Keeping laying hens at home is popular due to their simple care. However, in order for chickens to please their owners with good growth and productivity, owners will have to invest effort and money in providing them with decent care. One of the main conditions is a well-built chicken coop, in which the bird will feel comfortable, and feeding and cleaning operations will not require much effort.

The number of birds determines the required size of the chicken coop, and the period of maintenance (summer or year-round) determines the type of premises.

To keep chickens indoors, a small house with a perch and nests will be enough, but to get the best result, the chicken coop should consist of two parts - a house and a walking fenced area (aviary). For a small number of birds, a portable house made of boards is perfect, the convenience of which is that, if necessary, it can always be moved to a new place.

There are no strict limiting rules in the construction of a chicken coop; each owner can show his imagination and independence.

Selection of location and construction of drawings

A dry area with good lighting, located at a sufficient distance from the living space, is an ideal option for placing a building. A flat area and a small southern slope will be suitable, which will provide optimal light conditions.

Depending on the specific conditions, we build drawings of the future chicken coop. This will help you calculate the required amount of materials and not make mistakes during the work process. Here, the future poultry farmer is given a lot of scope for imagination - even an outbuilding can become an original decoration of the site with a creative approach.

And in order not to invent anything from scratch, it will be very useful to familiarize yourself with photographs and detailed drawings of chicken coops that have already been tested by time. Magazines and newspapers, videos and photographs on the Internet, catalogs of companies offering ready-made models are a real storehouse of valuable and useful information.

Special literature and advice from those who already keep chickens will help you make the right decision. Below we will discuss the main points that you should pay attention to when developing your project.

Internal layout of the house

Perch. Wooden blocks are nailed between the walls of the building at a low height. The optimal distance from the floor to the bar is half a meter, although in practice perches are often made at different heights. It is not recommended to raise it too high above the floor - this can lead to injury to the bird. You need to leave at least 25-30 cm from the wall to the bar, and if you are nailing several bars at the same height, then make the distance between them approximately 35-40 cm.

Nests for laying eggs. The size of the nest should be no less than 30 x 30 cm, and the height of the walls should be about 40 cm. Wicker baskets or wooden boxes with a bedding of straw or wood shavings can be used as nests. You can place the nests directly on the floor, in a secluded corner, but it is better to raise them to a small height and arrange a staircase in the form of a wide board with cross bars stuffed on it. The number of nests is selected at the rate of one nest for 3-4 hens.

In small chicken coops it is convenient to attach a special structure to the wall. From the inside of the room it looks like a niche in which the nests are located, and from the outside it looks like a ledge in the form of a hanging box with a door. The door provides convenient human access to the nest and makes it easier to collect eggs.

In a large chicken coop, it is better to place the nests on the wall or in the corners of the room, but so that they can be easily reached - to pick up eggs or change the litter.

Feeder. To ensure that the procedure of feeding birds does not turn into a burden, try to position the feeders with maximum convenience. An excellent option is a retractable tray that is easy to clean and fill with food without even entering the bird’s house.

Windows and doors

The correct location of windows and doors is the key to comfortable use. Windows should provide the necessary illumination; often one small window is enough. It is better to place the door on the east side; its size depends on your height. A door that is too small will create inconvenience; focus primarily on this parameter.

Ventilation

Ventilation windows are made on two opposite sides, with one of them located in the lower part, closer to the floor, and the second just below the ceiling.

Design features

In order to save space, many owners build chicken coops in such a way that the space under the house can be used for walking birds. This solution is especially relevant when building summer chicken coops. However, this possibility should not be neglected when constructing insulated winter options.

Do you need a foundation for a chicken coop?

As a rule, poultry buildings are built from boards and are relatively light in weight. This circumstance allows you to save on the construction of the foundation. However, it is inadvisable to place the chicken coop directly on the ground, not only for reasons of safety of the building, but also for the purpose of ensuring safety. If there is no floor raised above the ground, the risk of animals entering the chicken coop is much higher. If you do not want to lose your yard, provide maximum protection against the entry of unwanted guests.

As a foundation, you can use concrete or iron pillars, larch beams, or a standard strip foundation.

Construction materials

Most often, the material chosen is inexpensive, or what is available. Some owners adapt dugouts for the chicken coop - in winter they retain heat well, and in summer they create comfortable coolness. The disadvantage is that it is difficult to protect the room from rodents, for which wooden sheathing is only a temporary obstacle. Concrete, stone and brick will cope with this much better, but they will not protect against dampness and cold.

For stationary heated chicken coops, you can use any materials, including brick or concrete. Solid buildings will require large investments, but they will pay off in the future.

Inexpensive options for winter chicken coops are frame buildings. Timber or log buildings are the most optimal; it is easiest to provide the necessary temperature conditions in them, and they will last quite a long time.

Video - Winter frame chicken coop

The best material for an enclosure is metal or plastic mesh. If birds of prey hunt in your area, then it is better to close the aviary with a net on top to protect the chickens from attack.

Video - Aviary in a chicken coop

For the roof of the house, slate or roofing felt, as well as boards, are suitable.

Video - How to build a chicken coop

Any construction option has the right to exist; the main thing is to choose one that does not require special skills and is not too costly in terms of construction time and financial investments. Our portal offers a description of several models for self-building chicken coops.

Room for summer keeping chickens

The simplest and most economical option is a plank house and an aviary made of chain-link mesh. The area of ​​the house is calculated from the number of birds. For 5 hens, a shed of 1.5 m by 1.5 m will be enough, for 10 – 1.5 m by 3 m or 2 x 2 m. The aviary is attached to the chicken coop, the configuration and size depend on the capabilities of the territory. An approximate schematic solution is shown in the figure below.

An excellent summer chicken coop, the layout of which allows for efficient use of space, is shown in the following figure. The aviary and the chicken coop itself are under one roof, and the area under the house is also used for walking. Its dimensions can be adjusted, and the model is comfortable and beautiful in appearance.

Below is another option from the same series. The difference from the previous model is that the enclosure is closed with a mesh on top. This makes it possible to receive more sunlight, which is important for egg production and the health of the bird.

What do you think of this original mobile chicken coop, made on a wheeled frame? Made on the principle of an arched greenhouse. Everything is compact, beautiful, convenient. The main thing is that you can always take it with you when you move.

Summer chicken coops are not difficult to build. A stationary poultry house for year-round keeping of chickens differs from summer options in the need for wall insulation, and ideally requires heating.

When building a winter version, you should take into account the climatic conditions of the area where you live and select insulation for the walls. If these are glass wool slabs, then it will need to be hidden under reliable sheathing, however, just like polystyrene foam or other types of thermal insulation. Chickens love to peck at everything they can find, and if you skimp on sheathing, you can lose both the bird and the chicken coop.

For stone outbuildings, the best solution would be to connect them to the heating system of a residential building. This way you will be able to reduce heating costs and not worry about the safety of the poultry population. If hens are kept at normal temperatures, they will lay eggs well in winter.

Below are photos of winter chicken coops inside and out.

Insulating a winter chicken coop from the outside

A self-built chicken coop is just the first step towards home poultry farming. To succeed, you will need to study many nuances regarding the rules of maintenance and care, but construction is the very first and most important stage. Make every effort to reap the fruits of your labor in the future.

