poultryOne.com's Guide to Building Chicken Coops and Housing Your Chickens (by Joshua Duvauchelle)
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There are several different "essentials" to raising chickens. Some of the most important include...
1. Feeding your chickens
2. Housing your chickens
While I've dealt with feeding chickens in a separate article, today I would like to focus on some of the basic needs of a good chicken coop.
When you think of a chicken coop, several things might come to mind. Some of you might have a picturesque idea of a little Old-English styled miniature house out in the country, maybe with a little window-box filled with petunias. The rest of you, especially the city-folk, might have a more utilitarian idea with a simple wire cage propped up on wood beams.
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It is up to you if you decide to go for the picturesque or the utilitarian style. And while we might not have the unlimited budget of ABC's television series Extreme Home Makeovers, little things like the paint color can be easily changed.
What can't be easily changed are the crucial elements of design, such as ventilation holes and where the windows are placed in the wall. That is why it is rather important that you read up on this subject before you break out the hammer and nails. Unless, of course, you *are* from Extreme Home Makeovers, in which case I think you might be on the wrong website. :)
There are a few major "schools of thought" in coop design.
The first is Free Range Housing, a term many of you might be familiar with. For those who wish to use this term in its pure, technical sense, free ranging is allowing your birds total liberty to roam anywhere and anytime they want. No fences. No restraining wire. Freedom in the truest form. That also means your chickens will have easy access to the mouth of a hungry fox, or the more benign (but just as deadly) playful antics of your neighbor's dog. You can also kiss your garden goodbye, because chickens have the uncanny ability to home in on ripe produce better than anything the government could ever invent. That's why Free Range-loving hobbyists often consider the next best thing...
Confined Free Range Housing consists of a bottom-less wire chicken run, coop, or light shed that is moved around a pasture. Your chickens are allowed easy access to vegetation and bugs, yet are confined where they are sheltered from outside dangers and the elements. It can be difficult if you don't have a large yard, or next to impossible if you live in suburbia. However, if space permits, it is definitely a good choice for country folk who want to give their birds the best of both worlds.
Next are Conventional Coops. Yes, the picturesque type often featured on the cover of magazines like Country Living. Built like a miniature house with windows, a human-sized door, and a chicken-sized door that lets the occupants out into a wire chicken run for some sunshine. Inside you'll find a floor made of packed dirt, hay, wood, or concrete. And yes, you can build window-boxes with petunias.
In contrast to Conventional Coops, Small Wire Cages are just what it sounds like - small and wire. Cages are great for factory farms and intensive operations where your trying to squeeze every dime and egg out of the hen. Most chicken hobbyists do not raise their chickens in cages like this, although some have no choice due to severe space or budget limitations. In recognition of this, wire cages do have their place. However, they should not be operated the way they are in factory farms where the chickens are crammed in with 5 or 10 other chickens.
So the question then is, Which method is best for you? I personally use the Confined Free Range method. An extra large dog kennel frame covered in wire allows me to give my chickens the benefits of being "free" with the protection of a coop. Whether you choose Confined Free Ranging or Conventional Coops, you can get a jump start on building your chicken coop by converting an old shed, dog house, extra garage, etc. on your property.
Your coop can be as simple as a wood frame with wire
Your coop does not need to be elaborate. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you want! If you're a handy man, you can easily construct a simple box without buying any of the many different "simple chicken coop plans" available everywhere online.
No matter what type of coop you choose, you need a few basic requirements: Shelter from the elements (rain and sun and, in northern areas, winter), roosts, nesting boxes, and feed/water areas.
This article will be of use to anyone interested in building their own chicken coop, or evaluating ready-made options.
Besides the basic requirements, there are other important things to consider. First of all, the coop should be well ventilated. Coops with too little air-flow can often build up a toxic level of fumes that is dangerous for both the chicken residents and their human caretakers. However, too much ventilation, such as cold drafts in the winter, is bad! Your chicken coop should also be insulated so that it is cool in the summer and warm in the winter, thereby reducing your energy costs. Who doesn't want to save a little money?
The coop should also be easy to clean. Allowing excrement and filth to build up in the house will increase the probability of your chickens picking up a disease or parasite. If you live in a suburban environment that allows chickens, letting waste collect is a sure way to get your neighbors to hate you.
