Chicken coops plans

Posts Tagged ‘chicken coop’

Your chicks are on order and the brooder tub is all set up and ready for them. Now you just need a place to put them when they’re ready to move outdoors. You need a chicken coop, a henhouse, a chicken tractor — but which one? And how big should it be? Can you convert an old shed to a chicken coop?

Decide on Management Method

The type of coop you choose depends on whether the chickens will live full-time in it, have access to an outside run or all of the great outdoors, or whether it will be a movable coop that can be relocated frequently for fresh ground.

Decide on Square Footage

You will then need to determine the amount of space you need for the number of chickens you have. One especially important consideration is how many chickens you plan to keep on an ongoing basis. You might want to build on the large side, allowing for new baby chicks either bred or bought, or for future flock expansion.

If your birds will have access to an outdoor run, you’ll want to allow for a minimum of 2-3 square feet per bird inside the coop, and aim for about 4 square feet per bird in the run. The higher you can go, the better, though. If your birds will be cooped all winter (chickens don’t like to go out onto snowy surfaces), allow for 5-10 square feet per chicken. For birds that will be completely confined in a chicken tractor without an outdoor pen, give a minimum of 5 square feet per bird. These are just general guidelines. The bigger the chicken, the more space it needs – so meat birds in general require more space than laying hens, and full-grown pullets need more space than baby chicks. Most annoying chicken problems like pecking and aggressiveness can be cured with more space, so plan for as generously-sized a coop as you can fit or afford.

Consider Which Features You Need

Chicken coops vary from a very simple floorless wooden box with chicken wire surrounding it and a piece of roofing on it, to some digs that are more spacious than some human habitats! There are so many options, and it can seem daunting to choose a design.

If you are an urban or suburban homesteader, you may need to consider aesthetics and security of the flock (from escaping into neighbors’ gardens) more highly than those in a rural setting. There are many plans for chicken coops that look attractive. Sometimes they have a whimsical design aesthetic.

If you have laying hens, they will need one nest box or one square foot of community nesting space per 4-5 hens. Most laying chickens like to roost. A good rule of thumb is 6-10 inches of roosting space per bird. Roosts should be at least 2 feet off the ground, as should nest boxes. Nest boxes should be about 1 foot square, or “community” nests should have at least one 9 by 12 inch opening every 20 square feet of nest space.

Roosts can be as simple as a ladder fastened to the wall at an angle, or twigs attached to the walls of the coop. Milk crates or plastic tubs lined with shavings or straw make fine nest boxes; just attach them to a shelf or to the wall directly.

Coops and tractors must have ventilation, so that gases from birds’ respiration and poop don’t build up inside. Chickens love shade, so a coop and run should include shady spots. Areas where hens can dust bathe is a nice addition. This can be as simple as a box filled with dirt or sand if there isn’t a spot on the floor of the coop. Hens with access to outdoors will find places for their dust baths. In winter, my hens just pick a clean spot somewhere in the coop, usually a corner.

Decide Whether to Reuse, Build or Buy

Do you have a doghouse or shed that can be repurposed into a coop? Don’t build a new structure if you don’t have to. If you’re not a builder, you can search craigslist or other classifieds for potential coop buildings small enough to be moved to your property. A new coat of paint, some ventilation put in (cut holes and cover with chicken wire or install windows), and some nest boxes and roosts inside, and you’re in business. One thing to consider is the floor system – a wood floor can rot if you use the deep litter method, so expect more frequent cleanouts. A building without a floor can be put on the earth for the deep litter method, or on a concrete slab.

If you can’t find an already-built structure to reuse, consider whether you want to build the coop yourself or buy one premade. For urban homesteaders and hobby farmers with small flocks and aesthetic considerations, buying a premade coop might make sense. For small farmers with a few dozen hens, building a coop is probably a better economic choice.

Find Plans and Ideas

You now know: what size coop you need, what basic type of coop or tractor you need, whether you need roosts and/or nest boxes, and whether you’re renovating, building or buying your chicken coop. Here are some resources to look at for inspiration, plans, and premade coops.

• How to Build a Movable Chicken Coop or Chicken Tractor

• Backyard Chickens Coop Designs Page

• Prebuilt Coops at MyPetChicken.com

You’re ready for your new flock of hens: you have the coop, feeder and waterer and the chicks are on order. But what do you use for litter on the floor of the chicken coop? Pine shavings, hay, straw, or what? How often do you have to clean it out? And, for urban and suburban homesteaders especially, is it going to smell?

The deep litter method is one sustainable method of managing chicken litter in the chicken coop that many small farmers use. In the deep litter method, you’re basically forming a compost pile of your chicken’s poop right on the floor of the coop. Like a compost pile, you begin with a layer of pine shavings or other organic matter in the “browns” category. The high-nitrogen chicken poop is the “green.”

You simply add enough shavings to keep the floor composting nicely, and the chickens do the aeration for you with their scratching behavior. Scattering corn on the coop floor encourages them. The litter has beneficial microbes – think of it as probiotics for your hens.

Once or twice a year or less, you clean the coop out. The resulting material can mostly be used directly as compost, though if you notice a few spots that are fresher than others, you might throw it into the compost bin for a while.

The benefits of the deep litter method are:

• It doesn’t take a lot of time to manage.
• You end up with compost.
• The birds get to scratch through the microbes and beneficial culture of the living compost litter material, which is good for them.
• It doesn’t smell.
• It’s safe and the birds stay healthy.

