Quick Tips for Building a Chicken Coop

Here are some quick, practical tips that will help you get started.

Did you know that commercial raised eggs are stored for weeks before they reach your market? Would you rather have fresh, organic eggs everyday with your own backyard chicken farm? Building a chicken coop is the first step to a fun and worthwhile project.

Ready to get started? You will build a successful chicken coop only if you have the right plans and materials. You can quickly build a simple ground structure for 2-3 hens or a multi-storey hen house with an outdoor run.

Tip #1
Building plan should be compatible with your space

Each chicken needs about 4 square feet inside the coop for optimal health, and individual space and high egg production.

Simple coops are just an A-frame triangle structure with 2 nesting boxes and a roost and a run at one end. Two story coops will have a ground level for roaming and nesting, and a second level for the roost and more nesting boxes.

Hens generally produce 2-4 eggs per week and sometimes more. That’s potentially a dozen eggs per week with 3 hens. Determine your coop size on your space and how may chickens you will need. Remember that overcrowding chickens affects their livelihood and their egg production.

Tip #2
Start on level ground

Start by choosing a level space on your property. Allow for drainage to prevent flooding. Install drains to carry away rain water.
You may need to landscape the area to even out the ground. Consider starting with a concrete block as a base for the coop.

Tip #3
Buy quality materials

Building sites and urban resale yards are a great resource for recycled lumber, windows, pipes, electrical components and other materials. Look for hardware mesh in building supply stores instead of flimsier ‘chicken wire’ for the outdoor pens. Invest in quality untreated lumber and make sure you have good insulation in the coop.

Tip #4
Ventilation and light

To stay healthiest, chickens need 10 hours of light per day. Be sure to build adequate windows and ventilation for chickens living inside. Install windows that open to maximize fresh air during the day. Vents in the ceiling should be installed to help cool the coop and provide fresh air.

Tip #5
Download a good building guide so your project goes smoothly. Plan out your materials and follow the dimensions exactly for the best success. Many websites provide a good selection of DIY building plans. These are much cheaper than buying a pre-fabricated coop.

These building tips will help you get started with building a chicken coop. You will find many benefits to raising your own chickens. Taking care of chickens, called chicken husbandry, is also easy to learn and included in many online hen house building guides.

Good Winter Chicken Care

Chickens are friendly pets as well as hardy and easy to keep. It’s fun and interesting to keep these entertaining birds in your backyard. However, your chickens need a little extra care in winter. Here are some quick tips for good winter chicken care:


Protect the coop against drafts:

Check for drafts around windows, walls and the floor. Use good construction techniques when building your coop, and patch and insulate for drafty areas. Install a second heat lamp over the chicken roost to make sure chickens don’t freeze at night.

Chicken’s instincts will tell them to roost at night even if it’s the coldest place in the coop. Thus they wouldn’t benefit from the heat lamp you have only over the water. Hang enough heat lamps to cover the length of the roost for all the chickens to get coverage.

Provide a heat lamp for their water:

Install a small heat lamp over the chicken’s water source. Chickens need a fresh water source and adding a heat lamp protects their water from freezing. Even in above-freezing temperatures, a heat lamp creates a more inviting water source.


Add fat to the chicken feed: Chickens can sustain their body temperature in winter better with an extra layer of fat. Add a wild bird seed block the chickens can access. Or, add a fatty seed like sunflower seeds to their daily feed.


Protection from predators:

Winter months mean wild animals have less food sources and will be bolder approaching the coop. Check your chicken run for loose areas of fencing. Add 2x4 wood ground rails around the outside to help prevent animals digging under the pen. Make sure the coop door has a locking latch for overnight.


Young chicks:

Chicks are much more vulnerable to cold. In fact, chicks need an environment of 90-100 degrees for their first week, which gradually decreases to about 75 degrees over time. Start the chicks inside and wait until they are older to introduce them.


Also, think about adding young chicks or maturing chickens to your flock until after the coldest winter months are over. This way they will be able to adapt to the flock and be prepared to live in the coop.

Chickens are hardy animals, and will do well even in below-freezing temperatures. By adding some simple heat lamps, checking the coop for drafts, adding a fatty seed to the feed and protecting chickens from predators you will have created a safer, more pleasant winter for your chickens!