Video - How to make a chicken coop - some practical tips

Have you decided to start breeding laying hens, but don’t know how to build a suitable building for them? Our article provides a step-by-step guide to building a chicken coop, from choosing a building design to the correct placement of perches and feeders.

Choosing a suitable location

The chicken coop must be installed in a quiet place, away from the noise of traffic and pedestrian roads. The place should be sufficiently lit and well ventilated, but without drafts (and the place where the chickens will roam should be shaded). The ideal option is if the chicken coop and walking area are located in the shade of trees or next to berry bushes.

If you live in a humid climate, you need to take care of draining the soil under the chicken coop or raising the building itself to an elevated position.

Housing for chickens must be correctly oriented to the cardinal points. It is advisable to place the windows on the eastern wall of the building, and the entrance on the southern wall. To ensure the safety of the birds, the chicken coop and walking area are fenced off.

Creating a building project

When designing a chicken coop, you need to decide on the dimensions of the structure, which depend on the number of chickens: for each chicken you need to allocate 1 m2 of internal area of ​​the chicken coop and at least 3 m2 for the run.

Optimal temperature for chickens: 25 °C in summer and 12 °C in winter. Therefore, it is necessary to provide shutters on the windows to protect from the hot sun in the summer or from the cold wind in the autumn-winter period. If the chicken coop will be used in winter, the structure must be insulated. It would not be a bad idea to install electricity there to improve the illumination of the chicken coop when the days become short (good lighting has a positive effect on the egg production of chickens).

Plan two entrances to the house - one for you and one for the chickens. Doors must open outwards. Dimensions for chicken entrance: 20 cm wide and 30 cm high.

Let's look at how you can quickly and inexpensively build a reliable and spacious chicken coop for 10 chickens.

Table. List of consumables

Name of materials	Unit price, cu. e.	Quantity	Cost, y. e.
Wooden beams 50x100x6000	3.65 USD e./piece	15 pcs.	54,75
Wooden beams 50x100x3000	1.88 USD e./piece	40 pcs.	75,20
OSB-3 board moisture resistant 10 mm 1250x2500	7.80 USD e./piece	25 pcs.	195,00
Ruberoid	0.28 USD e./m2	32 m2	8,96
Metal plaster mesh 5x5x0.7	2.20 USD e./m2	10 m2	22,00
Profiled sheeting 1100x3000	14.00 USD e./sheet	10 sheets	140,00
Concrete blocks 200x200x400	1.15 USD e./piece	6 pcs.	6,90
Foam plastic PSB-50 mm 500x1000	52.50 USD u./m 3	2 m 3	105,00
Vapor barrier film	0.48 USD e./m2	25 m2	12,00
Expanded clay 10-20 mm	45.00 USD u./m 3	1 m 3	45,00
Total:			664,80

Note: for a more budget-friendly construction, the OSB board can be replaced with plywood, the corrugated sheeting can be replaced with slate, and sawdust or rye straw can be used instead of insulation.

Tools required for work:

1. Screwdriver.
2. Hammer.
3. Nails/screws.
4. Self-tapping screws.
5. Saw.
6. Level.
7. Plumb.
8. Roulette.

Construction of the foundation and base of the building

A chicken coop is a lightweight frame structure that does not require a solid foundation. You need to start by marking the territory, after which you need to clear an area of ​​2.5x4 m for the building, removing 10-15 cm of the top layer of soil, and thoroughly level everything.

Concrete blocks must be placed one at a time in the four corners of the base and in the center of the long side and covered with roofing felt.

The area under the floor is covered with a thick layer of sand or gravel - this will provide additional water drainage.

The base of the chicken coop is assembled from 50x100 pine beams. The perimeter piping is made from spliced ​​beams, then transverse beams are attached to them. The step between the crossbars on the short side of the base is 40-50 cm, the step on the long side is 1 m. All wooden structural elements are fastened with screws or nails.

After the base frame is ready, it needs to be covered with a plaster mesh and sheathed with plywood or OSB board.

Next, the base structure needs to be turned over and the niches in the frame need to be filled with expanded clay. Cover the entire floor area with a vapor barrier and sheath it with OSB boards.

Walling

It is more convenient to assemble the wall frame separately, on the ground. The assembly is similar to the base: first you need to make a wall frame, and then secure additional jumpers in it. The distance between the jumpers is 50 cm.

The finished frame is installed on the base and secured with screws. The verticality of the wall installation is checked with a plumb line. In addition, temporary supports can be placed on the wall.

When the frame is ready, you can install windows and doors. For the summer version of the chicken coop, the window openings can simply be covered with metal mesh, and dampers or shutters can be provided on the outside. For the cold season, windows with double frames are needed.

Roof construction

After all the walls are installed, you need to build the upper crown from double beams. Then the ceiling sheathing is attached to it in increments of 50 cm. After installing the roof, the sheathing will need to be covered with a vapor barrier, insulated and sheathed with OSB.

The length of the rafter legs is 3 m, they need to be laid in increments of 60-80 cm. A cut must be made in each rafter for reliable fixation on the outer wall.

At this stage, you need to take care of the ventilation of the room. The best option is supply and exhaust ventilation. Two wooden boxes should be placed in opposite corners of the building. One ventilation hole must be located under the ceiling, and the second - 50 cm below the first. To regulate the amount of supply air, the boxes must be equipped with dampers, and the other end of each box must be brought out.

A sheathing of cross beams is laid on the rafters. The distance between the crossbars is 50 cm. The sheathing is covered with roofing felt and then with corrugated sheeting. Profiled sheets are attached to the sheathing with self-tapping screws and a gasket.

Interior arrangement of the chicken coop

After completing the assembly of the frame, the finished walls need to be sheathed with OSB boards inside and out, and the cavities insulated with foam plastic.

50x60 beams are suitable for perches. The bars must first be sanded and the corners rounded. The perches should be placed at a height of 40-50 cm. The distance between adjacent beams is 40-50 cm, and between the last beam and the wall of the chicken coop is 25 cm. Under the perches you can place trays that will be convenient to remove and clean - this will greatly facilitate the procedure for cleaning the poultry house . The total length of the roosts depends on the number of chickens. One chicken needs at least 30 cm of free space.

It is also necessary to build nests for birds. To do this, you can use old wicker baskets or put together several boxes from plywood. Box dimensions WxHxD: 30x30x40 cm, a small threshold (3-5 cm) is required. One nest is built for 5 birds. Nests are installed in a distant, secluded corner.

To illuminate the chicken coop, an incandescent lamp with a power of up to 100 W is used. You need to place it high under the ceiling in a place where birds definitely cannot reach.

At the final stage of construction, you need to arrange drinkers and feeders, cover the floor with hay or sawdust, and add a lot of hay to the nests to keep the eggs intact.

So, all stages of construction have been considered, materials have been calculated. All that remains is to get excited about the idea and see in practice that a frame chicken coop is a reliable and prefabricated structure in which the birds will be warm and comfortable in any weather conditions.

During the winter, chickens need to be kept in a warm coop, otherwise they will become lethargic, sickly and less productive. You can build such a building with your own hands, having previously decided on the type of poultry house, making a detailed plan of it and preparing all the necessary materials.