Litter Materials

For the deep litter method, pine shavings seem to work well and are inexpensively purchased at your local feed store in bales. If you have a very small coop and limited storage, you can buy smaller bags at pet stores. Be sure not to get cedar shavings, which can be toxic to chickens.

Some small farmers prefer using hay or straw in the coop for litter. I like using hay or straw in the nest boxes, but on the floor it seems to attract and hold too much moisture. Others agree that depending on your individual conditions, hay or straw can be too moist in the coop.

Who Shouldn’t Use the Deep Litter Method?

The deep litter method is a sustainable, easy-to-maintain system that works well for flocks with an earthen floor. If you have a wood or other floor, you can still do a variation of the deep litter method, but you’ll have to compost the litter when you clean it out before using it, because the earth supplies the moisture and culture to start the composting process.

If you live in an urban or suburban area or have a very small area for your chickens and a small flock, you may want to simply clean the litter down to the floor and do it frequently (anywhere from weekly to monthly depending on your personal situation). This way you won’t have to contend with a large amount of litter to dispose of at one time. You can add the litter and poop to your compost bin.

You can buy a dozen eggs at the supermarket for 99 cents, or you can go out to the chicken coop you built and fetch a warm egg out of the soft pine wood shavings in the nesting boxand thats priceless.

Basic frame with temporary braces and the rafters

Every day I gently carry my three brown eggs into the house marveling all the way to the refrigerator. Maybe Im a hopeless romantic, but I love my three old hensMattie Sue, Splatty-Goo, and Fu-man-choo.

Chickens are delightful characters. Theyre colorful and animated and a constant source of entertainment. They peck and scratch and strut around kinda jerky, like in an old-time silent movie. But its their cackling I enjoy the most. My favorite sound resembles the long drawn out inhaling effort of old Aunt Ruby when she choked on cake crumbs at the family reunion.

While one hen is laying, the other two hover around like midwives egging her on. Then they all join in the celebration by clucking and hiccupping and doing the Aunt Ruby. After the deed is done, they ruffle their feathers, take a dust bath, dig a crater in the cool dirt for an afternoon snooze, eat a few worms, then go to bed early. Its the good life.

A side view showing the finished chicken coop with its door for my entry

One of the best reasons for keeping your own chickens, and feeding them a varied diet that includes table scraps, is the quality of the eggs. The dark gold yolks and firm whites are so fresh they even squawk when you fry em.

Chickens are low-maintenance pets, inexpensive to feed, and they give back that little prize every day. All they ask for in return is a light and airy shelter, kept clean and dry and safe. They like a little shade in the summer and warmth in the winter, just like the rest of us.

Building a coop

Build this sturdy, attractive coop designed for three or four fine feathered fowl, and you, too, can enjoy the good life.

The materials cost $250 total, but you can improvise to fit your budget. Save money every step of the way by scrounging scrap lumber, using painted plywood for siding and doors, and 1x4s to frame the run.

Picking a spot to build Front view of chicken coop

Start by picking a spot with wind protection, some shade, and good drainage. Level an 8-foot by 14-foot pad as best you can. Lay the 4x4s down in troughs filled with gravel to form a 6-foot by 12-foot rectangle, divided at 4 feet for the house, and 8 feet for the run. Build up the low ends with flat rocks or scraps of concrete and, of course, level the parallel beams with each other. (Use a long level). Toenail all the 4x4s to each other at 90 degree angles, remembering the golden rule of carpentry: Plumb, level, and square.

Framing and roofing

Frame the henhouse walls one section at a time on the ground, then stand them up and screw them into the foundation beams (the 4x4s).

The rear wall consists of five 5-foot vertical studs at 18-inch centers capped by 6-foot top and bottom plates. The front wall consists of four 6-foot studs at 18-inch centers also capped by 6-foot plates, but without the middle stud for now. That 36-inch gap will be spanned by a horizontal 2×4 installed as the window sill, 15 inches down from the top plate. Support underneath the sill, in the middle, with a vertical 2×4 cut to fit (about 55 inches). Now frame in the little 18-inch square hen door by fastening a horizontal 2×4 between two studs, to create the passageway from coop to run.

List of materials:(1) 8-foot 4×4, pressure treated(4) 12-foot 4x4s, pressure treated(6) 8-foot 2x4s, to make five 8-footers and two 4-footers(4) 10-foot 2x4s, to make eight 5-footers(10) 12-foot 2x4s, to make twenty 6-footers(6) 12-foot 1x4s, utility grade is fine(2) 12-foot 2x6s, to make four 6-footers (tongue-and-groove, Douglas fir or pine) for door(50) 6-foot 1x6s, cedar fencing (pecky-utility is cheap)(1) 4×8 sheet of 5/8-inch plywood (CDX is fine)(1) Roll 1-inch chicken wire, 50-foot x 4-foot Tarpaper and shingles to cover 40 sq. ft. of roof4 or 5 hinges and 2 latches (for 2 doors)Sheetrock screws or galvanized nails (3-inch for framing, 2-inch for siding)1 quart of stain

Plumb and brace the two parallel walls with temporary diagonal braces, and install the four rafters (with precut birdsmouths) at 2-foot centers. Allow a 14-inch overhang at the front and a 4-inch overhang at the back.

