How To Build A Chicken Coop That Lives Up To Its Name

Now that you are about to build a chicken coop, there are several things that you need to think about.

As you can imagine, there are more than a couple of types you can easily build yourself. But before you rush out and get the material ask yourself these questions:

How Many Chickens?

How many chicken do you plan on holding? If you're going to build a chicken coop, you need to ask yourself this question first. This is a very important element of a chicken coop, and one that many beginners fail to answer.

The number of chickens is directly responsible for the size of the chicken coop. If you plan on raising 10 chickens, your coop would need to be at least 30 square feet. Each bird requires a minimum of 3 square feet of living space. It is always a good idea to build the chicken coop larger than you actually need. This allows you add more chickens in the future, but more importantly it gives your chickens more living space.

Failure to give the chickens enough space will result in poor egg production and produce other problems in the chicken coop.

The Two Types of Chicken Coops

There are two types of chicken coops for you to learn how to build. The first one is portable. There are several reasons why you might choose to build a portable chicken coop. One of them is ease of maintenance and cleaning. Another is the flexibility to take the chickens with you. If you plan to raise the chickens as pets, a portable chicken coop is a good option.

If you prefer durability, a transportable version might not be what you are looking for. In that case you would want to look at a fixed chicken coop. It provides you with a stable steadfast construction that both you and your chickens will appreciate.

Don't worry, if you can build a portable chicken coop, you can build a fixed chicken coop just as easily.

The Protection Factor

This is also a very important part of learning how to build a chicken coop. And one that shouldn't be overlooked. If you are building a chicken coop for the city, you will be up against just as many predators as in the country. Several common dangers are: dogs, cats, rats, badgers, foxes and coyotes.

Make sure to use a fencing that matches your needs, and meets the size requirements for your chicken coop.

And while I run the risk of sounding like a broken record, don't neglect your chicken coops security. There is nothing more heartbreaking than looking your children in the eyes and explaining to them that a predator dug under or broke through the fence and killed the chickens.

Looks Matter

Don't neglect the appearance of your chicken coop. Anyone can find out how to build a chicken coop, but there is more to it than that. And it is common that people don't put enough effort into its visual aspect.

You need to build a pleasant looking home for your feathered pets or run the risk of ruffling some feathers with the neighbors. Of course you don't want that, nobody likes an eye sore, but with a little effort your chicken coop can become the envy of the neighborhood.

=> Build a Chicken Coop Now!

Building A Chicken Coop - Tips To Keep In Mind

Are you thinking about building a chicken coop? That's a great idea, because it's as easy as ever before to make your own coop. With careful planning you can learn how to build a chicken coop that will be there for you to enjoy for many years to come.

Think about what size of chicken coop you will need. The absolute minimum should be 3-4 square feet per bird. Anything less and your pet chickens will have too little of space. If you are thinking about housing larger types of poultry in your coop, you will of course need to allot more space per bird. Also remember that you will need some space for a waterer and a feeder, so don't go too low on your calculations. If you don't have enough space for building a larger chicken coop you should rather get fewer chickens rather than overcrowding your coop. Giving your chickens enough space will keep them happy and healthy. This will also give you more eggs, chickens that are forced to living in confided coops produce fewer eggs.

Your chickens need the sunlight! When you build a chicken coop, make sure to position it so that it faces the sun as much as possible. Also, if you live in a very rainy climate you need to take care that the coop is well protected from rain and wind. Make sure that your chicken coop can't be flooded if you get a lot of rain. One way of doing this is to build your chicken coop on a higher area of your property. In any case, the spot you picked needs to be properly landscaped to ensure better durability.

Slope the floor towards the door. This way it will be easier for you to clean the coop by spraying it out without flooding the building.

Furthermore, the basic idea of building a chicken coop is to make it as easy as possible for you to enter the coop and to make it as difficult as possible for predators to get to your chickens. So you will have to do some planning on where to place fencing and how high it has to be. Don't forget predators that may dig their way into your chicken coop. A proper chicken coop plan and careful planning will help you eliminate most of the risk right from the start. A well thought out construction plan will ensure that your efforts pay off.

Build a Backyard Chicken Coop - Step 3

Better Safe Than Sorry

One of the most important aspects of learning how to build a chicken coop is keeping your birds safe.

There are many different types of predators that will prey upon your hens if you aren't careful. This can be anything from the neighborhood cats and dogs to less likely threats such as rats. Of course rats are one of the smaller threats, if you live in the country you might also have to contend with larger predators.


These can include foxes, coyotes and badgers. The fencing you use plays a big part in how safe your chicken coop is. Don't use too weak of fencing or you will have to pay a big price later. Make sure to bury your fence deep enough in the ground to keep out animals that try to dig their way into the coop.

Don't forget the threat from above. Hawks will also prey upon chickens, to keep this from happening you can cover the run with more fencing or with a roof.