Read more about winter chicken care click here.

How to Build a Chicken Run

A chicken run is a necessary part of chicken’s environment for health and well-being. Make sure you plan for at least 10 square feet per chicken for the outdoor area. If you only have limited space for the chicken coop, the run can be built as part of the coop.


An important planning tip is don’t buy the chickens until you know how much space you have to work with!

Never have an overcrowded chicken coop or run. Chickens need enough space to move and get exercise. Also, chickens produce more eggs when they have access to fresh air, light, and interaction.

When you begin your plans for a chicken run, follow these quick steps to make sure you plan for a successful chicken ‘farm’.



Step #1
Build the run as an attachment to the coop building. Avoid moving chickens from the coop to another area. If you have enough property to do a ‘free-range’ space, that’s wonderful! Make sure you have boundaries to keep the chickens safe however.

Use string and sink anchors for an outline of the space, or draw it out with dry lime powder for a space at least 10x10 feet per chicken.



Step #2
Invest in good quality materials that will stand up to weather and time. Use untreated wood as treatments can be toxic to the chickens. Sink 2x4” posts about 6-12” deep at intervals and fasten fencing securely. You may want to use concrete for the posts if your climate is very wet.
Use hardware mesh instead of ‘chicken wire’ as this is too flimsy against weather and predators. Hardware mesh is available in most hardware or building material stores.



Step #3
Chickens need a lot of water, and the outdoor water trough should be in a high-traffic area. Have easy hose access or install an automatic watering system. Keep the trough clean and algae free.




Step #4
Chickens have gizzards instead of teeth to grind their food. If your soil doesn’t have enough grit they will need an additional source for grit. Provide a heavy dish of ground oyster shell outside and they will eat it as they need it.


Your chickens will be happier and more productive with room to roam. By providing a simple outdoor space you will ensure you have healthy chickens and a high quantity of eggs.

Get ready with a plan for building a chicken coop read more articles here!

Hi Everyone! I am here to tell you about raising chickens in your own backyard!

Raising chickens is a fun project and having your own fresh organic eggs every morning is the best!

Did you know that most eggs arrive at the grocery store already over 21 days old? Imagine the fun of collecting your own eggs every morning.

Here are some quick tips to getting started with building a chicken coop and getting ready for your flock.




Being able to have fresh eggs every day is just one benefit to keeping chickens in your backyard. Another benefit to keeping chickens is composting chicken litter is a great resource for garden fertilizer.





Do you hate the idea of filling up landfills with compostable material? Now can make use of food scraps instead of adding them to your garbage bag every day.





Ready to get started? Building your chicken coop successful only if you have the right plan and materials. You can quickly build a simple ground structure for 2-3 hens or a multi-storey hen house with an outdoor run.







Here are some quick, practical tips that will help you get started.







Tip #1

Chose a building plan based on your space





Each chicken needs about 4 square feet inside the coop for optimal health, egg production and individual space. Many simple coops are just an A-frame triangle structure with 2 nesting boxes and a roost at one end.





How many eggs can you use? Hens produce 2-4 eggs per week and sometimes more. That’s potentially a dozen eggs per week with 3 hens. How many chickens you want to own determines your coop size.





Tip #2

Start on level ground





Start by choosing a level space in your backyard that allows for rain runoff without flooding. You may need to landscape a bit to even out the ground. Also, if your climate is damp, consider starting with a concrete block as a base for the coop




Tip #3

Chose quality materials





You can find great sources for recycled materials at building sites and resale yards. Use untreated wood for building because treated wood can make chickens sick. Also, look for hardware mesh instead of flimsier ‘chicken wire’ for the outdoor pens.





Tip #4 Plan for Ventilation and Light





Also, chickens need 10 hours per day of light. That means including adequate windows and ventilation for chickens living inside. Use windows that open to maximize fresh air during the day. Vents in the ceiling should be installed to help cool the coop and provide fresh air.





Find a good resource for a building guide so your project goes smoothly. Taking care of chickens, called chicken husbandry, is also easy to learn and included in many online hen house building guides.