Yes you read that right! Instead of paying hundreds, or even thousands of dollars, for a chicken coop does not make any sense. There will be chicken coops for sale all around you but the one you make will definitely be special. Isn’t it a better idea to build a small chicken coop using your own creativity? Now you might again feel that why to worry about small chicken coop plans when there already are so many small chicken coop for sale in the market.

Goals:

You must frame certain goals in your mind regarding the building materials for chicken coops, tools required for this purpose and the design of the coop. These goals could be:-

~ Purchase easily available and cheap materials that you can buy from any local hardware shop.

~ Tools you need to build a chicken coop – A simple chicken coop design that requires using common hand tools is preferable.

~ Smart designing so that your chicken coop looks unique and attractive, yet is easily constructed.

~ Make place for future expansion plans, in case you want to bring in more hens.

~ Raise the chicken coop from the ground level so that damp soil and predating animals don’t harm them.

~ Make provisions for easy collection of eggs and cleaning of the coop.

Materials required for building chicken coops:

You can make your own chicken coops from renovating even an old shed! Building chicken coops is not as tough as you consider it. Other materials that you may use are scrap wood (since buying fresh new wood could pinch your pocket more!), PVC pipes, barrels, tarps, kits, nails and so on. Wood is the most commonly used item but it depends if you are lucky enough to find the right size of lumber you need for your coop at the shops that sell scrap wood. You can also use tins sheds to make the ceiling for the chicken coops.

Guide to making your own chicken coop:

The Internet has a storehouse of information on how to build chicken coop with easy step by step instruction. Some of the things you need to keep in mind are:-

1.Make a sketch of the coop that you desire, with proper scaling of measurements. Plan the colors that you want your coop to be colored in. Consideration should be made for your neighbors so that they don’t complain of defacing surroundings.

2.There must be provision for ample ventilation of light and air in the coop for the chickens to breathe easy. It would be advisable to install doors that open inwards and sliding windows. Also, it would be a clever idea to make the floor sloping towards the door so that you can easily drain out water when cleaning the chicken coops.

3.It is also necessary that the coop should have proper screening systems like a heavy mesh wire. To ensure least amount of dampness in the coop, construct it on a high and well-drained area. Also, it should face the sun so that even if it gets damp, it dries up fast enough. To protect the chicken from predators like cats and dogs, bury the boundary of the coop with chicken wire at least one foot deep.

4.You should take care to see that you place chicken feeders and waterers at a proper place so that they don’t mess up everything as is their tendency. Both of them should be placed at the height of the chickens’ back so that they reach to it by stretching their necks.

Final say:

Building your own chicken coops plans can be quite fun if you have the right resources and a proper guide!! Use “green materials” and get to taste fresh healthy eggs from your backyard. What’s more, you also save lots of money!