Requirements for a winter chicken coop

• equipped with electric lighting to maintain continuous daylight for 11 hours;
• insulated and maintains optimal temperature conditions (above +12°C);
  
• equipped with a ventilation system and waterproofing, otherwise the air will be suffocating and excessively warm;
• suggests a place for walking, since chickens can walk outside in the absence of winds and precipitation, as well as at an air temperature of at least -15°C.

There are different types of chicken coops, but for 20 chickens, the best option is a building with a walking area, consisting of two parts - a warm room and an open courtyard made of mesh. Here is an example of a diagram of such a poultry house:

Where to set up a winter chicken coop?

The location of the poultry house will be comfortable for chickens if it meets the following requirements:

• away from sources of noise and active recreation, since birds love peace and quiet;
• is located on a hill, and not in a lowland, where it is very damp, and the soil dries out slowly after the snow melts and becomes covered with puddles after rain;
• located on dry sandy soil (if the soil is clayey, swampy or simply wet, it must be drained before construction work);
• reliably protected from cold winds, for example, by plantings in the form of trees and shrubs;
• is located close to the breeder’s home so that he can regularly monitor the animals;
• well illuminated by sunlight, since the health of birds is proportional to the amount of sunlight received (in extreme heat, windows should still be shaded).

If you plan to increase the number of birds in the future, if possible, the chicken coop should be located in a place where additional buildings can be erected if necessary.

Calculating the size of the chicken coop and preparing drawings

• square– minimum 15-20 sq. m, so that inside the chicken coop there is at least 1 sq. m, and it was also possible to allocate part of the room for, and other auxiliary elements;
  

  In cramped conditions, chickens feel great discomfort, which affects their health and egg production. If the size of the plot does not allow you to build a poultry house for 20 chickens, it is better to reduce their number.

• height– about 2 m, so that the chickens and the breeder feel comfortable in the room.
  

  It is not worth making a greater height, since such a room will be difficult to heat in winter.

Walking proportions depend on the size of the bird house. If its width is 2 m, then the enclosure must be made at least 2x6 m.

Having decided on the dimensions of the chicken coop, you can begin preparing an individual drawing. To make it easier to draw, you can consider a typical diagram of a poultry house for 20 chickens with open range mesh:

It is advisable to design the chicken coop in such a way that the windows face south.

Selection of materials

When building a chicken coop, you need to use durable materials, among which are the following:

• Wood. The most popular solution, attractive from the point of view of efficiency and practicality. In order for a wooden structure to have durability, the bars must be carefully processed. The finished wooden house looks harmonious in the landscape of any site.
  

  In regions with a warm climate, you can do without insulation if you build a poultry house from logs or timber. All seams must be caulked with tow, and wooden planks must be stuffed on top.

• Sheet materials. They are used in the implementation of budget frame technology. Using beams, you need to knock down the skeleton of the house, which is sheathed with sheet material - boards, OSB, etc. Between the inner and outer skins of the frame, you will need to lay thermal insulation, which will be covered on both sides with fine-mesh steel mesh to protect it from mice.
• Cinder blocks. They consist of several materials - sand, cement, slag and water. They are excellent for laying the walls of a chicken coop, since they are very warm and can withstand low temperatures typical in winter. You can purchase this building material in packs placed on wooden pallets.
• Brick. The material is durable, so with proper maintenance, a brick building will last for decades. The disadvantage of brick is its low thermal insulation.
• Foam blocks. This material is frighteningly expensive, but is the most comfortable option for chickens.
• Priming. If there is a shortage of materials, the house can be made in the form of a country house, raising the walls 0.5 m from the ground. Install windows with two glasses on the south side of the poultry house, and insulate the roof and parts of the walls protruding from the ground with any material. All three walls, except the south side with windows, can be covered with soil.

Special attention should be paid to the choice of material for the foundation, which depends on its type:

• Columnar. Such a foundation requires the construction of pedestals. For these purposes, you can use ordinary stone or any brick.
• Tape. Made from reinforced concrete. The frame will require metal reinforcement. You also need to prepare in advance all the necessary components for the concrete solution.
• Pile. It is erected from special piles made of reinforced concrete or metal. Metal piles are more popular because they can be easily screwed into the ground without the help of a professional.

A chicken coop is a lightweight structure, so you can make a columnar foundation for it. It does not require a lot of time and effort, but guarantees the construction reliability and stability.

How to build a wooden chicken coop?

A chicken coop for 20 chickens can be built from beams, and then properly equipped from the inside. Here is an approximate diagram of such a construction:

We will consider each stage of organizing a wooden chicken coop separately.

Foundation installation

The columnar foundation for the chicken coop must be prepared in this order:

1. Perform markup. To do this, in the corners of the future chicken coop, at a distance of 1 m, drive a peg and pull a rope or metal rod. Carefully ensure that the markings are level. The rope should be taut, but at the same time it can creep along the top layer of soil.
2. Inside the resulting rectangle, use a shovel to remove a turf layer approximately 15-20 cm thick, and then, in the places where the stakes were driven in, dig holes for the posts to a depth of 60-70 cm. The width of their walls must be determined by the blocks used for the foundation. For example, if it is 2 bricks, then the optimal width of the walls of the hole is 50-55 cm.
3. Pull another rope onto the twigs to level the height of the pillars. Its height above ground level should be 20-25 cm.
4. Pour sand and gravel into each hole in layers of 5-7 cm to form a cushion for the future foundation. Lay 2 bricks on top, apply cement mortar (1:3) and lay 2 more bricks across. Repeat these steps until the height of the posts reaches the level of the stretched rope. If the height is insufficient, level the posts with cement.
   

   Instead of constructing formwork, you can insert asbestos-cement pipes into the holes.

5. To protect the foundation from the destructive effects of moisture, fill the recess inside the marked rectangle with gravel or small crushed stone.

Arrangement of floors and walls

The floor in the chicken coop can be done in two ways:

• Laying boards on joists. This is a simple option in which you need to trim the boards correctly, otherwise there will be holes in the floor. In order for such a floor to retain heat in winter, you need to lay insulation on it - sawdust or straw. If you use OSB boards, such a floor will not be afraid of moisture and insects.
• Make a two-layer floor. A more complex option, but the floor is thermally insulating. To do this, you need to install bars under the logs, and on them - a layer of boards as a subfloor, insulate and another layer of boards.

The wooden walls of the chicken coop should be installed in this order:

1. Build a main frame from load-bearing beams with a cross-section of 100x100 mm, which is laid on the foundation pillars, not forgetting to lay down pieces of waterproofing, for example, from roofing felt.
2. Nail vertical posts made of the same timber to the frame, and to them - horizontal crossbars, which will become the basis for the ceiling. Attach lintels in the window and door openings between the posts.
3. Cover the assembled frame with the selected material.