Frame the sides with studs cut to the roof angle, leaving a 20-inch door opening. Screw two 7-foot 2×4 diagonals onto the front and rear walls inside the coop to stiffen the structure and support the roosts. Notch them out at 12-inch centers to hold three 2-inch branches or dowels that will step up to the top roost (their favorite). The roosts must be round for feet to grasp and breasts to rest on.

Roof with plywood, tarpaper, and shingles. Install all the cedar siding, the outside corner trim, and fascia boards to cover the rafter tails.

Frame the run with three upright 40-inch 4x4s in the front, toenailed in from every angle, and horizontal 2x4s for the top.

Predators The nesting box is next to the door for ease in reaching in and grabbing the eggs.

Line the run and the henhouse subfloors (dirt) with chicken wire, attaching it to the insides of the 4x4s with staples. This important step will foil any attempts of predatory critters from digging under the foundation in hopes of a juicy chicken dinner. Now fill the coop and run with nice earthy soil to the tops of the 4x4s.

Screen the 15-inch by 36-inch window opening with chicken wire and frame around it with trim. Cover the sides and top of the run with chicken wire and staple it all securely with hammer-in type chicken-wire staples. (Dont use little staple-gun staples that the chickens might eat.)

Finishing the inside

Build-in-place an 18-inch square nesting box by the door, about 6 inches off the dirt floor. Trim the front with a 2-inch lip so the eggs wont roll out. Three or four hens will share one nesting box.

Five p.m. and the girls are already in bed.

Build the main door out of 2×6 tongue-and-groove using clamps to squeeze the four boards tightly together until you get the paired-up battens bolted through on both sides of the door.

Measure the door opening for the run (between two upright 4x4s) and make the door out of two identical 1×4 frames sandwiched together using glue as the mayo with chicken wire in between. Screw together every few inches all around.

Hang the doors and install the latches. If you use a gate latch on the main door, attach a shoe-string to the catch lever and thread it through a hole drilled to the inside of the coop, before you lock yourself in. (I learned the hard way.)

Now for the fun part. Go to the Grange and buy a galvanized chicken feeder and waterer, a big bag of layer-feed, a bag of scratch (cracked corn and grain), grit for their gizzards, and some oyster shell bits for calcium. Youll also need straw or pine wood shavings to spread around everywhere to facilitate cleaning the pen every month or so.

Youll have no trouble finding mature hens for sale cheap, or for free. Your happy hens will love their new mansion.

If youre anything like me, youll take great pleasure in imitating chicken sounds every time you go out to the coop. Dont be shyunless, of course, somebody is listening.

Read More by Dorothy Ainsworth

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Cheap Chicken Coops And What You Should Consider

If you are thinking about having chickens, then that is a very good idea. However, have you thought about what those critters will need? Of course, they will need food and water, but where will they be staying? Some people have a tendency to think they can get chickens and just release them in the yard. Where will they sleep? Your chickens will need to have a coop to rest in. Why would you want to spend so much on a hen house when you could build some cheap chicken coops? In all actuality, one that is self made with some extras can cost you under half the price of a brand new one. It won’t take long to build either. If you work on it every day, it will only take one day or two to build it. Below, we are going to give you some coop options that you should look into. The coop you choose is all going to have to do with how big your backyard or farm is. It is also going to do with how many chickens you plan on housing and how much energy and time you are willing to invest in it. Now, let’s go over the three options with you. Option number one: Your first option involves a small coop. This type of coop is great, especially if you are not looking to house many chickens. If you are renting a home or you plan on moving in the future, then you may want to go with the small one. This is because you can move it around without busting it. To be exact, you can hold anywhere from one to three chickens in it. If you do not think this option is for you, because you want to house more than this, then take a look at option number two. Option number two: This next option will involve a medium one. It will be a box-shaped coop. If you do not plan on moving around, then this will be great. However, moving it can be done, but since it is a bit bigger, it will be more difficult to do. To be exact, this one will house anywhere from four to nine critters. If you plan on having more critters than this, then you may want to look at our last option, which is option number three. Option number three: This is a large sized one. It is a premium chicken coop. Of course, since it is large in size, it can hold ten or more chickens. Is this what you are looking for? This is every chicken lover’s dream. It probably goes without saying that you will find it extremely difficult to move this one, because it is so big in size. Are you new to keeping chicken, yet you would like to have a decent amount to produce enough eggs? If so, then we recommend you going for the medium one. Later on, when you are used to it and your flock starts to grow, you can expand the medium one. Personally, we don’t recommend the small one as being a permanent home for the birds, because it’s unethical and is going to reduce the overall egg output. So, which one are you going to choose?

Chapter 14: Legal Aspects by Christine Heinrichs Christine’s website, blog

“As with any agricultural enterprise in our complex world, raising chickens is subject to a variety of laws and regulations. Finding out what they are and abiding by them will save you many headaches.

Raising chickens is generally governed by local zoning and land-use laws and ordinances. With the advent of the NAIS and individual state systems, you may also have to register your premises with the state and identify every chicken you own.

Local law may not be the only standard you have to meet. Some planned-unit developments place restrictions on the deeds that prohibit livestock, which is generally understood, if not specified, to include chickens.

Keeping land in agricultural use provides green space. Small farms, under pressure from development as cities expand, may be able to present economic value if they are producing eggs and meat for local markets. Planners are learning the value of green space and may be amenable to persuasion of the importance of small farms.

