We are making a summer chicken coop at our dacha. How to make a chicken coop at your dacha with your own hands? How to make a chicken coop at your dacha yourself

Those who like to spend all their free time at their summer cottage often come up with the idea of their own food production. Thus, having livestock will help not only to find an interesting activity in addition to caring for the garden, but also to always have fresh milk, eggs, and meat on the table. It’s better to start gradually and get, for example, chickens. They do not require special care and are considered the most unpretentious among pets. The first thing you need to keep laying hens is a chicken coop. Since the main time spent at the dacha or in the garden is during the warm season, a do-it-yourself summer chicken coop will be sufficient.

Any chicken house consists of two sections:

The main part is a place for chickens where they sleep, eat, and lay eggs.
Daytime walking is a fenced part of the area for birds to stay in the fresh air. In summer, chickens stay here for about 15 hours, so you can’t do without such an enclosure.

The standard type of chicken coops is presented in three options:

chicken coop with an equipped canopy;
A bird living in a chicken coop with a canopy can, if desired, stay inside or take walks in the fresh air
chicken coop with several pens;
The size of the chicken coop depends on the number of birds living in it.
mobile chicken coop is a portable model.
A portable chicken coop is ideal for summer placement in a country house.

For country use, the first option is considered the most suitable, when under a canopy the chickens can always hide from the wind, precipitation, heat, and predators. The construction of chicken coops with a pen requires a fairly high fence, which will not allow the hens to fly into an area not intended for them. Chickens can easily cause damage to everything planted on the site; they rake the soil vigorously, look for worms and feast on fresh grass and flowers.

The height of the fence should be about 2.5 meters - this is enough to prevent chickens from flying out

The portable chicken coop takes up little space and has a lightweight design. While not entirely comfortable for long-term living of chickens, it has its advantages:

it can easily be moved to a convenient place with a sufficient amount of grass;
You can limit yourself to a small area of the room.

Regardless of the chosen chicken coop design, any of them can be changed both in size and content. If desired, a summer house for birds can be turned into a winter chicken coop; it is enough to provide the necessary insulation and lighting inside.

A special vestibule will reduce heat loss in winter

Chickens, like all birds, can fly, so fencing their place of residence is simply indispensable. In addition, they are prey for foxes, ferrets, dogs and rats, which also requires special protection of the chicken coop.

The chicken coop must be protected from predators

The best design is considered to be a fence made of wooden picket fence or corrugated sheet. A mesh fence with tall bushes will be more economical. Such a hedge will not only become an obstacle in the way of uninvited guests, but will also provide natural protection for chickens from overheating during strong sunshine and from hypothermia in windy weather. Another advantage of shrubs on the territory of the poultry house is the creation of favorable conditions for the reproduction of small animals; for example, beetles, worms and other insects quickly appear under last year’s foliage - a delicacy for chickens.

It is worth positioning the chicken coop so that there is free space for future buildings: perhaps over time you will want to increase the number of chickens on your farm

The location for the chicken coop is determined based on the available free territory, but the further it is placed from the residential building, the less negative emotions the specific smell of chicken droppings will cause. In a word, the building should be shaded and sheltered from precipitation and gusts of wind. If you have an unused old barn, the task of building a chicken coop is simplified.

Video: setting up a chicken coop, personal experience

One of the most important factors in the constant supply of eggs is lighting.

Lighting should be used from autumn to spring to extend the day for laying hens.

According to experts, lighting of at least 8–10 hours daily is considered sufficient for birds to stay indoors, and with 11–12 hours of daylight, an increase in the number of eggs is observed by 30%. In the summer, as a rule, chickens have enough sun, but with the arrival of the cold season (November - March), it is necessary to provide them with additional lighting.

When building a chicken coop, it is recommended that novice poultry keepers plan to install a good, large window with lockable exterior shutters. So, in winter it will be possible to reduce electricity costs by using natural lighting.