Construction of ceiling and roof

To make a ceiling, you need to fix the beams, to which you attach boards, insulation and waterproofing. Finally, lay the finished ceiling itself. The roof itself comes in three types:

• Flat. Lay the main beams at a distance of 50-100 cm, and on them - a continuous flooring of boards or OSB boards, heat-insulating and moisture-resistant layers. This option is considered the most impractical, since the breeder will not be able to create an attic. Perhaps in winter the flat lid will collapse under the weight of snow.
• Single-pitch. Such a roof is somewhat more difficult to complete, since it needs to provide an angle of inclination. To do this, you will need to attach vertical posts to the load-bearing beams, and then sequentially nail boards (must extend beyond the walls) and a sheet of fiberboard onto them. To use the roof as an attic, the top can be sheathed with roofing felt and covered with slate or tiles.
• Gable. Triangular rafters need to be knocked down from a board with a cross-section of 50x100 mm, and the finished structures must be attached to the upper frame trim at 600 mm intervals. All elements are connected to each other with lathing assembled from boards 25 mm thick. It is better to use lightweight materials as roofing – corrugated sheeting or soft roofing.

The best option for a winter chicken coop is a gable roof, which can be used to store bird feed.

Regardless of the type chosen, the installation of the roof must be approached with special attention, because the temperature inside the building depends on its reliability. It is important that there are no cracks in the roof and that it does not leak.

You can organize ventilation in a chicken coop in various ways:

• Make several ventilation ducts at different ends of the chicken coop. It is advisable to equip one end of the ventilation duct at ceiling level, and the other 50 cm below. Dampers should be provided in the ventilation pipes to control the flow of fresh air and temperature in the chicken coop.
• Make several ventilation holes in the floor. In winter, they will have to be plugged with plugs, and in summer, they will have to be covered with a grill that does not impede the flow of air.

Here is a diagram of a chicken coop with proper ventilation organization:

Lighting

If in summer the chicken coop does not need additional lighting, then in winter this is a prerequisite. Therefore, for additional lighting in the winter chicken coop, you need to install electricity and install a lamp. It is advisable to cover it with a canopy to protect it from hay or cobwebs, as well as to avoid dust.

Heating

In winter, it is extremely important to heat the chicken coop so that the air temperature in the building does not drop below 0°C. For these purposes, you can use the following settings:

• Fan heaters. It is better to choose programmable models. They have a high cost, but consume little electricity, so you will need to pay less during the winter than with a conventional device. Automation can be adjusted by time or temperature. In the case of chickens, it is better to choose a unit with the ability to adjust the temperature. With its help, you can maintain a constant temperature in the chicken coop in winter. For example, when the temperature drops to 0°C, the device will turn on and increase the temperature to 3°C, then automatically turn off.
• Infrared lamps. Unlike conventional devices, such lamps do not heat the air in the room, but objects falling into the area of ​​exposure to the rays. It is advisable to place infrared lamps above the perches, as well as above the floor. When the chickens are cold, they will be able to gather in the area of ​​the heaters and create an optimal temperature regime for themselves. For fire safety purposes, lamps should be placed in wire cages. Thus, they will not fall out and lead to irreversible consequences.
  

  Constantly turning on and off infrared lamps will quickly burn out. To prevent this, they should not be turned off. In this mode, they will be able to operate uninterruptedly for several months, and without large energy consumption.

• Potbelly stove, wood boiler or brick stove. These are alternative options that do not require electricity. The main thing is to route the pipe around the room so that it carries maximum heat. For greater efficiency, it can be lined with bricks, which retain heat for a long time.

Interior decoration

The winter chicken coop must be equipped with the following elements:

• Perches. To build them, you need to take a beam with a cross-section of 40x50 mm, slightly round its upper edges and strengthen it in a quiet place at a distance of 30 cm from each other. To prevent chickens from crowding, each head should have about 30 cm of perch. Therefore, when keeping 20 chickens, its length should not be less than 5-6 m. It is worth placing waste trays under the perch to make cleaning the house easier.
• Nests. There are open and closed types. The former are easier to install, while the latter are preferable for chickens because they give them a sense of security. In a winter chicken coop, you can get by with an open bay of at least 30x40 cm in size. It is best made of wood - boards or plywood. 10 nests are enough for 20 chickens. Their bottom should be lined with sawdust or straw to make the hens feel more comfortable.
• Feeders, drinkers. It is worth placing several feeders and drinkers around the perimeter of the entire chicken coop so that the birds do not crowd during watering and feeding. The dishes should be placed a few centimeters above the floor to prevent droppings and debris from getting into them.

Here is a diagram of a well-equipped winter chicken coop for 20 chickens:

DIY winter chicken coop made of cinder blocks

A chicken coop for 20 chickens can be built from cinder blocks. The optimal size of such a building is 6x4 m. We will consider each stage of its construction separately.

Site preparation and excavation work

The selected plot of land must be prepared as follows:

1. Clear the ground of weeds and level the surface of the soil with a bayonet shovel.
2. Remove the top layer of soil 15-20 cm thick and place it in a separate pile.
3. Measure the levelness of the area using a water level and mark it for the foundation. To do this, set the corners of the future building with wooden pegs, tie a synthetic cord to them and stretch it around the site.
4. In the resulting rectangle, use a bayonet shovel to dig a hole for the foundation until red clay appears.
5. Using a hammer and metal nails, assemble formwork from wooden boards without gaps, which is reinforced with transverse bars and jibs.
6. Cover the formwork from the outside with soil and compact it thoroughly.

Preparation of concrete mixture and pouring it into foundation formwork

The concrete mixture must be mixed in an electric concrete mixer using bulk building materials and fresh cement without lumps. You need to act this way:

1. Pour clean water into the mixer with constant stirring.
2. Pour cement in the required proportion and add sand and gravel mixture in small portions.
3. If necessary, add a little water to make the mixture homogeneous and plastic.

Place the finished composition in a construction container and deliver it to the construction site, and then pour it into the formwork in the following order:

1. Place a layer of gravel on the bottom of the formwork and compact it thoroughly. The surface of this pad can be slightly moistened to promote better adhesion of the concrete.
2. Place the concrete mixture using a shovel and compact it well to remove any voids and strengthen the foundation.
3. Thoroughly smooth the top of the concrete with a trowel, regularly wetting it with clean water.
4. Cover the foundation with thick fabric to protect it from sunlight and leave for 2-3 days. It must be kept moist to prevent it from drying out and cracking. To do this, regularly moisten the concrete surface with water.

Laying walls with cement mortar

The walls of the chicken coop are built in this way:

1. Lay cinder blocks, securing them in the corners with mortar, and stretch a synthetic cord around the perimeter of the wall.
2. Using a trowel, lay an even layer of mortar on the surface of the foundation, place cinder blocks on it and secure them in an even position with a construction hammer, focusing on the stretched cord and not going beyond it.
3. Use a plumb line to check the verticality of the masonry walls, paying special attention to the corners. They can be additionally checked with a metal corner.
4. In the wall facing south, leave openings for windows of the appropriate size, and mount a concrete lintel on top.
5. Make scaffolding for masonry at height. To do this, use boards and bars of coniferous wood, as well as nails and a construction hammer. Nail cross members on the sides to make the structure more durable.
6. Install scaffolding along the wall and strengthen it well. You can lay cinder blocks and a container of cement mortar on them, and then lay the walls. If necessary, the scaffolding can be moved and installed in another location.

Mounting wooden beams

Bars measuring 150x150 mm should be used as a ceiling. They must have smooth edges, without knots or cracks. Place them on walls pre-treated with cement-sand mortar at a distance of 2 m and mount them using forged metal brackets. To protect the beams from rotting and destruction, they should be wrapped in roofing felt.

