Want to know how to build an inexpensive chicken coop and a cold weather chicken coop at the same time! OK let's get started with some general ideas and then later I will show you how to get really great plans and step by step instruction to make this task very easy.
How Big Does My Backyard Chicken coop Need To Be? Each chicken needs 3 to 4 square feet.
For example you have 8 chickens then you need 24-32 square feet or a.
5'x6' hen house.
You might consider that at some point you may want more chickens so when planing think about expanding the flock later.
Designing your Hen House For Cold weather climates.
Unlike premade chicken coops, when building your own you can design it for colder climates.
When using insulation you must protect it from the chickens pecking or eating it.
If it is on the inside then you will need to cover it with some type of sheeting.
You could always put it on the outside and then cover it with siding.
Depending on the materials you have on hand or can salvage will be the deciding factor.
Hot Weather - your Coop Needs Ventilation.
You need at least two windows not only for ventilation but the chickens must have light.
It is a good Idea to have some type of vent at floor level on the north side and then a window high on the south side.
This give that old fashioned cross ventilation and does a nice job of keeping it cool.
If the windows are on the south build a small awning to keep the hot summer sun from over heating the coop.
Perches And Nests Chickens Like to sleep high off the floor.
The perches must be 18"-24" off the floor.
If it is higher you will need a couple of ramps for the chickens to get on their perches.
The perches can be made out of saplings or 2"x 2" with the edges rounded off.
The nests are not for sleeping they are for laying eggs.
These must be lower than the perches otherwise the chickens will sleep in the nests and make the eggs a mess to clean.
The nests can be just wood boxes with some bedding material.
You can also use five gallon buckets with 3/4 of the bottom cut out (lay them on their side) and place the lid end with a door to the out side so you can reach in and gather the eggs.
Automatic feeder and waterier.
They can both be made from five gallon buckets.
The bottom of each sits inside of a planter base.
For the feeder drill 11/2 holes around the base of the bucket and fasten the bucket to the planter base with a screw.
Just put the feed in the bucket and put the lid back on and you have a great automatic chicken feeder.
The automatic waterier is done the same way except the holes are much smaller.
1/4 inch is fine and don't screw the bucket to the planter base.
Also be sure to have the holes below the rim of the planter base.
Don't forget to put the lid on.