Local Poultry Ordinances The laws regulating chickens will be part of the municipal or community laws that govern your property. That could be a city ordinance or, if you live in a rural area, it could be the county policy. Your local health department may also have a role in regulating the raising of poultry. In addition, your deed may have restrictive covenants that include chickens. Laws generally regulate the number of chickens permitted, crowing roosters, waste, smell, housing, and backyard butchering.

Chickens are usually classified as livestock or barnyard animals. That makes some people think of them as unsuited to urban and suburban life. Negative attitudes about the status and connotations of keeping chickens in the backyard have resulted in restrictions on them and outright bans.

Locate accurate information from your local government. Most local governments have online resources for those who have Internet access. All local governments are required to provide information to the citizens who live within their boundaries. In some states, municipal authority to control livestock and poultry may extend beyond the municipal boundary. Start with the information desk in the municipal building. Keep asking questions until you find a local government employee who is knowledgeable. As a general rule, erroneous information provided by a local government official is not a defense for violation of a local ordinance.

Where a restrictive covenant in a deed regulates poultry, local government officials will not have any information about this. You should read your deed and consult an attorney if the language that it contains is difficult to understand. If your neighborhood has a homeowners’ association, it may have adopted rules governing the raising of livestock and poultry.

Extension agents, 4-H leaders, and high-school agriculture teachers are good resources for getting started, but they may not know exactly what applies to your property. Check the original documents to make sure you know what you have to do to comply with the law.

If the law is unclear or confusing, ask for help. If no one knows for sure about chickens, pursue the question further. The animal control officer may know how the community deals with chickens and chicken coops, or be able to direct you to someone who does.

If no one, including your elected representatives, can determine what is meant by the law, you may be the person to lead a movement to change it. This happened in Madison, Wisconsin, where, up to 2004, no laws prohibited chickens, but building a coop for them was not allowed. Chicken-lovers kept chickens in their yards, a sort of open secret. So long as no one complained, there was no problem. Occasionally differences arose among neighbors and a city inspector would come out and talk to the chicken owners, sometimes even telling them they would have to get rid of their chickens.

Sometimes they did, and sometimes they simply moved them down the street to a friend’s yard for a few months and then quietly moved them back. They considered themselves the Poultry Underground.

In 2003, Alicia Rheal and Bryan Whiting decided to get the law changed to make chickens legal in Madison. Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, already had ordinances on their books, giving them models from which to work. Alderperson Matt Sloan was sympathetic.

After six months of publicity to inform the public, backed with experiences of other communities and the endorsement of Mark Cook, a professor in the Poultry Science Department at the University of Wisconsin, the city Common Council adopted an ordinance specifying the conditions for keeping chickens inside city limits in May 2004.

Being a good neighbor is one of the most important ways to avoid complaints about your chickens. In addition to meeting the basics of local laws, always keep your chickens clean and avoid smells. Replace litter frequently and compost or dispose of manure properly. It is a valuable fertilizer, but make sure you don’t create a situation that will offend your neighbors. Information about composting can usually be obtained through your local cooperative extension office. Landscaping can camouflage the chicken house and yard, making it more palatable to neighbors.

Giving neighbors fresh eggs occasionally can win over doubtful neighbors. You can also invite them over to meet the chickens and explain your interest to them. Enthusiastic advocates can influence detractors. They may never want chickens for themselves, but at least they can be convinced to tolerate them in your yard.

Some communities have tightened laws about chickens since the avian influenza scare of 2005. You may need to prepare information to reassure neighbors and local officials that your birds represent no danger to anyone.

A restaurant owner in Long Island has kept half a dozen chickens, including a rooster, since he moved to the area in the 1970s. He prefers the fresh eggs for the eggs Benedict he serves his customers. A new law forbidding farm animals in town was not immediately enforced. Existing businesses are usually protected from new laws by a grandfather clause, allowing the business to continue operating as it has in the past.

A homeowner in New Jersey had been keeping chickens for a year before someone complained to the city. The Board of Health investigated and found them in violation of local ordinance. After consulting with a lawyer, the family decided to apply for a zoning variance that would make their chickens legal.

These situations reflect the legal confusion that exists in many places. Chickens trigger strong feelings in some situations. Stay calm, research your options, and be pleasant and polite. Nothing is gained from a shouting contest.

Ultimately, you are going to be part of a community. With tact and goodwill, you can convince the community to include your chickens.

Voluntary Agricultural Districts A recent strategy to keep land in agricultural use is the voluntary agricultural district. On the county level, land already in agricultural use can be shielded from nuisance lawsuits and protected from nonfarm development.

Owners of land currently in agricultural use can agree to be included in a voluntary agricultural district, exempting them from sewer and water assessments that are required for residential and commercial development. They usually have some protection from being sued by new neighbors who don’t want to hear the rooster crowing.

The agricultural district can work with insurers to provide coverage for agritourism activities. The district offers a structure through which landowners can advance public education about agriculture. Forming a district can attract supportive infrastructure such as feed stores, processing facilities, and marketing opportunities for your eggs and meat.

In an era of mini-estates encroaching on agricultural land, voluntary agricultural districts can maintain land near urban and suburban areas in agricultural uses that enhance the open green space. They are a tool to support agricultural uses against the pressure of development. If your state has an agricultural district program, information is usually available from your state department of agriculture or your local cooperative extension office.