Ceiling installation

To carry out this work, you will need to prepare boards 50 mm thick and 15 cm wide. They need to be dried, holes drilled in them, and then nailed with a hammer and metal nails, avoiding splitting. To make the boards fit more tightly, you need to use clamps.

For waterproofing purposes, lay a layer of roofing felt on top of the boards with an overlap of 10 cm. Spruce trees and cracks in the ceiling are unacceptable.

Manufacturing and installation of rafters on walls

To make rafters, you need to proceed in this order:

1. Lay the bars on the ground, and then mark them using a tape measure and a wood pencil.
2. Along the edges, cut the bars at an angle of 45°C and connect them with metal screws.
3. To strengthen the structure, mark and cut the rafters to the required size, and install wooden blocks across them and secure them with screws.

To give the rafters rigidity, you need to make stools from bars and nail them with a hammer. Next, lift these rafters with ropes and install them vertically at a distance of 2 m. The evenness of their installation can be checked with a level, and then attached to the walls with forged brackets. Reinforce the structure with wooden blocks and metal nails.

Laying and fastening the lathing

Next, you need to prepare the sheathing using boards 30 mm thick and 15 cm wide. Fasten it to the rafters with nails using a construction hammer. Stretch a vapor barrier film under the sheathing, which is secured with metal staples. When fastening the boards, leave small gaps to evenly distribute the roof load. Hem the sheathing from the inside with planed boards and screws.

The outlet and roof overhangs must be done with a margin to protect the walls of the chicken coop from precipitation.

You need to prepare corrugated sheeting to suit the size of the roof, but preferably with a small margin. With its help you need to lay the flooring from one edge of the sheathing. Attach the corrugated sheets one by one to the sheathing with metal screws using an electric drill. In this case, it is important to expose them to the outlet and overhang of the roof, along which to pull the cord. At the end, attach additional elements in the form of a corner to the roof ridge. It is better to secure them with screws with rubber gaskets so that the connection is airtight.

A finished cinder block chicken coop should be equipped in the same way as a wooden chicken house.

Features of winter chicken coop insulation

For insulation, it is best to line the walls of a winter chicken coop with foam plastic, but it must be closed, otherwise the birds will peck at it. In the case of a plank chicken coop, it is best to place mineral wool between the two layers.

To maintain the optimal temperature inside the chicken house without additional heating, you can use ordinary sawdust, since they release heat when decomposed. Since the fall, before the first cold weather arrives, they should be poured on the floor of the chicken coop in a layer of 10-15 cm. After 30-35 days, add a new layer of sawdust 10 cm thick. After some time, repeat the procedure so that by the end of the winter season a layer has formed in the chicken coop sawdust 50 cm.

According to its characteristics, sawdust is better than hay, as it regulates the humidity in the room. Chickens also like to rummage in the litter, where the temperature stays at 20°C.

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Home or country farming is a great help. Even a dozen chickens will be provided with eggs and meat. The first thing to do is build a chicken coop for 10-20 chickens. Construction can be quite inexpensive.

Optimal sizes

If you approach the issue of determining the size of a chicken coop scrupulously, then for each breed of bird there is a certain standard of “living space”. But in a country house or in a private house they rarely keep a purebred bird. Therefore, they start from the average.

Estimating the area and dimensions of the building

When building a chicken coop, they usually proceed from the planned number of birds. It is believed that 2-4 chickens can live on 1 square meter of area. If we are talking about broilers, you can take 3-4 pieces per square meter. They are inactive and this area is enough for them. If we talk about laying hens or meat and egg breeds, it is believed that the optimal number is 2-3 birds per square area. So, a chicken coop for 10 broiler chickens can have an area of ​​-2-3 square meters, a poultry house for 10 chickens - when keeping laying hens or meat and egg breeds - requires 4-5 square meters. If you decide to build a chicken coop for 20 chickens, the area for broilers will be 5-7 squares, for eggs and meat - 8-10 squares.

But knowing the area of ​​a chicken coop for 20 chickens or 10 is not everything. We still need to decide on the sizes. Most often they try to make a rectangular building: 3 * 1.5 m; 4*, etc. In this case, you can clean the poultry house without going inside - a rake, scraper, broom will reach even the far corners. Square ones are not so convenient in this regard, although a small chicken coop for 10-20 chickens will still not be large. So a square is fine.

How tall should the chicken coop be?

When building a chicken coop, you still need to decide on the height of the building. For birds, a height of about 140-150 cm is sufficient. But you must remember that you will have to clean the house, collect eggs, and change bedding. So when choosing the height of the poultry house, they proceed from their own convenience. For this reason, the roof is made higher than head level - so that you can walk upright.

No overlap

There are two options when installing a roof. First: if the poultry house is without a ceiling (ceiling), you can remove the walls by about 140-150 cm, make the roof gable and raise the ridge by 180-200 cm (or a little higher, as is convenient for you). In this case, you can move around the center of the room without problems, but we still rarely go to the edges. There is usually a perch and nests there, and there may be bedding. You will have to work carefully in this area, protecting your head.

The benefit of this option is that with this arrangement we save on wall material. The downside is that more is spent on insulating the roof: it must be insulated over the entire area, which is significantly more than what is required when insulating the ceiling. But, in general, this option turns out to be less expensive, but also less convenient (you have to take care of your head).

With attic

The second option for how to build a chicken coop for 10-20 chickens is to make a mini-copy of a regular house. In this case, the walls are driven to the height required for free movement inside. This is a person’s height, plus 10-20 cm. But keep in mind that part of the height will go to the ceiling, there will also be a floor and bedding on it. Each requires about 15 cm of height. So, if the owner of the chicken coop is 180 cm tall, you will have to make walls with a minimum height of 220-230 cm.

As you can see, this option will require more materials for the walls, but only the ceiling (ceiling) can be insulated, and the attic can be left cold. The attic can also be used to store straw, bedding, etc. But don’t forget about rodents, who love such storage facilities and can become a problem.

On pillars

Another option: make a chicken coop for 10 chickens on poles. In this case, 4 beams are dug into the ground at the corners of the building, the floor covering is made at a height of 50-80 cm from the ground level. The roof is made at a height of 180-200 cm. In general, this is a convenient option for a mini-chicken coop for a summer residence. This is more of a summer option, but can be insulated. In order for the bird to be able to get in and out, an inclined ladder is made from boards with thin perches nailed about 10 cm apart to make it easier for the bird to move.

In general, you choose the height and general construction plan at your own discretion.

Material for building a chicken coop

For chicken coop walls, the material chosen depends on the intended use. For a summer chicken coop, boards, plywood, and OSB are suitable. Such buildings are made according to the principle of frame house construction: a frame is assembled from timber, covered with boards or sheet material. The task of such buildings is to protect from the sun, wind and rain, and they do this very well.

For a winter chicken coop you can use the same materials as for a summer one, but the walls will have to be insulated. You can also use logs, timber, gas or foam concrete, adobe, cinder block, shell rock, sandstone, etc. Basically, any building materials. If there is material left over from the construction of a house, bathhouse, barn, it can be put to use. Only part of the material during the construction of a winter chicken coop requires mandatory insulation, while others can be done without (depending on the thickness of the wall, winter temperatures).