The housing must keep rodents and other pests out, and should be strong enough to withstand the digging or scraping of a fox or dog. Rats, mice, snakes, and other critters often wreck havoc in a poultry flock. Such problems can easily be prevented with thoughtful, proactive construction.
The coop should also have a place for the birds to roost, good drainage, nests (this is only necessary if you are raising egg layers), and enough feeders, waterers and space for the number of birds you are raising.
A plain, box-like coop is easier to care for than a fancy, elaborate house with multiple crannies where manure, dust and other debris can collect. Keeping everything simple saves time and money, even though it may not be a picturesque as you would want.
Preferably, the coop should have a large door that you can enter through AND a small door for the birds. The human door should be wide and tall enough to allow you to carry in large objects such as a feed bag or plywood. The chicken entrance should measure about 10-inches (width) by 13-inches (height). For other fowl, like geese and ducks, the size should be nearly doubled...or, for some breeds, even tripled.
The bird door is quite easy to construct out of a flap cut into the wall with hinges on one side and a latch on the other. If the door is high off the ground, keep some extra wood on hand to make a ramp that leads to the ground.
Coop Dimensions: The more room you give the birds, the better. You could use the minimum space requirements listed in many popular poultry books (don't forget to support us and buy your favorite chicken books through our new online bookstore), but we do not advise this unless you are raising the birds as part of a large, commercial effort. Commercial farms (a.k.a. "Factory Farms") often sacrifice humane, adequate space for cheap, high-productivity "crates". Such abusive systems may produce an extraordinary amount of eggs or meat, but most backyard farmers prefer to give their animals a thoughtful, compassionate coop rather than such irresponsible housing. Provide your birds with adequate space by allowing 2-3 square feet per chicken, or more for larger birds. Flocks with enough space often perform better than their small-cage counterparts and are usually less prone to contract disastrous diseases. More space is healthier!
Ventilation and Insulation: Birds that are free-ranged or confine free-ranged get more than adequate ventilation, but if you are raising your flock indoors this is an important factor: Make sure they have enough fresh air! Without ventilation, the coop will quickly become filled with harmful gases (carbon dioxide and ammonia), suspended dust particles, disease-causing organisms, humid moisture, and the stench of stale manure. Not pleasant, if you ask me. In a matter of weeks, the once sparkling-clean chicken house can become a "nose-sore" for its inhabitants and you! Don't forget that your neighbors will complain, too. To prevent such problems, drill large holes on the north and south sides of the coop where the roof meets the walls. To keep out wild bird visitors, which can often be carriers of diseases, cover these holes with screens or mesh.
Where should you place windows? Usually, for proper ventilation you should put windows on the north and south sides and keep them open at all times during the heat of summer.
During the winter time in cold regions, temperatures plummet and many farmers find their birds huddled in groups, trying to conserve warmth. To keep the flock comfortable during these cold nights (and during the hot summer days), invest in proper coop insulation. 1.5 inches of Styrofoam sheets between the walls (and ceiling) provides great insulation and also prevents the birds from pecking at it. To reflect heat during the summer, many people use aluminum roofing and cover the walls with white paint. Another method is to plant tall vegetation around the coop. If you do this, be careful not to let the plants block any ventilation holes and windows that you may have made. NOTE: To provide extra insulation during the winter, and if it is possible, stack hay bales against the north walls of the barn. It's cheap, and when winter is over you can use the hay as litter.
Flooring: There are many different flooring material that can be used in your chicken or poultry coop. The cheapest is plain dirt, packed down firmly to create a sturdy foundation. However, such a floor is very vulnerable to rodents and also does not provide adequate insulation of heat during the cold months. Its also not very easy to clean, so many farmers opt for a different method.
Concrete, if installed properly, is the most expensive but most sanitary option available. It's rodent-proof and very easy to clean (simply spray it with water and, if needed, scrub briefly with a disinfectant).
Wood flooring is pretty easy to install, but is subject to rotting (especially the wood under the bird waterers), is not especially sanitary, and is not rodent-proof. However, due to its cost this is a somewhat popular floor material.
Roosts: Roosts should be made of smooth lumber or thin, sturdy pipes made of plastic or metal. Do not make the roosts too large or too small, otherwise the birds will not be able to grasp it well. Also, make sure there is enough roost space for all of the chickens.
