How to build a warm chicken coop yourself. Do-it-yourself chicken coops for laying hens - how to build and arrange the inside. Site preparation and excavation work

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 it detailed plan and having prepared everything 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.

Exist different types chicken coops, but for 20 chickens, a building with a walking area consisting of two parts is best suited - 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 noise sources and active rest, because 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 size 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:

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.
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.
Pull another rope onto the twigs to level the height of the pillars. Its height above ground level should be 20-25 cm.
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.
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:

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.
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.
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 the chicken coop different 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.
From constant switching on and off infrared lamps will burn out quickly. 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:

Clear the ground of weeds and level the surface of the soil with a bayonet shovel.
Remove the top layer of soil 15-20 cm thick and place it in a separate pile.
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.
In the resulting rectangle, use a bayonet shovel to dig a hole for the foundation until red clay appears.
Using a hammer and metal nails, assemble formwork from wooden boards without gaps, which is reinforced with transverse bars and jibs.
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:

Pour into the mixer clean water with constant stirring.
Pour cement in the required proportion and add sand and gravel mixture in small portions.
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:

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.
Place the concrete mixture using a shovel and compact it well to remove any voids and strengthen the foundation.
Thoroughly smooth the top of the concrete with a trowel, regularly wetting it with clean water.
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:

Lay cinder blocks, securing them in the corners with mortar, and stretch a synthetic cord around the perimeter of the wall.
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.
Use a plumb line to check the verticality of the masonry walls, paying attention Special attention corners. They can be additionally checked with a metal corner.
In the wall facing south, leave openings for windows of the appropriate size, and mount a concrete lintel on top.
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.
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:

Lay the bars on the ground, and then mark them using a tape measure and a wood pencil.
Along the edges, cut the bars at an angle of 45°C and connect them with metal screws.
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.

City: Tomsk

Publications: 102

Many owners raise poultry. Most the best option- these are chickens. They are undemanding to living conditions, but it is necessary to build a good chicken coop. For a small family, it is enough to have 10 laying hens. To do this, you will need to make a chicken coop with your own hands for 10 chickens. Drawings and detailed instructions will help you build a quality structure.

You can make a beautiful and spacious chicken coop yourself

Read in the article

How to make a chicken coop with your own hands for 10 chickens: drawings and requirements

To begin construction work, you should familiarize yourself with the basic requirements for such a structure:

placement of the building. A rectangular chicken coop should be placed from east to west. Chickens lay eggs better if there is enough daylight, so windows should face south;
When creating a warm chicken coop with your own hands, it is worth remembering that the room should not be hot, since at temperatures above 25 degrees the chickens will not lay eggs. But even in winter it is necessary to create warmth. In cold weather you will also need a structure. The temperature must be at least 12 degrees;
it is better to locate the building away from noisy places;
high humidity can cause poultry diseases, so ventilation is necessary;
The dimensions of the room are selected taking into account the fact that two chickens can be accommodated per square meter. In cramped conditions, chickens lay eggs worse.

Helpful advice! When designing a poultry house, you need to take into account that over time the number of individuals may increase and more space will be required.

When arranging a room, it is worth equipping the windows with shutters made of, and for walking, provide an area under a tree or under.

chicken coop cage

Features of chicken coop design

Drawings and photos will help you create a competent project for a chicken coop with your own hands. It is important to choose the right size of the building, which depends on the planned number of birds. The type of structure depends on how many birds will live in it and on the types of materials.

When designing, it is worth planning to open the door inward, and the floor should be arranged with a slope towards the entrance. This will make the cleaning process easier. It is worth considering the interior design of the room. There must be a sufficient number of drinking bowls and perches. For such a structure it is worth considering heating, lighting, etc.

Features of installing the simplest chicken coop at the dacha with your own hands: stages of construction and photos

When deciding how to make a chicken coop with your own hands, you should familiarize yourself with the main stages of installation.

The table shows the main steps in constructing a simple poultry house.

Image	Stages
	Construction (only for structures with large livestock)

	Selection and installation of flooring

You can build a chicken coop from scrap materials. To save money, you can use the room without construction or use a base on posts, for which leftovers or cobblestones will do. The floor can be made of adobe or earthen, and the roof is made of durable plastic, tin or remnants of slate.

Nuances of creating a foundation

For a do-it-yourself chicken coop for 20 chickens, a photo of which can be seen in this review, you will need a more durable one. Depending on its type: or columnar - you will need a concrete mixture, a composition of or.