Boards, OSB, lining, plywood - these are the most popular materials for building a chicken coop

A chicken coop for 10-20 chickens is usually covered with inexpensive material. Most often it is roofing felt or slate, but any other material can be used. Only if you are planning a metal roof (from metal tiles, corrugated sheets), keep in mind that chickens do not like noise. During rain or hail, they may become frightened, which will affect the number of eggs or weight gain.

Insulation - mineral wool or polystyrene foam. Mineral wool is vapor-permeable, so normal humidity can be automatically maintained in the chicken coop (if the walls are also vapor-permeable). Polystyrene foam does not allow moisture to pass through, but it is cheaper and is used to build a budget poultry house. Just remember that mice love to live in such insulation (foam plastic and mineral wool). And this is a problem. To block their access to the inside of the wall, it is tightened on both sides with a fine metal mesh (cell size - the smaller the better).

There is also extruded polystyrene foam. It is much more expensive than the options listed above, but the advantage is that fungi do not grow in it, bacteria do not multiply, and insects and rodents do not like it. And one more thing - it has excellent thermal insulation characteristics and, to insulate a chicken coop, a thickness of 2-3 cm is enough (foam plastic needs more than 5 cm), so in fact, the cost of insulation will not increase very much.

Drawings and projects

A summer chicken coop for 10-20 chickens is a small building, usually made of wood. A mini poultry house with a walk, which will house less than a dozen birds, has dimensions of 3 * 1.5 m. Moreover, this is with a walk - a fenced off area. The very room where the chickens will spend the night and lay eggs is 80-100 cm deep, 140-160 cm wide, and its height is about 1 meter.

Summer chicken coop for 5-9 chickens with walking - a very small building

For maintenance - changing bedding, cleaning - there is a door in the back wall. There is a small window covered with shutters to let in light. In general, an ideal option for a summer house for seasonally keeping a small number of chickens.

A chicken coop for 10-15 chickens is a more serious building. Dimensions double: 1*2. The height can still be kept low - all servicing can be done through a door in the back wall. There is no need to go inside. Only as a last resort.

For an even larger number of birds, you need to make an even larger barn for chickens. This is really a barn or a shed. You can already enter such a room.

If the winters are snowy, you will have to make high slopes and a hip roof

Please note that even the smallest poultry house should have windows. No one will install metal-plastic, but glass must be present. In a seasonal chicken coop, one glass is enough; in a winter one, it is better to install two. Moreover, the second can only be installed in cold weather. And one more thing: it is advisable to have shutters on the window. This will give you the opportunity to change the length of daylight hours.

There are designs for chicken coops of unusual shapes - in the form of a triangle or a wigwam. This type of construction is optimal. By spending a minimum of funds on construction, we get a substantial area.

This chicken coop for 10-20 chickens is built using frame technology. There are no walls as such; they are covered with soft roofing material. A very rational construction. It is also suitable for snowy regions: with such an inclination, little will be delayed.

Chicken coop for 10-20 chickens: choosing and making a foundation

The type of foundation depends on the type of material chosen. If this is a frame building or timber or logs will be used, the most optimal is a columnar foundation. The costs in time and money are minimal, reliability is sufficient, and possible distortions of the columns are compensated by the strapping and elasticity of the material.

If the walls are built from blocks of any type, brick, shell rock and any similar material, a strip foundation is needed. There are more costs, but there is no other way to do it. An even better option is a slab foundation, but the costs are even higher. But the slab can be used as a subfloor, and with such a foundation any frost heaving is not a problem.

Preparing the site for the foundation

To build a chicken coop for 10 chickens with your own hands, first clear the area. It is necessary to remove all the fertile layer. Its thickness can be 20 cm or more, and maybe only 5. In any case, we remove everything, including stones, roots, etc. We level the area and compact it. For tamping, you can use a piece of large diameter log with a crossbar-handle nailed on top.

It is necessary to remove the soil because the animal and plant remains in it under the building begin to rot. So it is necessary to remove the fertile layer of soil. We carry out further construction work on the cleared and leveled site.

Columnar foundation

The foundation pillars for the poultry house can be made of brick, but the easiest way is to use concrete blocks 20*20*40 cm. They fit perfectly. If you are building a chicken coop for 10-20 chickens, it is unlikely that your structure will be larger. The longest side length that can be is 4 meters. If the winter is snowy, you can put three supports on this side: two at the edges and one in the middle. If the length of the chicken coop wall does not exceed 3 meters, we place only supports in the corners.

In the selected places we dig holes that are slightly larger in size than the future pillars. The depth of the holes is 25-30 cm. Pour medium-fraction crushed stone onto the bottom and compact it well. The thickness of the compacted layer is 15 cm. We pour sand onto the compacted crushed stone and tamp it well too. Blocks can be placed on this base. They need to be placed “on the horizon”. To do this, you can use pegs with a rope stretched along the level, or you can put even planks on the blocks, lay a building level on them and use it to navigate.

Once the blocks are aligned, you can begin laying the strapping. This is either a beam (for frame or timber construction) or a log. The strapping beam/log must be treated with impregnation. Under them, on the posts, it is advisable to lay a piece of roofing felt or waterproofing material folded in two layers (a modern and improved analogue of roofing felt). That's it, you can continue building the chicken coop.

Strip foundation for a chicken coop

A strip foundation is usually made for a chicken coop for 20 chickens, which will be built from any building blocks, adobe, shell rock, brick, etc. To make a concrete strip, you will have to dig a trench at least 50 cm deep and at least 35 cm wide along the perimeter of the future building. Try to make the walls of the trench even, and if the soil is loose, with a slight slope.

The bottom of the trench is cleared of stones and roots, leveled, and compacted. Crushed stone of medium fraction is poured onto the bottom, leveled and compacted. Layer thickness - 15 cm (compacted). Construction sand is poured on top and compacted. The thickness of the layer is about 10 cm. Next, formwork is assembled from boards in a trench for pouring concrete. The formwork panels should rise above the ground by at least 10-15 cm. In this case, the floor of the chicken coop will be slightly raised.

Strip base - for serious buildings or very difficult soils

To increase resistance to soil movements during frost heaving, reinforcement is placed inside the strip foundation. In this case, two rods with a diameter of 10-12 mm (ribbed, not smooth) are sufficient, which are located at a distance of about 15 cm from each other. The distance from the rods to the formwork panel is at least 5 cm. The distance from the bottom should be the same or greater .

The last step in constructing a strip foundation for a chicken coop for 10-20 chickens is pouring concrete. The grade of concrete is M150, it’s not worth doing less. The proportions are standard: for 1 part of M400 cement we take three parts of medium-fraction crushed stone and four parts of dry sand. Water - 0.7-0.8 parts. Mix everything and pour it into the formwork. Having leveled the top edge, cover the foundation with film and wait 1-3 weeks. If it is warm (+20°C and above) we wait a week, if from +17°C to +20°C - two, if less than +17°C - three. After which you can remove the formwork and continue construction.

Remember that the concrete foundation, even for a chicken coop for 10-20 chickens, must be waterproofed. It can be coated twice with bitumen mastic, or you can lay two layers of roll waterproofing. If the humidity in the area is high, it is better to use both.

