You can find chicken coop plans both at online and at local building centers. Many are free downloads with materials lists and all. The best chicken coops are built by hand, with your specific needs in mind.
When you plan your chicken housing and runs, make sure to account for how many hens you’ll have and the climate in your area. Grown hens require 4 square feet of space at a minimum. This means that for every three hens you plan to have, you will need twelve square feet of space.
Of course, the more space they have, the happier (and healthier) the hens will be. More space will mean less squabbling, better exercise, and less threat from illnesses.
Chicken coop kits are available, with all construction materials needed being included. These are usually only meant for up to three chickens, however, and can be cost prohibitive for larger units.
If you just want a couple of hens, you can buy a ready made coop and run online. These coops usually sit on the ground and are not secured against most predators. But they are, as an added bonus, easily moved around your yard. As a secondary “day pen,” they can be perfect as a way to easily allow movement to fresh areas of the yard.
When building your own chicken coop, you should be careful of using building materials that can be a hazard to your birds (and the eggs you will collect). Pressure treated lumber often has arsenic in it, which will be ingested when the hens peck at the wood. Also, be careful you don’t:do not use paint that could contain lead. Remember that anything ingested by the chicken can end up in her eggs, and that can end up in your family’s food.
Chicken wire should not be used as your only fencing to keep out predators. Animals like dogs, skunks, opossums, raccoons, fox, coyotes, and others can get through chicken wire easily.
When you are thinking about your chicken coop plans, chicken wire should only be used on the bottom of the cage to keep predators from digging under. It’s a great deterrent for that because the animal doesn’t have the leverage needed to tear through from underneath. He will either get discouraged or will hurt his paws on the wire and give up.
Heavier gauge wire should be used on the sides and top of your pen to protect your chickens. Even if your coop provides for lock down at night, many predators will still try to get through to eat leftover grain, drink from their water, and will try to get into the coop itself.
Often, you will need a padlock or something sturdier than a latch to keep raccoons out. A slide bolt or hasp is easily beaten by a chicken-killing, veteran raccoon. Your chicken coop plans should take into account the type of predators that are in your area.
With some thought about your climate, the number of hens you would like to have and basic safety measures, your diy chicken coop plans can be the start of an enjoyable hobby for you and your family.