DIY Chicken Coop and Run

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Adding chickens to your home can be overwhelming and expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. We will talk about how you can DIY a chicken coop and run, starting off your raising chicken journey on the very best foot.

Having a chicken coop and run is essential for keeping your backyard birds safe, happy, healthy, and secure. We’ve got some great tips to help you get started on building your own DIY chicken coop and run, being sure to include each part a chicken needs to be happy and healthy. Whether you purchase plans or transform a shed into your new chicken’s home, there are a few things to know about space and room for your flock.

How big of a chicken coop do you need?

When deciding on the size of your chicken coop, you need to consider how many chickens you will have.

As a general rule, each chicken should have about 2-4 square feet of space inside the coop. The space you have will also depend on the breeds you are raising.

• Small breeds need 2 square feet – Bantams, Longhorns
• Medium breeds need 3 square feet – New Hampshire and Rhode Island Reds, Plymouth Rocks
• Large breeds need 4 square feet – Buff Orpington’s, Black Stars

For the outside enclosed run, it is best to have 8-10 square feet per chicken. I like to be generous with this number, as the less room you have, the more issues you may see in the flock.

Be generous with your space. If you want to start out with 4 chickens but hope to eventually grow that number to 10, I would plan to use the larger number to ensure everyone is happy as your flock grows.

Chicken Coop Design

When deciding on the design of your chicken coop, after space the main things to consider are protection from predators and weather.

Weather

The walls of your coop should be built with the weather in mind. If you live in a cold area, you may want to consider adding insulation.

Next, be sure to place any openings so that the wind will not affect the coop’s interior. Blowing rain and snow can really make a mess of the inside of your coop if your windows or doors are facing the wrong way.

Finally, you will want to have ventilation but stay away from drafts. Ventilation will help to keep the air fresher and healthier inside. Vents are usually found at the top of the coop.

Inspect your coop’s interior during bad weather to identify any drafty areas so you can close those up.

Protection

Be sure to close up any openings that may allow mice or other predators to access the coop. You can also raise the coop off the ground for more protection, adding a few rodent lights to deter pests.

Nesting Boxes

Next to protecting our flock, the eggs are another area that needs to be considered in a DIY coop design. You will want to have 1 box for every 3-4 chickens in your coop.

Nesting boxes are where chickens lay their eggs and you will want to keep in mind two things when choosing the best setup for your flock.

#1. Choose nesting boxes that will keep the eggs protected from cracks or breaks until you can collect them.

#2. Choose nesting boxes that your chickens will use.

4PCS Chicken Coop Toys-Chicken Xylophone Toy Chicken Veggies Fruit Skewers Lettuce String Bag Hanger Chicken Treats Holder for Hens Roosters Chicks‎Tgeyd Chicken Feeder and Chicken Waterer Set (3 Gallon/26 Pounds) – Hanging Automatic Chicken Feeder No Waste – Chicken Coop Accessories – Poultry WatererChicken Nesting Herbs – 14 Oz Natural Nesting Box Herbs in 6 Dried Flower & Herbs for Keeping Coop Fresh and Create Comfortable Environment for ChickensManna Pro Crushed Oyster Shell Calcium Supplement For Laying Chickens – Poultry Treat – 5 lbs.Eaton Pet and Pasture, Premium Laying Hen Nesting Pads, USA Grown & Sustainably Harvested, 13 x 13 (10 Pack)3 in 1 Stretchable Chicken Poop Scooper Chicken Coop Accessories Sifting Shovel for Chicken Coop Chicken Litter Scoop Supplies Separating Poo and Debris from Sand(22.4 to 50 Inch)

 

You can customize nesting boxes using containers you might have lying around your homestead now.

1. Wash tubs
2. Buckets
3. Litter boxes
4. Plastic milk crates

We made this setup years ago using plastic milk crates purchased at a yard sale and leftover hemlock from a barn project. Hemlock is a great choice to use as it is very lightweight and durable.

Our nesting boxes have been holding up well for over 10 years now.

Ventilation

As mentioned earlier, it is important to have fresh air coming into your coop year round. You can do this by adding windows, having a door, and installing vents at the top of the coop.

For added protection, you can cover any openings with a layer of wire mesh to keep out predators.

Chicken Run

Whether you choose to free-range your chickens or not, it is a good idea to have an enclosed area connected to the coop that your flock can access throughout the day.

This will give them a chance to be out in the fresh air and sunshine as well as give them an area to bathe and scratch in.

You want the area to be large enough to allow the chickens plenty of space, about 10 square feet per chicken. Read How to Free Range Chickens for another option that you may want to consider in your setup.

Have walls that are high enough to keep your flock from flying out and cover them in fencing wire with small openings, such as hardware cloth, to keep predators from getting in.

Roosts

Finally, another important part of a chicken coop is the roost. Roosts are where your chickens will perch at night to sleep. Since chickens cannot see at night, roosts are crucial to them feeling safe through the night.

There are many styles of roosts you can build for your coop, taking into consideration the layout of your coop’s interior and how many birds you have now and plan to raise.

Here are a few chicken roost options:

1. Just a few chickens – a free standing ladder or board in a cinder block.
2. 5-10 chickens – a DIY ladder style roost
3. 10-20 chickens – a perimeter roost

For spacing, you will want to have 8-10 inches per chicken.

When planning the design of your chicken coop, keep in mind the predators in yoru area as well as the weather throughout the year so you can choose a location that will keep your flock safe and dry.

Once you have a spot chosen, you can use this list to DIY a chicken coop and run that will complement your homestead and last for years to come.

More Chicken Resources:

• How to Grow a Chicken Garden
• 5 Warning Signs of a Sick Chicken
• Inside Chicken Coop Layout