State and Federal Regulations The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has proposed a system to identify every livestock animal in the country. Individual states, such as Wisconsin and Indiana, have also passed laws requiring all properties that have livestock to register with that state. Find out what laws apply in your state in order to comply with them. These programs have aroused a lot of controversy and resistance, so implementation varies across the nation.

The USDA’s National Animal Identification System suggests giving every farm animal a seven-digit number and tracking its every move off the premises on which it lives throughout its life. Animal Identification Number is being used as the proper name for this requirement, often seen as AIN. The goal is for animal health officials to be able to trace back to the source of any disease within 48 hours of its discovery.

Radio-frequency technology in the form of implanted microchips is one possible means of tagging animals. Chickens and other poultry may be allowed to be identified by numbered leg or wing bands. Animals that leave their premises for any reason, such as to go to a show, will be required to have an identification number. Even chickens that never leave their premises are encouraged to be identified.

Databases of identified animals will be kept either through breed organizations, commercial producers, state premises registration, or any other databases the USDA needs to track every animal.

Organizations supporting sustainable agriculture, rare-breeds conservation, and individual rights have rallied their members to oppose NAIS. You can join them by contacting any organizations of which you are already a member to find out what you can do to oppose NAIS. ”

Chicken ShedIf you are searching for a top-of-the-line chicken shed, www.horizonstructures.com is your best choice. Create a totally customized chicken shed and our skilled and experienced carpenters will bring your vision to life.

Our chicken sheds are unique and incorporate the following:

Handcrafted means our chicken sheds are built-to-order. We guarantee all our chicken sheds are produced with a consistent quality of workmanship and leave our shop more durable and well-constructed than any coop built on a factory assembly line.Different styles and options – We offer choices in siding and roofing materials and colors resulting in the ability to design a chicken shed that looks right at home with the existing structures on your property. Our long list of options allows you to maximize the utility of your chicken shed while keeping the cost down by selecting only the extras you want. You don’t pay for something you don’t need.Designed with chickens’ needs in mind means your chicken shed is designed to provide plenty of natural light, fresh air and protection from predators. Quite simply: happy, healthy chickens lay more eggs.First quality raw materials – Pressure-treated wood legs and base, solid wood siding (pre-painted or stained) and a 25-year asphalt shingle warranty are just a few of the “ingredients” ensuring your chicken shed will be around for many generations of chickens.Unique nest box design makes gathering the eggs fast and easy. You don’t even have to go inside the coop!

It can be a challenge finding a chicken shed that won’t break your budget. Rest assured www.horizonstructures.com considered that right from the start. Our chicken sheds are delivered pre-built and ready for immediate use saving you money AND time. Features for bird safety and comfort are already incorporated into the design. So, if you’re just getting started with chickens, you don’t have to worry that you overlooked something. Simply go online at www.horizonstructures.com to select the chicken shed model and options that best suit the size of your flock and budget. You won’t find another website so user friendly and informative.

“We received our chicken coop a few days ago! My husband and I want to thank you for building it just as we hoped to. We love it! It is the sweetest thing! Our neighbors walk by or drive by our house and we can see them just marvel at it. We are very pleased with it. Our rooster likes it too! We are getting some chickens in the spring. Thank you again!”- Bonnie and David, Martville, NY

For information on chicken sheds, and other prefab structures such as: horse barns, storage sheds, garages, and more visit, www.horizonstructures.com today!

1) Chickens are social animals and they have a very complex structure to their hierarchy. A chick that is by itself will stress- you should always try to buy chicks in multiples- any number is better than a lone chick.

2) It’s not necessary to have access to grass, however just bear in mind that they’ll probably need their toenails trimmed every so often if they can’t wear theirs down naturally by scratching. They’ll also need access to a dust bath which you can make yourself- a large shallow dish with a combination of sand and ash works well.

3) The best way to protect them from foxes is to keep them enclosed in an appropriate coop.

4) Chicken waste is not good mulch unfortunately- it’s much too strong when it’s fresh and can burn your plants. You can however put it in a compost bin and allow it to break down some, in which case it turns into an amazing fertilizer to dig into your beds once a year.

5) Can’t help- am in a whole other country! Here you would approach your local council who would be able to not only tell you if you can have chickens but the sorts of restrictions that are placed on keeping chickens. Some of the restrictions that may be placed are the number of birds you’re allowed to keep, how far away they have to be kept from neighbors fence lines, residences and entry points if you have to pay for a permit to keep them, if you are permitted to let them “free range” in your backyard or if they have to be enclosed at all times. if you have to get written permission from your neighbors, if you are allowed to have roosters, if the coop requires inspection etc, etc…. everywhere is different!!

6) Do you mean YOUR house or their house/coop? Chickens automatically have a degree of “homing instinct” and if they are used to sleeping in a particular area, they will try to return to that particular area for the evening- generally that will be their coop. If you mean your own house- well if you want to use your house as a chicken coop, it would be just the same- but be warned that there is no way to house train a chicken and they are fairly messy creatures! That said, I do keep my Japanese roosters inside over winter to prevent damage to their combs but they have their own large boxes to live in and I have to keep them really clean. I don’t generally allow them to roam around the house though. Japanese are only about the size of a large parrot.