It is better to cover the light bulb in the chicken coop with a shade to protect it from dust, cobwebs and hay

To maintain daylight in the chicken habitat, it is allowed to install different types of lamps:

Electric lamps are the usual incandescent lamps with a minimum power of 60 W.
Fluorescent - very popular among poultry houses; the power must be at least 40 W.
Energy saving - lamps that allow you to save money while creating a sufficient level of illumination; the power is limited to 15 W.
LED lamps are modern models that are practical and economical to use.

The number of lamps required for installation is determined based on the area of the room. So, for 6 m 2 with a light source placed at a height of 2 m from the floor, an incandescent lamp with a power of 60 W is sufficient.

Favorable conditions for birds must be created in the chicken coop

Equally important is compliance with the temperature regime - the temperature in the chicken coop should be at least 15 degrees; lower temperatures provoke a decrease in the number of eggs laid with a significant increase in the chickens' appetite.

To create a favorable microclimate, care should be taken to exclude drafts and the possibility of timely ventilation of the room. The coop should be inspected for cracks and other openings to prevent rats and other rodents from entering.

Video: chicken coop for laying hens

At the design stage of a chicken coop, it is important to know how many chickens will live in it. So, for 5-6 individuals, an area of 3 m will be enough, for 10 laying hens you will have to build a room of 5 m, and 20 birds can live comfortably in 10 m. Walking of feathered pets should be carried out in a more spacious area. The area should be 2-3 times larger than the poultry house itself.

Whatever type of chicken coop you choose to build, the first thing you need to do is make a detailed drawing, which should indicate the dimensions

The key factor when arranging a place to stay is the breed of birds kept. For broilers, which are less active, a modest pen is enough, but laying hens, on the contrary, need space, otherwise they will stop laying eggs. Experts recommend keeping chickens of different breeds in separate places to avoid war between them.

Basic requirements for preparing a chicken coop:

For disinfection purposes, all walls of the room should be whitewashed.
Ammonium vapor released from chicken droppings is toxic to birds, so it is important not only to clean up feces in a timely manner, but also to provide ventilation.
For the location of chicken nests, far corners are suitable, taking into account one nest for 2-3 laying hens. If the area is limited, then the placement of side outer drawers is allowed.
The bird must have access to water, so drinking bowls with clean water should be equipped both in the house and in the fresh air.
Chickens behave quite actively while feeding, which should be taken into account when attaching feeders, otherwise they may overturn the containers.
The window is a mandatory element of the room; its size must be at least 1/12 of the floor surface.
At night, birds sit on perches, the length of which is calculated based on a minimum of 25–30 cm per inhabitant and a height of 1.5 m or more.

There should be enough space in the chicken coop; if the bird is placed in a confined space, it will feel uncomfortable and begin to get sick.

As for the tools, the set is standard, which includes:

to take measurements - tape measure, level, pencil;
for working with the material - a hacksaw, a saw, a piece of sandpaper;
for fastening elements - a construction stapler, a screwdriver (if not available, a screwdriver), a set of nails or self-tapping screws, a hammer, pliers.

Video: chicken coop project

What is the best material to build a chicken coop from?

Despite the short service life, the temporary chicken coop is assembled from natural wood or materials based on it. Wooden boards, fiberboard, chipboard, OSB are suitable for work. The supports can be made of timber, concrete blocks or metal profile pillars. Reinforcing mesh or chain-link mesh is excellent for arranging an enclosure. The canopy may be light, but it must provide excellent protection from wind and precipitation. Plywood, polycarbonate, and reinforced film can successfully cope with this task.

Although the summer poultry house is used seasonally, it will last for more than one summer if the wood is properly treated by impregnation or staining.

Wood material is very practical and economical, and if properly processed, it is also durable.

The importance of the foundation in the construction of a chicken coop

The house is installed on a hill, which will prevent it from flooding during heavy rains. If there is a flat area, it is enough to pour gravel, crushed stone, even broken brick will do. The top layer is sand, which also helps the hens digestion. The purpose of the foundation, in addition to serving as the basis of the structure, is to ensure the safety of chickens when attacked by predatory animals. Depending on the owner’s capabilities, pouring a strip or column foundation is allowed.

The missing foundation of the chicken coop must be replaced with sheets of slate or a metal covering, which is dug in at a certain elevation (about 30 cm from the ground) around the entire building. If it is also not possible to make such a structure, then you need to at least line the bottom of the chicken coop with large stones, closing the cracks.