The foundation is erected in accordance with certain rules:

the area is cleared and the top layer of soil is removed, about 25-55 cm;
Sand and gravel are used as a cushion;
the formwork is made of boards, its width is 25 cm;
rods are used for;
Concrete grade M300 is used.

Construction of the building can begin after the concrete mass has hardened. It is worth considering that the size of the site should be equal to the dimensions of the future chicken coop.

To create a columnar base, you will need markings, which are done using metal rods and rope. Then, cabinets are installed around the perimeter, which are placed at a distance of a meter. In this case, the supports should protrude 25-30 cm from the ground. They are strengthened with cement mortar bricks.

Chicken coop walls

When building a chicken coop with your own hands for 10 chickens, you need to prepare drawings of the walls. Wood is in demand as a raw material for walls. They are used for cladding walls. In this case, the joints must be thermally insulated. In addition to boards, you can use plywood or clapboard. Good stuff considered to be adobe brick. The combination of straw and clay allows you to retain heat.

Installed according to the standard pattern. As insulation to separate the foundation and beams, roofing material is used, which is laid in two layers. Floor joists are also made of timber, which is laid edgewise. In this case, voids and cracks are sealed with remnants of timber and flax-jute fiber.

Roof, ceiling and floor of the building

To create a winter chicken coop with your own hands for 10-20 chickens, high-quality floors and roofing are of great importance.

The arrangement has some features:

it is better to use a gable roof, which will protect against the accumulation of moisture and snow;
coating material: roofing felt or slate;
thermal insulation is performed using mineral wool or.

In a gable roof, you can build a small attic where you can store bedding for chickens and feed. After installing the ceiling beams, the ceiling covering is laid. In this case, boards are used, and expanded clay and coal slag are used for insulation.

When building a chicken coop you need to do well. If they freeze, the room will be cold. It is recommended to use thick boards for the floor. First, untreated boards are laid, then a layer of vapor barrier material is laid, and treated boards are placed on top.

Note! When arranging a pitched roof, it is necessary to ensure that the slope does not point towards the poultry walking area.

How to make ventilation for a chicken coop for 20 chickens with your own hands: drawings

Particular attention should be paid to a do-it-yourself chicken coop. The ventilation device is responsible for supplying fresh air. This is especially important in the cold season, since birds are rarely outdoors. A budget and simple option is natural ventilation, which consists of ventilating the building. In this case, the exhaust window should be small and located on the ceiling or above the door. This scheme has many disadvantages, since heat will leave the room along with the air masses. At the same time, heating will require a large amount of resources.

A more reliable option is an exhaust system. It makes sense to install it if there are at least 20 chickens in the chicken coop. You can build such a structure with your own hands:

two holes are made for pipes; the entrance for air passage should be located away from the perches;
Instead of a pipe, you can make special wooden boxes, but they need to be painted and;
pipes for supplying fresh air are located at a distance of 35-40 cm from the roof, and the pipe for exhaust rises 1.5 meters above the roof;
To protect against precipitation, the upper ends of the pipes are equipped with small umbrellas.

For uniform circulation, it is better to place pipes on opposite sides of the room. In this case, it is used, which is mounted in the window. You need to turn on such a system manually. There are also special sensors that allow you to control the humidity in the room.

How to arrange a chicken coop inside?

After completion of the main work, the interior of the room is arranged. The construction of comfortable perches is of great importance. In this case, the length of the perches and their number are calculated. These elements are best made from . The perches are ground to a rounded shape so that the chickens do not get injured. Perches should be installed at a height of 65-75 cm, and 55-65 cm should remain between perches. It is recommended to place special pallets or trays under the perches. This will make the cleaning process easier. It is better to make the perches removable to make sanitization convenient.

It is worth equipping nests in the form of boxes, which should be darkened. They are installed in a separate place, and the drawers are covered from above. A separate entrance is recommended for changing bedding and collecting eggs.

To others important element feeders are considered. They can be made of wood and installed on a small hill. Bedding is made of peat, straw or sawdust. They come in different depths. When soiled, deeper bedding is dug up. In addition, bedding is optional for the chicken coop in winter.

Lighting Features

Good food ensures the growth and physiological development of birds. You can create a well-equipped and lit chicken coop with your own hands for 10 chickens: drawings, detailed diagrams and photos will help you do this. High-quality lighting affects the following parameters:

number, size, density and weight of eggs;
chick development;
digestibility of consumed feed;
periods of egg laying and their duration.