Hope this is some degree of help.

Chickens are not hard to care for – just make sure they have plenty of room to scratch around in, a steady supply of food and a comfortable place to roost and lay eggs. They are friendly and sociable creatures; each having their own personalities, and you can even buy rescue chickens from battery farms.

Taking on chickens is a big responsibility. They can live for up to 10 years and will need feeding and caring for as much as any pet. For the first three years of her life, a chicken will produce an egg every one-two days, however this will decrease with age.

The Chicken CoopIf you build your own coop, ensure it is made with strong materials, to protect your hens from predators, such as foxes. The coop needs to be comfortable as the chickens will spend each night there and lay their eggs, but accessible to you to clean and retrieve the eggs. There are many designs you can choose from, or you could be creative and design your own. You can use any materials to make your coop, including plastic, metal and wood.

Your coop should be well ventilated to provide the chickens with plenty of fresh air. It should have places for them to perch, including different levels where they can climb up and explore. It should also have areas where they can seek shelter from the heat in the summer and the cold in the winter.

Bury chicken wire 20cm under the surface of the soil to protect against rats and mice, which may try to burrow under the coop to get to the eggs. Chickens are curious birds, so ensure there are no potential hazards in the coop, such as nails and staples sticking out where the hens can injure themselves.

Cleaning Your CoopClean out the coop once a week, wiping down the perches and nesting areas, and scrubbing the feeders. Replace the straw ever week to prevent a build up of pests and diseases.

Outside the CoopYou will need to decide whether your chickens will have a free range of your garden (where they will eat many garden pests), or remain in a caged area around the coop. Whatever your choice, they will need to have plenty of room to scratch around and establish a pecking order. If you do let them roam free in your garden, it is unlikely they will stray far from the coop.

Feeding Your ChickensChickens thrive when fed with a pelleted poultry feed or crumble (you will have the choice of feeding them with organic feed). Chickens also love kitchen scraps and weeds and insects from the garden (if you allow them to roam and pick food from the garden, make sure there are no slug pellets around and avoid using pesticides, which can poison them). Replace the feed regularly to prevent it from going stale, and ensure the hens always have a supply of water to drink.

Chickens are fabulous creatures to keep. They are friendly and sociable, and will reward you with delicious fresh eggs every 1-2 days. Keep them safe and comfortable, and you will have healthy, happy birds for many years to come.

Chicken arks, hen houses, chicken coops, chicken houses of all sorts and sizes: wooden kits, plastic ready-made, delightful mini houses, mobile arks and tractors,

We’re here to help. We found it bewildering when we started to keep chickens, and our friends did too, so we’ve collected information and reviews about what’s available – the good, the bad, the beautiful, and and the ugly too!

We’ve looked at ready made chicken houses and found some good plans for chicken houses too.

It could help you avoid expensive mistakes, and your chickens will be happier too.

What chicken house options are there?

To simplify, we found there are broadly three main types:

Chicken Arks or Chicken Tractors

These are made from wood or metal, with either a roosting and nesting area in one end and a run at the other, or a run underneath the roosting area. They are usually triangular in section. The key thing is that they have handles or wheels, so you can move them around your backyard/garden, so your chickens get new ground to graze and peck (and you get your weeds kept down).

This can be a good first type of chicken house to take three to four chickens.

Simple Fixed Chicken Houses

With a simple sloping roof and basically rectangular shape, a roosting area at one end (often raised) and usually with nest boxes accessible from the outside, these chicken houses are fixed with an integral run. Sometimes they are larger versions of a chicken ark – which is an attractive shape.

If you want your chickens to have space to range free, you let them out.

Large Chicken Houses

We’ve grouped all the pitched roof type of chicken houses under this heading as they are usually for larger flocks. The design usually has externally accessed nest boxes and a run attached at on end – or the chicken house sits in the middle of a run, although this can be left off if the chickens are left to range free and they can wander in and out.

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CHICKEN COOPS GENERAL INFORMATION
So you’re thinking about building a chicken coop but don’t want to spend a fortune on
coop plans and building materials? This was my thought when I built my own coop a
few years ago. I’ve read that the average person spends $300.00 to build their coop
and I didn’t want to spend that much – I scoured the internet to find free (or cheap)
but well made chicken coop designs that I could either build myself or buy.

I’ve included the links to FREE coop designs on the left side of the page.
the links contain plans to big or small chicken coops, depending on your needs. I’ve
also added some ideas for cheap or free chicken coop supplies i.e. building
materials, chicken feeders, chicken water containers, chicken nest boxes, chicken
roosts, and a few recommended books on how to care for chickens. I’ll be adding more information to each of these topics as time goes on. For now, I wanted to give you the basics and show you some pictures of the coop that I use and some of the supplies that have worked for me.

CHICKEN COOP DESIGNS
There are hundreds of different designs available for your coop. A picture of my coop is posted here – It’s made of scrap lumber and left over house paint. If you’re looking to build a coop with the links to free plans below, you’ll be limited to only those designs…but at least they’re free, functional, and actually quite lovely! And you can always add your own design twists too.