A portable summer poultry house does not need a foundation; it is enough to fix the frame on wide bars to which the net will be fixed.

The chicken coop can be equipped with wheels for ease of movement.

You can start raising broiler chickens if you have a portable chicken coop in the form of a hut. As for the size of such a structure, 4 m2 of area will be enough for 6–8 chickens. The construction of the house is quite simple according to the diagram below:

The side frames are made from edged boards, secured with screws or nails.
Construction must begin with the construction of the frame frame
Using a construction stapler, the mesh is fixed to the wooden walls. If you don’t have a stapler, you can get by with nails, then you don’t need to drive them in completely, but so that you can then bend them into a bracket. All sharp metal ends should be removed to prevent the bird from being injured during flight.
The upper part of both walls is connected with self-tapping screws, and cross members are laid to fix the lower parts. The middles can also be made more stable by laying the boards at a distance of 40 cm from the bottom.
The walls of the frame must be connected in at least three places
The middle, as it were, separates the enclosure from the perch, so for rigidity you will need additional spacers, on top of which rectangular plywood is laid on screws.
You can additionally strengthen the walls of the chicken coop with spacers
The upper part of the poultry house must be closed; for this, two plywood of the required sizes are fastened on both sides of the structure from the middle to the top. The ridge element is formed by two horizontal boards nailed to plywood.
A mesh is stretched from the ends of the chicken coop or doors are installed for ease of cleaning the room and collecting eggs.
To strengthen the places where the mesh is fixed to the plywood, it is recommended to nail a strip. So, the structure will not deform and will last longer.
The plank between the plywood and the mesh will add rigidity to the joint
To make it easier for chickens to move from the street into the room, a ramp is assembled - a sheet of plywood with padded transverse slats is placed on a spacer.
After this, you can begin to create a perch, nests, and install a feeder and drinking bowl.

Video: DIY summer chicken coop

After completing the construction of the chicken coop, all that remains is to equip it inside, making nests, perches and placing feeders.

The function of perches can easily be performed by wooden poles with a diameter of 5–6 cm, located against the wall opposite the entrance. It is more convenient for large breeds to sit on a perch at a height of about 70 cm from the floor; ordinary chickens fit in two rows at a height of up to 120–130 cm. Each bird will need about 30–50 cm of perch length.

Perches for laying hens should be as comfortable as possible and have sufficient area to accommodate all the chickens at once

To enjoy fresh eggs every day, it is important to take care of the arrangement of the nests. When installing them, you should adhere to the following requirements:

Nests are made at the rate of 1 nest for 3–5 hens.
The size of the nest should suit the parameters of the bird: approximate width - 30 cm; depth - up to 50 cm; height - 30–35 cm.
The nests can be placed individually or in one row in a secluded place.
Before the entrance to the nest there should be a shelf onto which the hens can easily fly.
The inside of the nest should be lined with straw or hay.

Nests can be closed or open, but in closed ones chickens feel calmer and more protected.

You should not build nests on the floor, otherwise the chickens will start marking there and even spend the night. To attract hens to new laying sites, it is enough to first put a dummy egg, for example, carve it out of wood, cut it out of foam plastic.

For 2–3 hens you can equip 1 nest

The last stage of work is installing the feeder; this also has its own nuances.

Video: DIY pipe feeder

It is quite simple to build a summer chicken coop, and if it is properly arranged, it is also easy to maintain. With a minimum of effort, you can get tasty and environmentally friendly products to the table every day throughout the warm period, without leaving your garden plot.

For those who live in the country from early spring to late autumn, it makes sense to have laying hens and feast on homemade eggs. In dacha conditions, it is quite possible to make a simple but comfortable chicken coop.

Design Features

You can order a chicken coop from a carpenter, buy it ready-made, or make it yourself. There are many types of structures, from a small portable version to a large-scale structure. When designing a chicken coop, you should choose a warm but cool place. The house with nests and perches should be raised above the ground, this will help protect the birds from the night cold and dampness.