When planning a lighting system, you need to know some features. Chickens do not see well in the dark, so in the evening, do not turn off all the lamps at once. When all the birds are settled on the perches, you need to turn off the remaining lamps.

For hatched chicks, lighting with a brightness of 35-45 lux is required. Then, as the bird grows, the light intensity gradually decreases to 6-8 lux. For adult bird You will need a light of 10 lux.

A device for smooth switching on of the light is recommended, since if the light is turned off abruptly, the bird may become frightened. This is especially true for breeds that are bred to produce eggs. Chickens should also be accustomed to the dark from the third day of life, so that if the lights go out, the birds will not trample each other.

Helpful advice! If birds behave aggressively and pluck each other's feathers, then a reduced lighting intensity can solve this problem.

Heating

Before choosing, you need to take care of the insulation of the fences. There should be no drafts in the poultry house, so if the walls and roof are blown, they will not help.

It is worth insulating doors and windows, since most of the heat escapes through these openings. It is also worth building a deep litter. This design consists of a layer of slaked lime and 10 cm of shavings, sawdust and straw. Natural heat-insulating materials are also used: peat, foliage and even manure. Natural composting allows heat to be released.

If you approach the construction of a chicken coop responsibly, then this building can be made cozy and reliable. Using inexpensive materials, you can create a high-quality and well-equipped house for birds.

If you dream of raising chickens in your country house, but the lack of a specialized room is stopping you, don’t despair; building a comfortable and functional chicken coop with your own hands is not at all difficult.

First of all, you need to decide on the number of chickens that will live in the future building.

Taking this information into account, you can plan the size of the chicken coop and allocate space for the building.

You can make a simple chicken coop from any available materials, naturally, having at least the most minimal construction skills.

Requirements for the building

Any specialized structure must meet the requirements for its functionality. Even at the design stage, some points should be taken into account:

Ensuring the safety of the structure from predators. Otherwise, you may miss the number of birds or the number of eggs.
Provide for the possibility of ventilation or constant ventilation of the poultry house.
The absence of drafts is an important requirement that will prevent all kinds of bird diseases and help maintain a comfortable temperature.
Thermal insulation is also necessary, especially if you plan to keep chickens all year round.
For good egg production of chickens, the room needs lighting, which must be turned on at some time of the day.

Chicken coop project

Choose a place for the chicken coop on a hill; in the lowlands, the poultry house will be constantly wet, not having time to dry out from the morning fogs and precipitation.

When calculating the area of the building, do not forget about poultry walking; the more the hens walk, the better they lay. When accurately calculating the area of the chicken coop, take into account the fact that for the comfortable existence of five chickens, 4 sq.m. is enough, and about 7 sq.m. of space for walking.

The clearing for walking chickens would be correctly located to the south. Fence it with a chain-link mesh and be sure to make a roof. It will protect not only from rain, but also from the sun.

If your site is flat, then before construction, make an artificial elevation of sand and crushed stone. To protect the coop from small rodents, mix clay and broken glass and place on top of the mound.

Natural lighting in the poultry house can be provided by making a door with glass. To provide space, the ceiling is raised to 2 m. If bird nests are placed outside the house, you will not have to go inside to pick up the eggs. You can see a drawing of this version of the chicken coop in the photo.

Foundation

If you are building a summer frame chicken coop, you do not need a concrete foundation for it, just a slight elevation is enough.

When building a permanent brick structure, a foundation is required. A monolithic or strip base is suitable here. It is ideal to place a winter chicken coop in such a room.

Poultry house floor

Earthen and clay floors can be made with a low strip foundation. If desired, the floors can be assembled from boards or concreted.

When using the room in winter, the floor must be insulated with mineral wool, which is laid between the joists and then covered with plywood. Such floors are covered with sheets of roofing felt to provide reliable coverage and protect the floor from bird waste products.

Sand is also good for sprinkling the floor.

Note!

Construction of walls

Most often, the walls of a chicken coop are built of wood; as a rule, it is a frame building covered with clapboard. They are insulated with mineral wool or polystyrene foam, and the outside of the building is covered with a vapor barrier material before cladding.

A brick building requires good heating in winter, which will lead to costs, and the construction of such a chicken coop will be more complex and expensive.

Walls made of any materials must be disinfected before use; this can be done with ordinary lime.

Chicken coop roof

When building a chicken coop for chickens in the country, it is better to make a gable roof. This technique will help allocate space for roof insulation.

If the chicken coop is of modest size, you can do without an attic and lay the insulation directly under the roofing material. Chicken coops are covered with slate, metal tiles, and professional flooring.