Insulation and vapor barrier

The walls in the chicken coop are erected using the chosen technology. There are no nuances here. Insulation, in fact, too, but it’s worth talking about insulation, since after all, this building has its own characteristics.

Lay thermal insulation between two layers of sheathing - and here you have a winter chicken coop

Mineral (basalt or glass) wool

Insulation with mineral wool is most often done if a chicken coop for 10-20 chickens is built according to the principle of frame house construction. The assembled frame is sheathed on the outside, laying a layer of waterproofing under the material (plywood, OSB, boards). At the same time, please note that there should be a ventilation gap of 2-3 cm between the insulation and the outer skin. This can be provided by strips stuffed between the posts or stretched twine (secured with staples from a stapler). The second option is less reliable, but faster and cheaper.

To insulate a chicken coop with mineral wool, it is best to use hard or semi-rigid mats. They are cut into pieces of the required length and inserted into the spacer between the racks on the side of the room. It turns out that on the outside they rest against slats or stretched twine. The thickness of the insulation is 5-10 cm (depending on the region) and the material of the outer cladding, but in any case, when installed, it should not protrude beyond the racks. If the width of the racks is not enough, and thick insulation is needed, planks/boards are placed on top of the racks.

During construction, place the racks at such a pitch that the distance between them remains 3-5 cm less than the width of the insulation. Due to its greater width, the insulation will hold on (the elastic force works). Just be careful: measure the actual width of the roll, and do not use the number that is on the roll. There may be a difference of a couple of centimeters, the edges may bend, so as a result it will be difficult to install the insulation, as it will fall out. When insulating, try to ensure that the pieces fit together without gaps. If they do exist, fill them in thin strips. The installed insulation can be fixed using ordinary twine and staples made of.

A vapor barrier membrane is fixed over the installed insulation. In the simplest version, this is a film with a density of 200 microns. But it’s better to take a membrane for vapor barrier. It is attached to the posts with wooden planks, using small nails or staples from a stapler. At the joints, one sheet should overlap the other by at least 15 cm. Double-sided tape is used to glue the sheets together. This results in a double seam that provides a normal degree of protection against steam penetration. Internal cladding material (plywood, OSB, gypsum fiber board, gypsum plasterboard, boards) can be mounted on top of the vapor barrier film.

Why not an option? Also insulation... All that remains is to come up with something with the floor

So, when insulating a chicken coop with mineral wool, the wall pie looks like this (from inside to outside):

• internal lining;
• vapor barrier;
• insulation;
• ventilation gap;
• waterproofing;
• outer cladding.

The sequence of layers prevents moisture from penetrating into the insulation from the inside. This task cannot be completed 100% - vapors still penetrate. Therefore, it is necessary to have a ventilation gap between the insulation and the waterproofing. Due to this, the steam trapped in the insulation escapes. It is this construction that guarantees that the insulation will work.

Polystyrene foam and polystyrene foam

When insulated with polystyrene foam and polystyrene foam, everything is a little simpler. It is itself vapor-tight, so it is not necessary to protect it from steam penetration. If a chicken coop for 10-20 chickens is built on a frame principle, you can lay foam plastic between the posts. It is cut with a fine-tooth saw (for metal) and secured using polyurethane foam with low expansion. To prevent the insulation from leaking, strips are placed along the racks on both sides. You can lay polystyrene foam and expanded polystyrene both from the street and from the room. Sheathing can be done in any order. The only thing: on the street side, under the sheathing, it is better to fix the waterproofing. Especially for polystyrene foam - it “blooms” when exposed to large quantities of moisture.

If a chicken coop for 10-20 chickens is made of vapor-permeable material (foam and gas concrete, timber, logs), it must be insulated with foam plastic from the outside. There should be a ventilation gap between the wall and the insulation, which will allow moisture to evaporate from the wall. To do this, a lath 20-30 mm thick is stuffed onto the wall. Then the counter-batten is stuffed in the opposite direction. The thickness of the bars is no less than the thickness of the insulation. Foam plastic/extruded polystyrene foam is fixed between the counter-battens on the mounting foam. Then, on top, you can install the outer skin.

Ventilation

Chickens feel fine in normal humidity. When they fall or rise, they begin to hurt (high humidity is more dangerous), so ventilation in the chicken coop should creep in during the planning period. A hole is made in one of the walls for air flow. To do this, you can insert a piece of plastic pipe into the wall and select a cover for it.

The air outflow from the chicken coop (exhaust) is a pipe passed through the roof or the top of the wall. On the street, the pipe rises some distance above the roof and ends with a fungus or a canopy - for protection from precipitation and foliage. The supply and exhaust are located in opposite corners so that the air travels the greatest distance. This type of ventilation is called natural, but it does not always work stably.

For stable operation, a fan with a cover is embedded in the upper part of the wall. It's better if it has several speeds. The operation of this type of ventilation does not depend on the weather, but depends on the availability of electricity and requires human intervention. In principle, you can do both methods and use them as needed.

Different buildings are possible - the design depends on the number of inhabitants, time of use (summer season or all year), terrain conditions, available materials. It is important to draw up detailed drawings - they will help you not forget anything and will reduce construction time.

How to build a chicken coop with your own hands

To properly build a poultry house, it is important to meet a number of conditions.

Requirements for a home barn for chickens

• Temperature. In winter, thermal insulation and heating are required; the ideal temperature for this season is 12 C°. In addition, the room should not be ventilated, as drafts are dangerous for birds. In the summer, the chicken coop should not be hotter than 25 C°, otherwise egg production will drop by half. At 30 C°, chickens will not lay eggs. When setting up a chicken coop, it is worth putting shutters on the plywood windows, and providing a run in the shade of a tree or building or under a canopy. Polycarbonate is one of the most affordable and simple materials that can be used for a canopy. Find out how to choose a polycarbonate greenhouse.
• Dryness. High humidity, especially during cold weather, can lead to illness in chickens. For large buildings, the problem can be solved by making small barred windows opposite the main ones. It is possible to install ventilation in the form of two wooden boxes at different ends. Another option is two pipes, under the roof and at a distance of 30-35 cm from it. Both boxes and roofs must have dampers that allow air flow to be regulated. What a wooden children's house for a summer cottage is is described.

• Light. Affects the egg production of birds. Light is important for chicken egg production, so you will have to equip the room with warm yellow lamps (preferably with shades - for fire safety). You can install a relay that turns on the lighting. It is important to place all equipment and wires out of reach of the bird. Windows are especially important in winter. Place windows behind a layer of metal mesh or wooden bars to prevent chickens from breaking them. Feeders and drinkers require better lighting. The chicken coop yard can be equipped.
• Peace. For the bird to feel safe, there should be no sources of strong noise around. The chicken coop should be built at the far end of the yard, where people and animals usually do not go. You can place the room behind a hedge, which gives the bird protection from the wind, shade and food in the form of insects.
• Protection from predators. Uninvited guests entering a room with chickens will probably harm the birds or spoil the eggs. Rodents are carriers of diseases dangerous to chickens. Under the foundation or walls it is worth sketching sharp metal fragments, wires, glass. They can also be used to strew the ground under the floor, if it is not earthen. In the absence of a foundation, the bottom of the walls is covered with tin.