Nests: Nests should be approximately twelve inches wide by 15 inches long by 13 inches deep. Provide litter or some other type of soft material to keep the eggs from cracking. To let the hens become accustomed to the nesting boxes, place them on the ground for the first two weeks, then put them about 17 to 19 inches off the ground.
To encourage your hens to lay in their nests instead of on the floor, situate the nests in a dark area away from the general activity of the chicken house. Some people further entice their hens by hanging a flap of burlap or thin plastic over the entrance of the nest.
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Knowing how to house your chickens (or other type of poultry) may seem simple, but let us assure you, it's not! If you allow cold drafts to enter the house, your chickens could catch a cold or worse, especially if the inside of the cage is wet. If the house is too hot your chickens may become dehydrated. If there isn't enough ventilation, fumes from rotting manure may become concentrated and toxic. We don't mean to scare you, but housing your chickens requires expertise.
Let us take you through a tour of the ideal chicken house. Although you might choose not to build one exactly like our example, your house should have all the coop aspects that we point out...
First, let's look at the walls. There are many ways to wall the house, and so many different materials to chose from that you might be very confused. From wire to wood to bales of hay to even concrete, anything goes...well, almost. Proper ventilation must be allowed for, so if the walls are solid you must make space for windows or screens (another way to ventilate a solid house is by raising the roof several inches and leaving a small gap between it and the walls). In warm climates, such as in Hawaii, walls can be made out of metal wire. Cover three of the sides with roofing material or wood to block out the wind. A simple sheet of plywood on the top should be sufficient enough to block out some of the sun. You could also purchase UV-blocking mesh from construction stores like Home Depot. If you live in colder regions you would probably end up with frozen birds in the winter-time, so we don't advise you to try this year-round in regions such as Oregon or Washington.
Having enough space for your chickens is also important. Too little space may induce cannibalism and a rapid spread of disease. Ideally, you should allow 2.5 to 4 square feet of space per bird, depending on the individual's breed and size. Remember to use common sense! The skinny Leghorn need less space than Jersey Giants, bantams need less room than Rhode Island Reds, etc. If time and finances allow, you can provide each bird with even more space. The more room your chicken has, the healthier and happier she'll be! This will pay off in the future when you suddenly realize that, unlike Joe next door, your flock has never gotten ill or required treatment from the local vet.
The roof should be built high for the purpose of adequate ventilation and to create a cooler living environment. Smaller spaces heat up a lot quicker, which might be beneficial in colder areas but is very bad in the often extreme heat of summer. Most people would rather have live chickens than fried chickens. =)
There should also be several windows, especially in coops intended for layers. The hens need light to stimulate a gland that releases egg-making hormones. This is especially true in the winter time when less light affects the egg production even more. Even meat-birds or show-birds need light since the sun imparts essential vitamins such as vitamin D. If windows are impractical, artificial light can be used as a somewhat inferior substitute.
The flooring material can be a debate. In many parts of the country, people use packed dirt as their choice of material, while others like concrete or wood (since they can be cleaned easily). Another choice is to use straw, hay, or shredded corncobs/wood on a dirt or concrete foundation. As these natural materials decompose, they produce a bacteria that acts as a deodorizer for the chicken's manure.
For those of you who absolutely must use wire cages, build them suspended off of the ground on poles. Droppings fall easily through the wire floors, minimizing cleanup and simplifying the collecting process for farmers who use the chicken manure as fertilizer. The roof can be covered with light-weight plastic sheets, which let in light yet keep out rain. When the weather becomes windy and cold, plastic can be hung on the cage's sides. This method of housing chickens is economically rewarding, as the start-up costs for your flock is relatively low. Unfortunately, raising chickens in cages is less enjoyable for the chicken. Cage raised birds are refused the basic instincts such as pecking, digging, dust bathing, etc. Raising chickens in cages can also result in many health-related problems. However, for some farmers this method is the only viable way to embark on such a venture. If you must use cages, be sure to give them lots of extra space!
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The above ways of housing chickens are just a sample of the array of methods that you can use. Some are easier than others, some are better, while others are more sanitary. poultryOne suggests that you choose the method that works for you, especially since the region where you live affects the type of coop used for the chickens. Although we don't advise our members to utilize the often inhumane wire-cage methods, we understand that sometimes you have no choice. If you have any questions on the above ways to house your poultry, be sure to contact us! Don't forget to comment on this article by using the easy form below -
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