Room ventilation

Good ventilation is important for bird health, especially in the summer. The ventilation system in the chicken coop can consist of several holes on opposite walls with valves.

Note!

The valves will help control and regulate the flow of cold air, which is especially important in winter.

Chicken coop interior

The most important and basic element of the interior of the chicken coop is the perches; they are wooden rounded poles, the length from wall to wall of the chicken coop. It is on roosts that chickens spend most of their lives.

They need to be fixed at a distance of 50 cm from the floor and 25 cm from the wall and 35 cm between each other. Each resident of the poultry house is provided with 25 cm of poles. So we are counting on 10 chickens in the chicken coop, we will have to place perches at 2.5 m.

If laying hens live in the chicken coop, then the second important piece of furniture will be nests. You need to build at the rate of 5 laying hens per nest. Having built a chicken coop for 20 chickens, you will have to place about 4 nests.

It is best to place them in the dark corners of the chicken coop, having previously been well insulated with sawdust.

The dimensions of the layer box are 30cm x 30cm wide and 40cm high. The nest is raised 50 cm from the floor.

Note!

Lighting

An important condition for the normal functioning of a chicken is lighting. In dark rooms, the bird becomes inactive and its egg production decreases.

The chicken coop must have an opening window, which will provide not only sunlight, but also additional ventilation.

Laying hens must be provided with light up to 18 hours a day. In winter, you cannot do without artificial lighting.

Heating the chicken coop

In winter, the chicken coop must be heated to a temperature of at least 10 degrees during the day and 15 at night. It is important to control the level of humidity in winter; increased humidity will lead to illness and further death of birds.

In our selection of photos of chicken coops, you can choose the best option for yourself.

DIY chicken coop photo

Many summer residents and people living in private houses are engaged in keeping chickens. Like other living creatures, chickens need a special place where they will walk and spend most of their time. If in summer you can equip an old barn and an aviary next to it for this purpose, then in winter you will need to build a full-fledged chicken coop to keep the birds.

Is it necessary to build a warm chicken coop?

Health and egg production poultry directly depend on their comfort, good nutrition and general physical activity. Temperature and daylight hours play an important role.

Old barn converted into a chicken coop with a run for walking

The period from November to March is the most difficult for both poultry and poultry farmers who keep laying hens all year round. If in spring and summer the bird leads an active lifestyle, walks freely around the enclosure or alley, bathes in sand and specially designed containers with water, then in winter, for obvious reasons, its activity is greatly limited.

If the temperature is too low and there is no light, the egg production of laying hens is greatly reduced, and in some cases stops completely. Based on this, during the cold season a chicken coop should be built for chickens, providing the following conditions:

temperature above 10–12 o C and low air humidity;
artificial lighting that increases daylight hours;
natural or artificial ventilation for constant air exchange;
a place for nests and a free perch at a low altitude;
free space at the rate of 1 m2 per chicken.

Compliance with the conditions described above ensures that laying hens not only remain completely healthy and survive the winter well, but also maintain egg production and overall body weight.

Types of insulated chicken coops

An ordinary chicken coop is a barn, near which there is an area for walking the birds in the fresh air. The walking area is fenced with a fine mesh net, which will reliably protect the bird’s habitat from unwanted penetration of predators.

Winter chicken coop made of timber and boards for 30–35 chickens

In fact, this option can be taken as a basis when building a warm chicken coop. Especially if you need a room to keep no more than 10–15 chickens. If desired, you can consider a more comfortable chicken coop with both external and internal walking areas. But in this case, its size will be noticeably larger, which is not suitable for small suburban areas.

Depending on the number of birds you can use the following types chicken coops:

In many ways, all three types of chicken coops are similar and differ only in size, but with enough materials and free space on the site, an insulated chicken coop can have a completely different look.

For example, you can build a completely enclosed structure, which will already have a place for walking. This will allow the chickens to avoid hypothermia during walks, and will also give the bird the opportunity to walk freely, even when it is -15–20 o C outside.

Choosing materials for construction with your own hands

A variety of building materials can be used to build a chicken coop - from edged boards to masonry bricks. Any material has both positive and negative qualities, which should also be taken into account when choosing.

Base material

The construction of a chicken coop, like any structure, begins with laying a load-bearing foundation. The foundation is necessary for reliable protection of load-bearing walls and roofs. In the absence of a foundation, the walls of the chicken coop will be under constant influence of moisture, which will come from the damp earth. As a result, this will lead to rotting and damage to structurally important components of the structure.

