For persons who are familiar with raising chickens, chicken coops are used as a place of shelter to protect them from outside predators, and to secure that they are kept healthy to lay their eggs. It serves as a necessity to chicken farms so below we provide the instructions and tools necessary to build your very own chicken coop.
Tools required
- Nails
- Hammer
- Saw
Materials required
- Wood (Plywood sheets)
- Tar paper (about 40 sq ft)
- Ridge capping (galvanized flashing)
Instructions
- The size of the chicken coop will be determined by how many chickens you plan to hold. Normally they accommodate 6 – 8 chickens at a time where each chicken requires about 8 – 10 sq ft of space.
- First, we start with the flooring, by putting a 4*4 skid level and parallel on the ground. This is what the chicken coop will sit on.
- Then you will make a 72*72 inch base by taking two (2) 2*4 end joints and two (2) intermediate joists. After that place the square floor frame over the skids and fasten in place correctly with nails.
- The chicken coop flooring should then be covered by ¾ inches of plywood, and make sure it is sealed with no less than eight (8) nails.
- Now we will make the wall frames for the chicken coop using four (4) 4*4 corner studs and dimension placements that are 2*4. Make certain the studs are nailed directly into the floor.
- Fit two (2) 2*4 uprights (10 ¾ inches long) at the middle of the top of the front and rear wall frames and fasten the 2*4 roof beam to the top of the two roof beam supports.
- Now fasten the ¾ plywood to the wall frames, so that all the joins are over a stud while still leaving space for the windows and a chicken hatchway. The chicken hatchway should be about 3 inches above the floor level of the coop to stop the chicken litter from falling out. Also, secure some gaps where the top of the wall and the underside of the roof connect so a mesh or vent can be placed there.
- The next step is the roof frame which is made by cutting roof rafters from a 2*4 board. Making a total of 12; where 6 strips will be placed on each side, coming from the beam support at the center of the coop to the top of the wall frame.
- Lay tar paper or other effective roofing underlay over the top of the rafter, making sure that it is waterproof before applying.
- Now nail roofing boards on top of the tar paper. Starting from the bottom of the roof to the top using galvanized flat head nails. Make sure when laying the roofing boards each one overlaps the other by about an inch and then nail them together where they overlap.
- Place a ridge capping (galvanized) at the top of the roof, so it overlaps over each side of the roof about 4 inches.
- Make the chicken coop door from the ¾ inches of exterior plywood. When the door is hinged, it should have a ¼ gap on each side and the bottom side should be slightly above the litter board. The same method can be applied when making the windows.
- Lastly, paint can be applied to the chicken coop to give it a nice finish.
Tips and Warning
- When the winter season approaches, the chicken coop should be kept closed. Sometimes a heater may be needed as well depending on the country.
- Ensure that the chicken coop’s resting location is cool and shady and that it won’t be affected by rainwater.
- The positioning of the studs on the wall frame on either side of the door can be altered if necessary to suit a different size or style of door.