To secure the chicken coop, lower the foundation or metal mesh 30 cm into the ground (the mesh, filled with a special solution, can be located below the foundation).

How to properly build a chicken coop in the country

Construction materials

1. The foundation will require concrete or cement and brick, depending on the type (strip or column).
2. The timber is used to construct the frame; walls made of timber are possible. You can also build a log chicken coop. Brick, foam and cinder blocks, and adobe are also used for walls. The latter is preferable and retains heat on a par with logs and beams. Read also about making a brick tandoor with your own hands.
3. Boards for cladding.
4. Insulation can be used for walls, located between two layers of boards. In this case, protection from rodents is mandatory. Moss or jute is needed to caulk cracks in a log chicken coop.
5. Sheet plywood is suitable for lining the inside of a room and building nests.
6. Ruberoid, metal tiles, slate, tin, etc. go to the roof. Two layers of roofing felt are laid between the foundation and the first crown of the walls to protect them from rotting (wooden).
7. Nails and screws.
8. Metal fastenings and mesh.

Calculations and dimensions

Immediately provide a place for feeders, drinkers, nests, boxes of sand (needed so that the chickens can maintain hygiene by lying in it) - all this reduces the free space for the bird.

1. For 2-4 birds, an area of ​​1 m² is comfortable (meat breeds require more space). On the roost, one chicken occupies about 30 cm; in winter this distance is less.
2. There should be at least 40 cm between adjacent poles, 30 cm between the perch and the wall. The height of the poles is 50 cm.
3. The room should not be lower than 1.8 meters. This height will allow the owner to freely enter the chicken coop. The run is built at a minimum of 1-3 m² per bird.
4. Nests can be made measuring 30x30x40 cm (40 cm depth). They are placed 40 cm from the floor. For ten chickens you need 3-4 nests.

Please note that a separate nook must be provided for keeping chickens in the chicken coop. It is better to separate young animals and adults.

Drawings for winter (warm) and summer

SNiP 30-02-97 standards that you need to rely on when calculating the size of the chicken coop:

• No more than 40 birds can be kept in one summer cottage.
• The minimum distance from the chicken coop to the border of the territory is 4 meters.
• if the building is adjacent to the house, it must have a separate entrance at least 7 m from the door to the living space. You can also install .
• the project must be coordinated with the architectural commission - this will avoid complaints and proceedings in the future.

In the village, if chickens are kept for personal use, there are no requirements– local government rules apply.

How to make a doghouse will tell you.

Location

1. Movement is important for chickens, their egg production and weight gain, so it makes sense to build a mesh-fenced enclosure adjacent to the chicken coop if there is no other area for the birds to move freely. It is also useful to take into account a possible increase in the number of livestock in advance. We also recommend that you familiarize yourself with the construction of a children's playground for a summer residence.
2. The chicken coop should be built on a hill, and drainage ditches should be dug around it. The correct choice of location will ensure both a dry room and the ability to release chickens into the enclosure without waiting for the snow to melt in the lowlands or the mud to dry. And the tree will rot less. The elevation can be filled independently from gravel, crushed stone, etc.
3. A rectangular chicken coop should be positioned from west to east with windows on the south side for the best lighting. From the south, a door, a hole and an aviary are built - for protection from cold winds. The walls on the windward side must be solid and not blown through.

Perches and floor

1. The perches are made of 4x6 cm timber with rounded edges. The bird should not injure its paws while sitting on them. Please note that on perches that are too small and completely round, it is more difficult for chickens to stay on.
2. You should not place the bars at different levels - the lower ones will be empty, and droppings will fall on the chickens remaining on them. It is better to make the perches removable - for sanitation.
3. Sawdust, straw, and peat are very suitable for bedding. The litter can be deep (50-100 cm) or shallow. The first one is simply dug up when it gets dirty, the second one is changed as soon as it becomes wet. Litter is an additional insulation for.

The floor is made of two layers of boards, between which there will be insulation. This provides protection from freezing and blowing. A 100x100 mm beam and a 25 mm thick bottom board are used. There is bedding on top. Pay attention to how to make cleaning the chicken coop easier. You can make the floor sloping or place pallets under perches. The perch should be comfortable for the chickens, and it is better that it is removable for easy cleaning.

Nests, drinkers and feeders

• in order for the bird to fly well, they must be secluded and darkened;
• there should be bedding inside;
• nests are made in the form of boxes, closed at the top - the bird should not sit on their edges, otherwise the eggs will end up in the droppings.

The dimensions of a chicken coop for 10 chickens are outlined.

It is very convenient to equip the nests with a separate lockable entrance for collecting eggs and changing the litter.

• It is logical to place feeders and drinking bowls in a place that is easily accessible for both the chickens and the owner;
• Feeders and drinkers should be installed at the height of the bird’s back - this way she will have to stretch her neck, but she will not be able to scatter food on the floor with her paws;
• There should be enough feeders and drinkers so that all the chickens can eat at the same time. This will ensure equal development of the bird.

Cheap chicken coop made from scrap materials

It’s easy to build a chicken coop using what you have on hand. The costs in this case will be minimal. Some materials can be reused or asked from neighbors who do not need them.

• quite suitable for chickens even in a room without a foundation;
• a cheap foundation on pillars, in which you can use the remains of old brick;
• Various cobblestones, etc. are also suitable;
• the floor can be earthen or adobe, made of several layers of rich clay. This will reduce the cost of floorboards;
• Remnants of slate, tin, and durable plastic are used for the roof;
• The walls can be covered with any boards that are found on the farm. For example, material from an old fence, removed and left idle, would also be suitable.

How to insulate a chicken room

If you plan to keep birds year-round, you need to consider some features. In the case of a winter chicken coop, a large size can lead to big problems. To maintain warmth, birds huddle together, taking up not much space on the perches. But it is not so easy to heat a large room; the costs of thermal insulation will also be high.

• it is necessary to cover the walls with a layer of heat-insulating material to maintain the room temperature at 15 degrees;
• The log chicken coop must be carefully caulked. The floor can be covered with deep litter;
• Second frames are installed in the windows for the winter period, which are removed in the summer;
• it is recommended to make the roof under which warm air collects two layers;
• if the chicken coop has an attic, its floor should be covered with a layer of straw or sawdust;
• the vestibule in front of the door or manhole will not allow cold air to penetrate directly into the chicken coop;
• For heating, powerful lamps or a heater that meets safety requirements are suitable.

Video

The video will tell you how to properly build a chicken coop with your own hands using scrap materials and imagination.

It is possible that you may need to know how to build.

Various chicken coop projects photos

Building a chicken coop with your own hands is not at all difficult, just carefully study the materials on this topic and find a suitable project.

We invite you to look at a selection of photographs that will help you build an interesting chicken coop for your household. yard

Read about how to make a cage for rabbits.

A good-quality chicken coop that is easy to build with your own hands

Chicken coop with closed range, suitable for small areas

A winter chicken coop with an enclosed range is an excellent option for our winters

A chicken coop can also be an interesting decoration for a household yard

As you can see, building a chicken coop is not so difficult if you approach this matter creatively and with imagination. Surely there will be suitable materials on your site to build a comfortable house for poultry.