Concrete, brick or foam blocks are used to make foundation supports

To build an insulated chicken coop, you can use the following types of foundations:

columnar - suitable for building chicken coops using frame technology, when the walls are made of thick boards and OSB. Foam blocks or concrete mixture are used to make the foundation. The supports are erected along the perimeter of the future structure;
pile - used for the construction of buildings on heaving and moving types of soil. A base in the form of metal piles sunk into the ground around the perimeter of the building is suitable for constructing wooden chicken coops. If the foundation is a pile-grillage foundation, then its load-bearing capacity is sufficient to build a chicken coop from foam blocks;
strip - the most reliable type of foundation. It can be used to build a chicken coop of any size and design. To make a strip foundation, a concrete mixture of grade M500, steel reinforcement Ø18 mm and edged boards are used.

To make a grillage, you can use either a 20x20 cm wooden beam or an M500 concrete mixture. The first option is cheaper and easier to implement. Using a concrete mixture requires the ability to set formwork and knit a reinforcement cage, but in general, the use of these materials allows you to build a more reliable and durable foundation.

The choice of materials for making the floor in the chicken coop depends on what type of foundation is used. For pile and columnar foundations, it is more rational to use wooden beams, edged boards and CBPB sheets. In the case of a strip foundation - concrete and reinforcing materials.

Wall materials

The choice of material for constructing the walls of a chicken coop depends on the size of the structure and the technology by which it will be built. The simplest and fastest option is a chicken coop made of wooden beams and OSB. A beam or thick board (from 22 mm) is used to construct the frame, which is later sheathed with OSB sheets inside and out.

Foam block is perfect for constructing permanent walls of a winter chicken coop

To build the main walls of a chicken coop, you can use the following materials:

shell rock is a natural material with low thermal conductivity. Perfect for building chicken coops for 25–30 chickens. The shell rock is a rectangular block 180x180x380 mm. The technology of work is in many ways reminiscent of the process of laying foam or cinder blocks;
foam concrete - popular environmentally friendly construction material. Suitable for building chicken coops of any size. For the construction of walls, it is better to use D400 foam blocks measuring 200x300x600 mm. The thickness of the walls being built depends on temperature regime in the region;
brick is a traditional material for the construction of load-bearing walls. Has low thermal conductivity and long service life. It is best used for the construction of permanent chicken coops for 50 or more chickens. Both solid and hollow bricks are suitable for the construction of chicken coops.

When choosing material for walls, you should also take into account how long the structure will be built. If you are just trying yourself as a poultry farmer, then the optimal choice of material for walls will be wooden beams and OSB. In the future, such a chicken coop can be disassembled or expanded with a small extension.

If you already raise chickens in large numbers and are planning to build a permanent chicken coop, then it is better to build a permanent structure from foam blocks or bricks. Such a chicken coop will cost more, but its service life is noticeably longer.

Insulation material

To insulate the floor, walls and ceilings of the chicken coop, you can use various thermal insulation materials. The cheapest option is to use sawdust, expanded clay and dry hay. Expanded clay is used to insulate floors or ceilings, and sawdust and hay are used to insulate walls.

Polystyrene foam has a low thermal conductivity coefficient, which makes it one of the best materials for wall insulation

The only disadvantage of this method compared to modern heat insulators is that the materials have a high thermal conductivity coefficient. In turn, this requires the installation of a large layer of insulation, which is not always possible when building a chicken coop.

TO modern materials for insulation, which can be used for thermal insulation of walls and floors in a chicken coop, include:

When choosing a thermal insulation material, you should take into account its cost and the surface area that you plan to insulate. For small chicken coops, you can use stizol and other materials made from polyethylene foam. Stizol has a low thermal conductivity coefficient (0.3 W/m*K) - this ensures that the material reliably retains heat indoors.

For chicken coops with 50 chickens or more, it is recommended to use a combined approach. For example, insulate the floor with expanded clay and the walls with extruded polystyrene foam. If you want to save money, it is better to use polystyrene foam or mineral wool together with stizol.

Preparatory work

To build a chicken coop quickly and without problems, you should carefully prepare for the task. construction work. To do this, you need to decide on the location of the chicken coop, draw up a drawing of the future structure, calculate the material and prepare construction tools.

The diagram should show the location of nests, roosts and feeding areas.

When choosing a location on the site, it is advisable to adhere to the following:

It is not recommended to build a chicken coop in a lowland or on a slope. It is optimal if it is a free area located on a hill;
chickens and other poultry are afraid of noise. Therefore, it is better to build a chicken coop away from the road and other sources of noise;
The health of chickens directly depends on the amount of sunlight. To ensure free flow of light, the structure should be located on the south side.