How you design your coop will, of course, depend on your needs. If you are planning to have a small flock and want to build a smaller coop, you may want to consider a portable chicken coop. These are also called “chicken tractors.” They often do not have floors and can be moved every few days or weeks from one part of your lawn to another so the grass does not get trampled down. This is ideal for raising chickens in urban areas where there may be limited space for them to run around. It’s also beneficial for both your chickens and your lawn. The chicken droppings provide great fertilizer for your lawn and, by moving the coop often, the chickens get access to new bugs and fresh grass. Plus, you don’t have to worry about cleaning up the droppings!

You can use any design you want, or create your own – the chickens won’t likely care. But do keep in mind your skill level when building it. I used a design of my own creation – now this worked just fine in the end, and I had fun building it. But I didn’t have a lot of experience in wood working or construction so it took me a lot longer to come up with a blueprint, to figure out how much wood it would take etc. I also encountered problems while constructing it since my blueprint wasn’t perfectly polished and ready to go – so the construction process didn’t always go smoothly either.

In hindsight, I wish I would have simply used an already available design that I found online since it would have saved me a ton of time and energy. But like I said – I do take great pride in my little 4′x8′ creation and the chickens seem perfectly happy in it! You’ll figure out what will work best for you.

CHICKEN COOP MATERIALS
Chicken coops can be made from almost anything – revamping an old shed or camping trailer, using scrap lumber, PVC pipes, 50 gallon barrels, tarps, kits, and the list goes on. Wood is the most commonly used material for coop building. Depending on the size of your coop, buying new lumber can get expensive.

I was able to find a couple of businesses which sell used or scrap lumber and this worked nicely for my 4′x 8′ coop. I even found some used windows and a couple sets of unused shingle there. If you decide to build your coop with used lumber, be prepared to pull out some nails, cut out some broken pieces, and to be creative with what you find. It takes extra time and TLC to build a coop using “recycled” or used wood – but I found the extra time well worth it in how much money I saved!

Another view of my coop above – I lucked out in finding a few stacks of new shingles to use! I also saved extra space inside the coop by building the nest boxes on the outside – you can see the row of nest boxes in the picture, jutting out on the right side (which is actually the back of the coop). There are 8 total boxes for them to choose from.

CHICKEN NEST BOXES
The suggested size for chicken nest boxes is 15″ wide, 15″ high and 11 1/8″ (see picture for example). This can vary to a certain extent. My nest boxes are about 2″ smaller than this and work just fine. You can fill your boxes with straw or place some type of padding down on the bottom so the eggs won’t crack when they lay. I noticed that they tend to kick and scratch a lot of straw out of the boxes so I stapled a piece of padding onto the bottom.

I started off with 8 chickens and made a nest box for each chicken. It turns out they all used the same 2 nest boxes for laying eggs! I’ve even seen 3 chickens in the same nest box at the same time – therefore, you don’t need to make too many boxes. They tend to gravitate toward the same box. If you have a big flock – you’ll need to make more. In some of the links I’ve provided, there are some excellent pictures of nest boxes, diagrams, and “how-to” instructions for building nest boxes. A view of a couple of my nest boxes is pictured above.

CHICKEN ROOSTS
A 2″ by 4″ or 2″ by 2″ board works nicely as a roost. You can also use a tree branch measuring between 3″ to 6.” I used a 2 x 4 and rounded off the edges with a circular saw, and these are working like a champ. This step is not necessary, but I’ve found that they are able to grip onto the roost better when it’s slightly rounded. A view of my roost and walkway leading to the roost is pictured above.

I made sure to place the roosts where the droppings are not in my way when I enter the coop so I don’t have to clean it off my shoes after being inside. Depending on the type of coop you build, you may also want to consider positioning the roosts where you can easily clean up the droppings.

Chickens seem to like roosting higher in the coop at night, so I positioned mine about 4 feet off the ground. I then constructed a walkway leading up to the roost since we clipped their wings (more on this in a bit). It’s basically an 8″ wide board which angles up from the floor to the roost with some make shift “steps” nailed on and spaced every 6″ or so – something they can use to “grip” onto as they walk up.

Back to wing clipping, just briefly – we clipped the outer part of the wings – on one side only. Don’t worry – this does not involve pain for the chickens in any way, and it prevents them from taking flight. When the wings are clipped, it’s done toward the outer part of the wing where there is no blood supply. We didn’t clip their wings at first because we thought it would hurt them. They kept flying over the fence, however, and and we lost one to a neighborhood dog. Thus, the wing clipping, and consequent ramp from the floor to the roost inside the coop. There is a great illustration on wing clipping at www.backyardchickens.com.

CHICKEN FEEDER
The farm stores all carry a nice selection of chicken feeders and water containers but they can be rather expensive. I made a 5 gallon feeder and waterer using two 5 gallon buckets I got for free at our local grocery store – usually the bakery or deli section – and two 20 inch plastic planter bases. The plastic planter bases cost around $5.00 – I purchased mine from a garage sale. Of course, any local retailer such as Walmart, Target, or your local hardware store or nursery would carry them as well. The 5 gallon feeder I’m currently using is pictured above – after filling it with feed, it will last about 3 weeks for 13 chickens.