Mini-chicken coops for several birds can be easily moved to another place. They can be made in the form of a stretcher, put on wheels, or simply moved in parts. Large plots of land can afford large chicken coops with spacious walking areas. Sometimes bird houses are built on several floors.

Free-range chickens lay eggs more happily. But anyone who dares to release them into the garden will be left without a harvest. The poultry owners found a way for the birds to get some exercise and preserve their vegetables. They build long corridors from the mesh into which birds can leave the coop and enter it from the other side.

With the summer option at your summer cottage, you can not complicate your life at all, make the simplest chicken coop, in the form of a triangle from several sheets of slate, and a small paddock covered with netting. Those who like complexity can build a beautiful poultry house with a string of houses, windows and flower beds. Or a mini-house for broilers, similar to a real rural hut.

How to build it yourself

Before you start building a chicken coop, you need to know how many birds will live in it; the size of the future building depends on this. It’s quite possible to make a poultry house in the country with your own hands, you just need to follow the step-by-step instructions.

Preparatory work

In any construction, time is needed for preparatory work. This includes: selection of location, project, materials, preparation of drawings and calculations.

Selecting a location

The bird's health and egg quality will depend on the bird's comfortable condition. A correctly chosen location can further affect the egg production of chickens. On a hot summer day, laying hens will feel uncomfortable in the sun. It is better to place them under a shady tree. In the morning, the slanting rays of the sun should warm and dry the chicken coop, which has cooled down overnight, and for this it should be placed on the southeast side of the trees.

It is better to choose a place for poultry away from the garden to eliminate the risk of chemicals entering the room when processing garden crops. Sewage, cesspool and compost pits should also not be located near the chicken coop and run to avoid infection. If you attach a chicken coop to a summer house building, it is easier to heat and it is easier to look after the birds. Construction cannot be carried out in a low-lying area, as precipitation from the land will flow to the chicken coop.

It is better to plant a hedge around the birds' walk to protect them from wind and drafts. The bird can equally suffer from heat, cold and wind, so all these factors should be excluded. To make it easier to control the birds and close them at night in time, the chicken coop should be visible from the most inhabited places in the country. When the chickens come to rest, you just need to close the door behind them.

Project

Construction should begin with the preparation of drawings and calculations. At this point, the construction site must be determined, a sketch of the chicken coop must be drawn up in relation to the terrain and cardinal directions. It is necessary to indicate nearby buildings and trees, consider the level of shading, wind rose, and eliminate the presence of drafts. You can draw up a building drawing yourself, taking into account the characteristics of your site, or borrow it from the Internet.

The construction plan should include space for perches, drinking bowls, feeders and bird walking. Ventilation and lighting are thought out and designated. If you are planning a winter chicken coop, you should consider the heating system. The size of the building is determined at the rate of two hens per square meter plus 30% of the additional area for nesting. But in practice, birds are housed in larger numbers than required by regulations.

Construction process

During the construction process, all work is carried out in stages, focusing on drawings and calculations. At the initial stage, the terrain is marked and the foundation is laid.

Foundation

For several laying hens, you can build a small portable chicken coop; it does not need a foundation. A larger project will require a foundation.

They come in three types.

Columnar. It involves the installation of pillars and the construction of a building using frame technology.
Pile. Piles are used as pillars, which are driven in on unstable soils or on sloping terrain.
Tape. The most reliable foundation, it is poured with concrete around the perimeter of the entire building.

Simple country options most often use a columnar base; it is cheaper and easier to implement.

Holes should be dug along the contour of the future chicken coop to the freezing depth. Make the recesses at a step frequency of two meters. The volume of the support will be about 20 cm and rise 40 cm above the ground surface. The formwork can be constructed from a rough board, 60-80 cm high. Next, reinforce it with reinforcement, insert supports and fill it with concrete. You can start work from any corner of the future building. Cover the poured foundation with polyethylene and leave for a week until dry.

Floor

When the foundation is strengthened, the base part is tied. To do this, four 20 cm thick beams are laid on the roofing felt, creating a box. Using metal corners, the beams are fastened together.