If the soil on the site is clayey, loamy, swampy or other soil that does not absorb moisture well, then it is recommended to drain the site before building the chicken coop. If this is not done, the supporting base of the structure will quickly become unusable, and this will reduce the service life of the chicken coop as a whole.

After we managed to find appropriate place for the construction of a chicken coop, you can proceed to drawing up a drawing. This can be done either using regular paper and pencil, or using special computer programs for design.

Opposite each structural element you need to indicate the size - this will help to avoid mistakes during construction

The drawing should show the structure on a reduced scale. It is taken into account that the size of the structure depends on the number of chickens that are planned to be kept.

Opposite each structural element, its size should be indicated. This will help you quickly navigate the project without wasting time on calculating this or that part of the structure. Additionally, you should depict the chicken coop in a projection from above. On this part of the diagram you need to locate the entrance to the room, perches, nests, feeding area, etc.

As an example, consider the two diagrams located above. Both options are designed for keeping 10-12 chickens. The first diagram shows a chicken coop on a columnar foundation 200x400 cm with a pitched roof. To make a chicken coop, edged boards with a thickness of 10 to 20 mm are used. If desired, this diagram can be taken as a model on the basis of which the chicken coop you need will be built.

The second diagram shows a chicken coop with an aviary for walking. The dimensions of the structure, including the vestibule, are 425x525 cm. To build the chicken coop, as in the previous version, a wooden board and beam are used.

Materials for building a chicken coop

Materials for building an insulated chicken coop are selected based on personal preferences and the funds you are willing to spend on building the structure. For example, to build a chicken coop from the first example described above, the following material is needed:

It is advisable to use galvanized wood screws or galvanized nails as fasteners. To ensure reinforcement of the frame, you can use a steel angle of a suitable size.

Tool for work

To build a chicken coop you need the following tools:

Technology for making a chicken coop with perches

The technology for manufacturing chicken coops of various sizes is largely similar. The main thing is to follow the sequence of actions and adhere to the drawing that was drawn up earlier. The construction of an insulated chicken coop begins with marking, preparing the site and pouring the load-bearing foundation.

Making the foundation and floor

The size of the chicken coop directly affects the overall weight of the structure, so when choosing the type of foundation, take into account the size of the structure being built. For a chicken coop for 15–20 chickens, it is recommended to build a pile or columnar foundation. The second option is the most popular, since the supports can be poured yourself using a concrete mixture.

To pour the foundation and build the floor of the chicken coop, you will need to do the following:

According to the drawing, it is necessary to mark the place where the chicken coop is planned to be built. To do this, you will need to level the ground with a shovel. After this, wooden pegs are driven into the ground, and a rope is pulled between them.
Marking the foundation using pegs and rope is the easiest and fastest option.
In the corners of the marked area, it is necessary to dig holes for concrete supports with a depth of 50–60 cm. For this, a hand drill and a shovel are used. The dimensions of the wells are 30x30 cm. Wells of similar size and depth are installed along the perimeter of the future structure in increments of 2 m.
For chicken coops longer than 6 m, it is advisable to construct a concrete grillage. To do this, you will need to dig a trench 20 cm deep around the perimeter of the marked area. At the bottom of the trench it is necessary to fill 10 cm of sand and 10 cm of gravel of fraction 20–40. Each layer is carefully leveled and compacted.
To assemble the formwork box for support, it is best to use plywood or flat slate
Formwork for supports and grillage is made and installed from edged boards. To do this, the boards are knocked together into panels up to 70 cm high. Supports made of bars and bricks are used for installation. For reinforcement, reinforcement is used, which is knitted into a frame consisting of two lower and two upper rods.
To fill the foundation, a concrete mixture based on M500 cement and fine-grained sand, taken in a ratio of 1:3, respectively, is used. For mixing, use a concrete mixer or electric drill with a mixer attachment. Pouring the supports and grillage begins from any convenient angle.
After pouring the foundation, you will need to wait for the minimum strength to reach. To do this, the foundation is covered with plastic film and left to dry for 7–10 days.
The piping of the columnar foundation is made of 20×20 cm timber
After 10 days, the surface of the foundation is covered with roofing felt, on which a wooden frame made of 20x20 cm timber is laid. The frame is a box of 4 blanks, which are connected at the corners using self-tapping screws and a steel angle. Before installation, the harness is treated with a wood antiseptic. The harness is attached directly to the grillage with anchor bolts.
Logs made of 20×200 mm boards are mounted to the laid harness. To do this, you need to prepare several blanks from the board. The number of logs depends on the length of the chicken coop. The installation step is 1 m. After this, the board is placed on its edge and attached to the harness using self-tapping screws and a corner.
The logs are attached directly to the timber frame in 1 m increments
The resulting floor structure is hemmed with a rough board, which is fixed to the joists and trim. After covering, the entire floor structure is treated with a wood antiseptic.