How it’s done: To make the Chicken feeder – drill several holes about 1 1/2″ in diameter around the bottom of the bucket. Make sure the bottom edge of the holes are no higher up than 1/2″ from the very bottom of the bucket. Next – place the bucket in the bottom of the plant base so the top of the bucket is still up. Don’t throw away the lid – you’ll still need it. Make sure the bucket is centered as best as possible in the plant bottom and then screw it in place using 3 or 4 screws until it is secure. That’s it! just pour in the feed and put the lid on and you’ve got 5 gallons worth of feed. I’m guessing this would be roughly 20 lbs of feed since it holds just under half of a 50lb bag of chicken feed in my feeder. I place my feeder on top of 2 concrete blocks – chickens are sloppy eaters and this helps prevent feed spillage. I’ve seen other people hang their feeders a few inches off the ground with rope. The suggested distance off the ground is about the height of the chickens back.

CHICKEN WATER CONTAINER
For the waterer, it’s the same method except you only need to drill one or two small holes (1/4″ or so) near the base of the bucket – and drill them around 1″ up from bottom of the bucket. You can vary the height or distance from the bottom of the bucket a little, but make sure the hole does not lie above the rim of the planter base – If you do, all the water will overflow out of the trough.

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUILDING A CHICKEN COOP
Dimensions: Each chicken requires 3 to 4 square feet of space – this will need to be taken into account when designing your coop so you don’t make it too small. I would suggest making it a little bigger than you need since, if you’re like me, you’ll want to purchase more chickens each year.

Climate: Build your coop to suit the climate of your area. If you live in a warm climate, you will need to make sure there is plenty of ventilation to keep your chickens cool. In cold climates, it’s important to keep out the draft and to make sure it’s warm enough so that the drinking water doesn’t freeze. An insulated coop will ensure the coop isn’t drafty either. But you’ll still want good ventilation, however, to ensure that fresh air can move in and out of the coop – minimizing the likelihood of your chickens getting sick.

Elevated Coop: An optional part of the design is elevating your coop. Having it elevated can help with the flooding rains and keep it cooler in the summer heat. It also gives the chickens a shady place to go during the day. I elevated my coop and noticed I’ve never had any rodents in it either – I’m not sure it’s a way to fool proof your coop from rodents or predators, but it probably helps to some degree.

Location: If you live in the city, check your city regulations. Sometimes, they require you to be at least 5 ft from the property line. Also, try to make a coop that won’t be offensive to your neighbors. It doesn’t have to be as pretty as the home you live in, but not too unsightly so as to reduce property values. Keeping on top of the smell is also key, since you don’t want to damage relationships with your neighbors.

It’s beneficial for the chickens to have adequate sunlight as well – for staying warmer in cold climates and for maximum egg production. Putting a window on the south side would allow for the light to enter the coop all day.

Deep Litter Method
You’ll also have to consider if you’re going to clean out the droppings on a regular basis or if you want to use the “deep litter” method, which is less maintenance. This is important to consider for designing the floor of your coop. Some people prefer to use a chicken wire floor so the droppings fall into a container under the coop for easier cleaning, less odor in the coop, and a way to regularly stay on top of the cleaning.

With the deep litter method, you essentially have around 4-8 inches of wood pellets, wood (pine) shavings, or other bedding on the floor of the coop. Every few days you’ll want to use a rake or shovel to stir the droppings on the top into the bedding underneath. The chickens do this on their own, but you’ll want to rake it in a bit deeper and more evenly across the whole floor.

The bedding/droppings will begin to decompose underneath. As this happens, the amount or level of bedding starts to shrink down. As this happens, you’ll simply add another inch (or more) of bedding so you’ll always have about 4-8 inches. By using this method, the odor is minimal. You really only need to clean the entire coop out once or twice a year.

I use the deep litter method and highly recommend it – it saves me a lot of time, and I can use that rich compost for our garden once it’s done! I buy 40 lb bags of wood pellets for my coop – most large retailers i.e. Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes will carry some. It may be that they only stock up on wood pellets during the winter so it may help to call the store in advance. Another great place to get pellets is at farm stores, and they usually carry them all year long. However, the price may be a bit higher.

I start off pouring a few bags on the floor until I get about 5 inches of pellets, spread evenly across the floor. I occasionally (once a week) rake the droppings on top, into the pellets underneath. Then I periodically add another bag of pellets – about every 3 monts on average.

I usually know when it’s time to add another bag of bedding – when the coop starts to smell a little and just raking the droppings into the bedding underneath is not working to eliminate this odor anymore. After a year, I simply clean it all out and start the process over again. You can find more information on this process at www.backyardchickens.com which, by the way, is an excellent overall resource for all things related to chicken care.

Predator Control
If you live in an area near dogs, coyotes, racoons, skunks, mountain lions, fisher cats, red tailed hawks, or bears (the most common predators), you’ll want to make sure to make your coop is predator proof. For an outpen made of chicken wire or bird netting, you should embed the material 8″-12″ below the ground around the perimeter of the pen to prevent the would-be predator from digging in.

If your coop is fenced in with woven wire farm fencing (or any other type of farm fencing), it is a good idea to place either a strand of electric wire or barbed wire around the perimeter a few inches off the ground on the outside of the fence. Again, this will deter predators from entering.

RECOMMENDED LINKS TO NEW CHICKEN COOPS AND SUPPLIES
If, after reading all of this, you don’t feel up to the task or decide you DO have the money for a coop after all or don’t want to go through the work of building a coop – there are dozens of good chicken coops for sale. Here are a few links to some excellent coops and chicken coop supplies!

http://www.henspa.com
http://www.mypetchicken.com

I hope this information was helpful. I’ll be adding more as time allows. Good luck with your coop building adventures!