Boards placed on edge (joists) are attached to the frame using nails. The areas between them are filled with expanded clay. Then, in order to protect the bird from rodents, the surface is covered with a fine-mesh mesh with a half-meter overlap, which will subsequently rise to the walls. A rough board is laid on top.

When constructing the floor, it is better to make a slight slope towards the door to make it easier to maintain the chicken coop in the future. When working with wood, you should remember that all wooden elements must be treated with antifungal and fireproofing agents. They insulate the floor when there are already walls.

Walling

The construction of walls should begin with the installation of side posts. In order to make a pitched roof in the future, the difference between the front and rear pillars should be about half a meter. It is important to remember that the roof slope should not be in the direction of bird walking.

Then the top trim is made using boards, they are attached to the racks with nails. Before installing the sheathing, you should find out the dimensions of the insulation. Thermal insulation layers are laid in the gap between the supports.

In the area of the door, window, opening for birds to exit, transverse guides are installed. When the frame is ready, the floor and ceiling are covered with edged boards.

Roof

To cover the roof, you need to prepare rafters. To calculate their size, measure the distance between the front and rear posts and add another thirty centimeters to the roof overhang.

The rafters, set on edge, are mounted to the top frame of the building. The distances between the rafters are equal to the width of the thermal insulation. The rafters are covered with polyethylene, lathing is made and the roofing is installed.

To insulate the roof, thermal insulation slabs are laid between the rafters. In northern regions, several layers of insulation can be used. A few centimeters of space should be left between the lining material and the thermal insulation for free air circulation.

Wall cladding

The walls are sheathed after roofing work. To the outside of the frame, bars are mounted to which boards, plywood, OSB sheets are attached, or whatever it was planned to use to cover the chicken coop. Insulation is laid between the racks.

The chicken coop is then lined from the inside. The area of the ventilation holes should be left without covering.

Construction and finishing of a chicken coop

The floor should be made of warm materials, and cement, ceramic tiles, and brick are not suitable for it. Chickens are prone to rheumatism; if the floor is cold and damp, they sit on their feet and stop walking. Wood is the most suitable material for a chicken coop. In order not to spoil the wood flooring with chicken manure, the floor is covered with a thick layer of sand and sawdust.

The roof should not be built from materials that become very hot in the sun or make noise from rain and wind. Chickens lay eggs equally poorly both from fright and from overheating.

Ventilation

For solid chicken coops, you can install a ventilation duct under the roof. Small bird houses can get by with two openings with dampers on opposite walls.

The best option would be a hood equipped with a fan. To install such a system, two square holes should be made on opposite walls. One of them should be forty centimeters lower than the other. A special fan is inserted into the hole.

Lighting

Chickens cannot see well in the dark, if they are cold or scared, they begin to huddle in a corner and crush each other. In such conditions, it is convenient to have adjustable lighting with smooth switching off.

Perches and nests

It is more convenient to make perches removable, so they are easier to care for, and placed at different heights. A wooden ladder should be brought to the perch; it consists of a wide board with cross bars.

It is better to cover the nests with straw and change it periodically. Hay is less suitable because it rots quickly. Nests should be darkened; chickens do not like to lay eggs in bright light.

In the chicken coop you need to install several wooden perches at a distance of 30-50 cm from each other.

A dacha is a great place to relax, but it is also an excellent opportunity to change activities. It’s not for nothing that arranging a summer house and growing ornamental and garden plants are becoming a popular activity for city residents. However, today those who are planning to build a chicken coop in their dacha with their own hands do not surprise anyone. Moreover, thrifty owners choose solid buildings. If you build a poultry house slightly larger than a dog house, the birds will get sick or eat the food to no avail. Then you shouldn’t expect such desirable environmentally friendly eggs from them. Let's find out the secrets of good construction.