It is better to insulate the floor after assembling the load-bearing walls (see below). To do this, the floor is covered with a vapor barrier membrane, which is fixed with a construction stapler. Then the space between the lags is filled with expanded clay of fraction 20–40. Finally, floorboards from edged boards are laid on the joists.

Erection of chicken coop walls and insulation of the structure

The walls of wooden chicken coops are best erected using frame technology. This will allow the insulation to be placed in the space between the outer and inner lining, which will prevent its damage during operation of the poultry house.

The technology of insulation and construction of walls consists of the following:

An edged board is mounted at the corners of the trim, which is fixed using a 50x50x35 mm fastening angle and 50 mm long self-tapping screws. The front posts should be 30–50 cm higher than the rear ones. This will ensure the necessary roof slope. After this, all corner posts are connected by means of an upper frame made from a board of the same section.
Galvanized nails or self-tapping screws are used to attach the racks to the harness
Next, you need to clarify the width of the insulation that will be used to insulate the walls. Taking into account its width, intermediate supports of the sheathing are installed. They are also attached to the harness using mounting angles and self-tapping screws.
To strengthen the structure in places where it will be located Entrance door, a window for the bird to go outside and windows, horizontal guides are mounted according to a similar principle. To frame the window opening, guides are installed at the top and bottom.
The intermediate posts of the frame are mounted in increments equal to the width of the insulation used
Having finished installing the frame, you can immediately move on to the roof. To do this, you will need to measure the distance from the front drain to the rear. To the obtained value you should add 25–30 cm, which will go to the roof overhang. After this, according to the calculated size, rafters are prepared from edged boards.
The prepared blanks are treated with a wood antiseptic. After drying, the rafters are placed on edge and attached to the top frame frame. The pitch between the rafters should be equal to the width of the insulation. Afterwards, a 200 micron thick polyethylene film, a 10X10 mm board sheathing with a gap and roofing material are laid on the rafters.
Sheathing the walls of the chicken coop with OSB sheets on the outside
The chicken coop frame is treated with an antiseptic 2 times. Next, 20x20 mm bars are mounted on the outer side, onto which OSB sheets are attached using self-tapping screws 50 mm long. The pitch between screws is 20 cm.
A tension-free vapor barrier membrane is placed in the space between the frame posts. A stapler is used for fastening. After this, mineral wool in slabs or rolls is laid between the racks. It is important that the material lies tightly and does not fall off.
Insulation in slabs or rolls is placed in the space between the frame posts
When insulating walls with polystyrene foam, expanded polystyrene or stizol, there is no need to install a vapor barrier. After laying the insulation, the walls are sheathed on the inside of the chicken coop. The place where the ventilation will be located is not sheathed.

The process of roof insulation is similar. To do this, thermal insulation material is laid in the space between the rafters. If desired, roof insulation can be done in two layers of insulation. When covering the frame, remember that there should be a small ventilation gap between the OSB sheets and the insulation.

When insulating the roof, insulation in the form of a polyethylene film must be laid on the outside. Roofing is done using a similar technology. When installing windows, the gaps between the frame and the window frame are filled with foam.

Installation of ventilation and lighting

Ventilation in a chicken coop can be represented by either a regular exhaust vent with a damper or a full-fledged one. ventilation duct, which will be located under the roof.

The best option for a chicken coop built using frame technology is two ventilation holes located on opposite walls of the building. In order to install ventilation, you will need to cut a square hole in the wall of the chicken coop. This can be done with a jigsaw by first drilling a small hole in the casing for inserting the cutting blade.

The second hole is cut in a similar pattern 40 cm below the first. Supply ventilation fans of any convenient size are mounted in the holes. Average cost for similar products without additional functions does not exceed 800–1000 rubles.

Lighting in the chicken coop can be done using LED strips of varying brightness

For lighting it is better to use 1–2 fluorescent lamps or LED strip with white light output. To lay electrical wiring, plastic corrugation and copper cable of the appropriate cross-section are used.

