solid place to screw the door hinges.
Step 3. Put the front door together
Screw in two hinges per door -- one about four inches from the top of the door and the other about 4 inches from the bottom. Note that you may need a third hinge in the middle, depending on how high your chicken coop is.
Step 4. Repeat this process for the other two openings
You can use the same size for the back of the cage as you made for the front, but remember to use the new size for the door on the side of the cage.
Step 5. Add the cover
Brass hook catches are inexpensive, efficient covers to work with, but any type of cover will work, as long as it's not easily opened by predators like dogs or skunks.
Part 5 of 5: Elevating the chicken coop
Step 1. Add legs
Although not required, an upgraded chicken coop will give you protection from predators, as well as keeping it dry in the rain or snow.
Use four 2x4s for the legs. Use thick screws to attach it to the 2x4s at the bottom corner of the chicken coop
Step 2. Make a ladder
Combine 2x2s into 2x4s to make a ladder that your chickens can easily use where it will stay high for predators. Connect the ladder with small hinges.
Tips
- Paint your cage for added protection against the weather. It also makes the cage more beautiful.
- The position of the window or ventilation should be facing east so that in the morning the sun will wake the chickens. This will aid egg production and increase overall happiness-- more sunlight, a lower cage (so it's too noisy) they'll feel
Warning
- Make sure and make the design according to your climate. If you build a wire-based cage in a location that has a lot of snow and cold, your chickens will freeze in the winter. Similarly, a cage design that keeps chickens warm will cause them to overheat if placed in hot weather.
- Chickens use gizzard to grind their food. Your soil should have enough gravel, otherwise they will need some additional gravel
