Building A Chicken Coop

Building a chicken coop is a great project if you are interested in raising your own chickens. Small chicken coops can be built by even an inexperienced builder, and building your own coop to raise your prize chickens is quite rewarding! Building a chicken coop can also be very difficult; we list below some of the primary features that should be included in any set of chicken house plans:

Doors
It is important to have several doors to your chicken coop. One door has to be large enough for the owner to move around inside, to collect eggs, and to clean up the mess inside the coop. You also will need to have a chicken door, which is large enough for the chickens to leave the coop when they want to run around in the yard.

Nesting Boxes
Nesting boxes are a requirement for your chicken coop. These are most often built out of plywood, and they are typically lifted off the ground. They are usually about 12 inches by 12 inches in diameter. They should be large enough to house about 3 chickens at the same time. Nesting boxes must be lined with bedding of some kind, which is typically straw. Chickens need a safe, enclosed space where they feel comfortable laying their eggs, and nesting boxes are also an easy way for the owner to keep the eggs organized. If the eggs are just laid all over the coop, breakage occurs, and also the eggs can be difficult to find and to keep track of how old they are.

Ventilation and Temperature Control
Ventilation and temperature control are extremely important to your building plans when building a chicken coop. There must be a ventilation point in the ceiling for the hot air to escape. You should also incorporate windows throughout the coop to allow the air to get in during the summer time. It is also important to make sure your chickens are well protected from outside predators, so it is very important to research the size of the windows and how to implement them to provide safety to the chickens. To eliminate rodents from entering, you can bury chicken wire in the ground surrounding the coop to prevent rodents from entering the perimeter.

Running Space
Chickens not only need the coop, but they also need room to roam. There is typically a running area that is about 10 square feet per chicken enclosed in a wire pen. The chickens can escape the coop through the chicken door and go out into the pen to move around.

The Coop Itself
The coop itself should have approximately 4 square feet per bird on the interior. Make sure when building the coop not to make it the size to hold the current number of chickens you have, but the number you plan to have in the future. If you build a small coop and increase the number of birds you house, you will just have to build another coop in the future. Where you are located in the country will also play a role in the construction of the coop, whether more windows, shade, or other amenities are necessary. Before you build the coop, think of the difficulties you may face when cleaning the coop. This will help you choose materials and the set up of the coop.

Besides these basic keys to building a chicken coop, there are a lot of fancier features you can incorporate in your coop. Many individuals use electricity to light the coop, this not only gives you light to help when cleaning and collecting the eggs, but it can also trick the chickens into producing eggs constantly. You can also purchase automatic feed and watering units to make your job as the owner a bit easier.

No matter how low or high tech you decide to make your coop, the simple keys outlined above will get you started on your way to building your first chicken coop. As long as you keep your personal needs in mind (ease of cleaning, feeding, and egg collection) and the comfort of the chickens and their needs, you will be well on your way to building a successful coop.