If you plan to install heating equipment, it is recommended to use fan heaters with automatic temperature control. They can be turned on when the temperature inside the chicken coop at night drops below 12 o C.

Making perches and nests

To make perches, you can use a wooden block 20x20 cm or a round profile 28x2200 mm, which can be purchased at various hardware stores.

When making nests, remember that one hen requires 30–35 cm of free space

To install perches you will need to do the following:

Perches are installed at a height of 50–70 cm from the floor level. The installation location is selected based on the free space in the room. It is best to use a place near the window for this.
To make perches, you will need to measure the width of the chicken coop. According to this value, it is necessary to prepare 4–6 blanks from a round wooden profile or block.
Boards 50 cm long will be used as supports, which are mounted on opposite walls. First, 3x3 cm recesses are sawn into the boards to install the poles.
For more reliable fixation, the pole is attached to the support using self-tapping screws or nails. The step between adjacent perches is 25–30 cm. The height distance is at least 20 cm.

To make it more convenient for chickens to climb onto the roost, you will need to make a small ladder from a board. To do this, you need to measure the distance from the floor to the lower perch. Next, the workpiece is sawn off, to which short 20x20 mm blocks are attached. After which the ladder is attached to the lower perch using self-tapping screws.

For nests, it is better to use a semi-open box made of a wooden block and lined with OSB. The dimensions and manufacturing diagram can be seen in the photo above. First of all, the frame is assembled from a 20x20 mm bar. To fasten the workpieces, 30 mm long self-tapping screws and mounting angles are used. After which the frame is sheathed with OSB or edged boards. If it is necessary to install nests at a height, then legs are attached to the bottom of the box.

Features of chicken coops in the cellar

When converting a basement into a chicken coop, you should insulate the foundation walls with mineral wool or polystyrene foam

litter - a layer of dry sawdust 4–5 cm thick. The litter is changed as it gets dirty, but at least once a week. Sometimes you can use hay, but you will have to change it more often;
lighting - LED lamp power from 5 watts. Using artificial lighting, you should regulate the length of daylight hours. This will help increase the egg production of laying hens;
insulation - mineral wool, stizol or other rolled heat insulator. To protect the insulation, it is better to use a vapor barrier membrane or dense polyethylene. The thickness of the insulation layer is from 5 cm;
ventilation - vents in which you can install a supply and exhaust valve. The cellar or basement should be well ventilated periodically. For example, at the time of cleaning the litter.

Nests, as in the case of a full-fledged chicken coop, can be made from edged boards on the basis that one chicken requires 30–40 cm of space. The perch is installed 50–70 cm from the floor level. If desired, the perch can be connected to the nests using boards.

Chicken coop care after winter

Disinfection of the chicken coop is carried out for preventive purposes at least once a year. This allows you to avoid an outbreak of infection and the spread of harmful microorganisms. It is best to carry out disinfection in the spring or summer, when the chickens can safely walk in the fresh air and you can clean the chicken coop.

A set of products for disinfecting chicken coops and other objects where animals and birds can be kept

To disinfect the chicken coop you will need to do the following:

cleaning - the floor, walls, ceiling, perches and nests must be completely cleaned of dirt and dust. To do this, use a convenient broom and brushes with hard bristles. After this, the surfaces are washed with hot water with the addition of soda ash;
treatment - special means are used to disinfect the internal space in the chicken coop. For example, caustic soda in the form of a 2% solution or a 4% xylonaftha emulsion. The solution is prepared strictly according to the recipe without exceeding the norm. When processing, personal protective equipment is used: goggles, gown, respirator.

After treatment, you should wait until the product evaporates completely. The minimum holding time is 2 hours, but it is advisable to wait at least 5–6 hours and only then release the birds. And they also disinfect feeders, drinkers and other accessories that were in the poultry house.

Video: review of a winter chicken coop with walking

The construction of a chicken coop is not particularly difficult - the work can be done independently, without the help of auxiliary workers and specialists. To do this, carefully study our instructions and read the advice of other chicken breeders, which can always be found on the Internet.

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

The foundation will require concrete or cement and brick, depending on the type (strip or column).
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.
Boards for cladding.
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.
Sheet plywood is suitable for lining the inside of a room and building nests.
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).
Nails and screws.
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.

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.
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.
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.
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

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 nursery playground for the dacha.
The chicken coop should be built on a hill, and drainage ditches should be dug around it. Right choice space will ensure both the dryness of the 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.
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

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.
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.
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

Winter chicken coop with closed range – great 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.