Finding out how to make a cost-effective chicken coop starts with allocating space for construction. Its design can largely depend on the location of the poultry house. There are basic principles that should be followed when making a choice:

Location. The poultry house must be located on a hill, because in the lowlands it will be more difficult for birds to walk: it is in such places that the moisture does not dry out longer, and the melting of the snow occurs with a delay.
Building orientation. The chicken coop must be correctly oriented to the cardinal points. The rectangular building is located along its length from east to west. The ideal placement of the poultry house would be when its windows face south and the door faces east. Windows should let in as much light as possible during the day. The length of daylight hours significantly affects the egg production of chickens. However, in hot weather the windows should be shaded.
Temperature. Both too high and too low temperatures are negative for chickens. Already at +25 C°, poultry productivity will drop by half, and if the temperature rises another 5 degrees, the chickens will stop laying eggs altogether. In case of heat, the windows of the chicken coop must be equipped with plywood shutters. In winter, the optimal temperature is +12 C°.
Peace. Chickens should feel calm, so for the chicken coop you need to choose a place away from active recreation areas. Protecting your chicken coop with a hedge is a good idea.
Square. The location should be selected taking into account the dimensions of the future building. There should be no more than two chickens per 1 m2 of chicken coop room. If chickens will live in the chicken coop during the winter, it is necessary to provide a vestibule as an element of insulation of the chicken coop so that cold air does not directly penetrate to the birds. For the vestibule, you also need to allocate space in the construction plan.

Experts recommend choosing a place with a reserve of space in case success in raising chickens prompts the owners to create, for example, a quail farm. After all, such a farm is an excellent source of not even additional income, but full-fledged income.

A chicken coop is often called a ramshackle barn, but if you take a businesslike look at this building, it can be made much more attractive, and then it will be easier to find a place for it

To be healthy, chickens must have room to roam, which is why this chicken coop with a vestibule is a well-deserved success.

What does it cost us to build a house for chickens?

Let's agree in advance that we choose four-edged timber 100x150 mm as the material for the construction of our chicken coop. This is a low-budget option and construction from such material does not require professional skills.

Stage #1 – selection and construction of the foundation

We choose the dimensions of the upcoming building. It is better to draw up the project so that you can accurately determine the need for materials. We will proceed from the approximate weight of the chicken coop when deciding on the foundation.

A chicken coop on a columnar foundation looks very secure, neat and compact, despite the fact that everything you need is provided in it

The best option for a relatively light chicken coop can be considered a columnar foundation. Why?

Economic benefit. Cabinets made from old brick will be very cheap, and, if desired, you can even get by with ordinary stone. Cement, sand, gravel and a trowel are the main costs for such a foundation.
Protection. It will be difficult for rats and ferrets to enter the room, and ventilation under the floor surface can prevent rotting of the wood.

We will mark the foundation using thin but strong rope and metal rods. In full accordance with the project, we hammer rods around the perimeter of the building. We tie them with a rope, placing it near the surface of the earth. We check the accuracy of the markings made by measuring the distance diagonally with a regular tape measure.

We carefully remove the fertile layer of soil 15-20 cm inside the marking: it will be useful in the garden. Now we will make pedestals at the corners of the building and along its perimeter. The distance between them should be 0.8-1 m. We dig holes 60-70 cm deep and 50 cm wide (two bricks). Using a hydraulic level and ropes, we mark 20-25 cm above the ground - a guideline for erecting the pedestals.

A columnar foundation is most appropriate when building a chicken coop, since it is economically beneficial and the building on it will be protected from rotting and from predators

At the bottom of the pit, pour layers of sand and medium-grained gravel 10 cm thick. Place the first two bricks at the bottom of the pit, and put cement mortar on them, mixed at a ratio of 1:3. We place the next two bricks across the previous ones. So the cabinet should be laid out to the level marked with ropes. Cement mortar will help to level the cabinet exactly to the level.

In construction, there is a technological break of 5-7 days so that the solution has a chance to set. After this, the finished columns must be treated with a special protective mastic or simple bitumen. Coarse gravel should be poured between the bollards and the ground. They also cover the surface inside the perimeter of the building.

Stage #2 - erection of the walls of the building

For the process of laying timber, a standard technology has long been developed, which must be adhered to. A double layer of roofing material can be used as an insulator for the first crown from the foundation. The ends of the timber should be connected into half a tree. As floor joists we use 100x150mm timber, laid on edge. The optimal distance between the logs is 50 cm. We close the gaps with scraps of timber.

