How to Build a Chicken Coop

So, you've decided to build your very own chicken coop. Congratulations! Planning and building a home for your flock with your very own hands is a tremendously satisfying experience. With a little planning and forethought, you can create a customized chicken coop that perfectly suits your backyard, your climate, your needs, and your birds.

    
The first thing you need to do it sit down and make a plan. How many birds are you hoping to keep? It's best to add two or three to the number you think you want, and build for that number, as you may well decide to add more birds once you get started – you might want more eggs, or decide to give extra eggs to neighbors or coworkers – and you'll be glad to have the extra room; better to have too much space than not enough. Other questions to consider include: what sort of predators are there in your area, and how can you best protect your birds from them? Do you need insulation for your climate?
    
You also need to take into consideration where in your yard you want the coop, and whether you need to landscape first. You'll want solid, level ground – if you build on ground that is unstable, over time your chicken coop will sink and lose structural integrity, and you'll have to rebuild. If you don't have very solid ground, consider laying a foundation first.
    
When drawing up plans for your coop, think about your light source. Make sure you plan plenty of windows (and make sure they're correctly oriented so your chickens get lots of light). Chickens need ample sunlight to thrive, so you'll want to avoid shady areas of your yard when choosing where to place your coop. If you're at all unsure about this, or if you think you might move house and want to take your chickens with you, consider making the coop a wheeled structure so you can easily transport it, both around the yard and across town.
    
You'll want to also be sure your coop is properly ventilated, so your chickens get fresh air even when inside the coop. Most hen houses feature a chicken pen or run, which is a fenced-in area the chickens can safely access from their coop in order to get vital exercise, but even with that you'll want the inside of the coop to be ventilated as well. If you have enough windows, you can put screens in them and make them do double duty as ventilation and light sources, but you may also want to add vents.
    
Speaking of the run, you'll want to make sure it's set deep into the ground, and, in most locations, is either very high or has chicken wire across the top as well. Depending on the predators in your area, would-be chicken-killers and egg-thieves might be able to dig under a shallow fence, or climb a high wall. If you're defending against cats, hawks or owls, you'll probably want to make sure the top is enclosed as well.
    
The inside of your chicken coop will have perches for the chickens to roost, nesting boxes for them to lay their eggs, feeders, waterers, and enough room for the chickens to move around comfortably. If there's an attached outside pen area, make sure the door is easily accessible and big enough for the hens to get through with ease.
    
A good set of plans will address all of the issues above, and a great set of plans will also feature hinged roofs or sides so you can easily clean and maintain your coop, and collect your eggs. Routine cleaning is important, so this is a very nice feature to have. And, of course, the main point of a backyard flock is to collect fresh eggs daily, so making that easier for yourself is a no-brainer!
    
Once you've acquired a set of plans and have considered placement, you'll need to gather materials. You can certainly buy everything you need at your local hardware store, but if you're on a budget, consider used materials. Ask your neighbors if they have anything they'd like to get rid of, or, if your area has a creative reuse store or junkyard, consider looking there. Not only is used far cheaper than buying new, but it's just better for the environment to reuse materials.  
    
As you're constructing your coop, be sure to make the structure solid and secure. Poor construction not only means a shorter lifetime for the coop, but you run the risk of allowing predators easy access. Locks are especially important if you're in an area inhabited by raccoons, as their clever little fingers are surprising deft when it comes to disengaging simple hook-and-eye locks!
    
If you've taken the above into consideration, used a good set of plans and the proper materials, and made sure your construction work is solid, you'll end up with a quality chicken coop that will keep you – and your flock – happy for many years to come.