The walls of the building are erected by sequentially placing timber and connecting it at the corners of the building into a tongue-and-groove joint.

The second, third and subsequent crowns at the corners are connected using a tongue-and-groove system. Flax-jute fiber can be used as a sealant in locking joints and between crowns. If the timber from which the chicken coop is built has natural moisture, it is better to use wooden dowels to securely plant the crowns.

Their presence will protect the frame from distortion after shrinkage. You need to make holes for the dowels in the corners of the building and around the perimeter every meter or one and a half. They are made 2.5 beams deep and in a checkerboard pattern. The dowels should be driven into the wood “sunk” by about 7 cm. The minimum height of the walls being erected should be 1.8 m. Next, the ceiling beams must be strengthened, rafters installed and the roof laid.

Stage #3 – ceiling and roof of the chicken coop

You can make the roof of the chicken coop single-slope, but a gable design is the choice of far-sighted people. Feed and equipment need to be stored somewhere. Why not use a comfortable and dry attic space for this purpose?

Of course, it is better to make the roof of the building gable, then the food, equipment, and even the rowan fruits dried for the chickens for the winter will be safe

We strengthen the ceiling beams, lay the ceiling with any boards and insulate it. Expensive roll insulation can be replaced with expanded clay or coal slag. Before insulation, you need to take care of the ventilation of the room. To do this, you should knock together two wooden ventilation ducts. We fix them at opposite ends of the building. One end of the ventilation channel is located flush with the ceiling, and the second is approximately 40 cm below it. Tin dampers on ventilation pipes will help regulate the temperature in the room.

Stage #4 – laying and insulating the floor

Freezing and blowing of floors should be avoided. Therefore, double floors can be considered the best option. In this case, we will use a board 25 mm thick. The subfloor should be made of dry unedged boards. A layer of vapor barrier is laid on the boards, followed by 100x100mm bars. We fill the gaps between the bars with insulation, after which we lay the finished floor from edged boards.

If you can use any boards for the ceiling, then for the floor savings are only appropriate when laying the subfloor: the finishing floor should be made from a tongue-and-groove board

We equip the poultry house from the inside

Well, we figured out how to build a reliable and warm chicken coop, now we need to properly organize the room inside. If we talk about the necessary elements of the internal structure of a chicken coop, then the perch is just one of them.

When calculating perch requirements, you need to know that each bird will need at least 30 cm of perch. Knowing the number of feathered inhabitants of the chicken coop, we calculate the quantitative need for perches. It is better to make them from rectangular timber 40x60 mm. The perches need to be rounded, otherwise they will injure the birds. Perches should be placed at a distance of 50 cm from each other at a height of 60-80 cm from the floor, but not above each other. Trays placed under the roost will make cleaning the coop easier.

Properly organizing a chicken coop from the inside is no less important than ensuring its proper construction: chickens need perches, drinking bowls, feeders, and places for laying hens

Laying areas should be located in a part of the coop where the chickens can feel safe and secure.

Don’t forget that we built a chicken coop for laying hens, which means that we need to provide them with all the conditions for them to lay eggs. To do this, you can equip them with boxes with sawdust in a place where the chickens will feel peace and security.

Feeders and drinking bowls should be filled, clean and located on a hill. Cleanliness and order in the chicken coop can be ensured more easily if the floor is covered with sawdust or straw. The sloping floor will also make cleaning easier. For the winter, the chicken coop can be additionally insulated with mineral wool and polystyrene foam.

To learn how to build a chicken coop with your own hands using other methods, we suggest watching the following videos.

Using a small chicken coop may not always satisfy the requirements of the poultry farmer. Such designs are supplied ready-made, but an experienced poultry farmer knows what results he wants to achieve from his laying hens. Therefore, he builds a chicken coop according to his preferences.

Design options for country chicken coops

one-story portable chicken coop;
mobile arched chicken coop;
chicken coop in the form of a wheelbarrow;
mobile chicken coop trailer;
mini chicken coop on rollers.

Such structures can be moved around the site at any time; they weigh little. But they fit a small number of heads.

An ideal option for a family is a barn with a run for 5-20 chickens. When keeping 5 chickens, 3 square meters is enough. m. The larger the livestock, the larger the housing size required. 10 individuals require a minimum of 5 sq. m, 20 chickens - 10 sq. m. If the hen gets fat, then they begin to lay worse, so more space is allocated for them. If a poultry farmer raises broilers, then the chicken coop can be made smaller so that the bird moves little and gains weight.

Before you start building a chicken coop with your own hands, you need to think about the appropriate size for it. They also think about seasonality and location. If positioned correctly, it can become a decorative part of the garden.

Professionals for beginner poultry keepers It is advised to build a barn for chickens next to the house and comply with the following conditions:

What is the best material to build a chicken coop from at the dacha?

Build a chicken coop with your own hands possible from improvised means. Common materials for building a country chicken coop:

wooden beam;
wooden lining for wall cladding;
galvanized sheet for making a pull-out tray under the perch;
chain link for the walking area;
roofing felt

Creating a green roof (plants on top) protects the chickens from overheating and adds beauty to the structure.

When it is not possible to purchase materials for construction, you can use those at hand. For example, pipes, pallets, polycarbonate.

Wooden structural elements are coated with a solution that protects the wood from moisture and pests.

How to build a comfortable chicken coop

It is not difficult to create a comfortable environment for chickens; it is important to follow the sequence of actions. When building a chicken coop at the dacha, you will need to collect a sufficient number of beams and boards, which will become the basis of the structure. Cement and brick are used for the foundation. It is worth thinking about insulation; for this, mineral wool, sawdust and roofing felt are prepared. To fence the walking area you will need several meters of chain link. The list of tools includes:

screws, nails;
level, ruler;
saw;
shovel;
hammer.

This kit is considered a basic kit; additional tools may be required during assembly.

Foundation

In some cases, the construction of a foundation is not required: when constructing a small chicken coop. In this case, care must be taken to ensure that predators do not attack the chickens. Metal plates are installed around the perimeter of the chicken coop.

When the poultry house is large, building the foundation becomes an important step. And the best option is columnar. In this case, floor ventilation will be good. It can be made from inexpensive materials and is easy to construct:

They study the drawing, prepared in advance, and drive metal rods around the perimeter, connecting them with rope.
The top layer of soil 20 cm deep is removed.
The support bollards are placed around the perimeter at a distance of at least 1 m (a 60 cm hole is prepared for each post).
The posts are placed level with an elevation above the soil surface at a distance of 30 cm.

The construction of the columnar foundation ends here. They give him time to compact it. To do this, leave it for 5 days.

If you want to build a chicken coop not only for summer use, but also for winter use, you need to take care of preparing a strong floor that will retain heat well. For this purpose, a double floor is made: the first layer is the “subfloor”, which is made from any boards; the second is the “main floor” made of high-quality boards without gaps. Beams and a layer of insulation are laid between the layers.

Frame and walls

Not only the floor must retain heat, but also the walls. Therefore, it is recommended to build a chicken coop from high-quality timber, leaving openings for windows for ventilation. The beams are fixed and covered with boards on the outside and inside, and a layer of heat insulator (sawdust, mineral wool) is placed between them.

Walls must be at least 1.8 m in height. Otherwise, the chickens will become crowded and egg production will decrease. To improve the appearance, the chicken coop is painted or decorated with finishing materials based on budgetary funds. The windows are removable so that the chickens feel comfortable during the hot season.

Roof

It is convenient to place all the necessary equipment for chickens under the roof. That's why they make it gable. Snow does not accumulate on it, which helps to avoid dampness indoors.

The procedure for making a roof:

lay insulation flooring (slag, expanded clay);
fasten ceiling beams at an angle;
roofing felt is attached;
covered with slate or other roofing.

As you can see, it is not difficult to build a gable roof.

Inner space

Particular attention is paid to interior decoration. Nests and perches are placed in such a way that the hens lay eggs well. The calculation of perches is simple:

one chicken needs at least 30 cm;
You will need a beam of 40x60 mm, it is rounded;
placed at a height of 80 cm from the floor;
Trays are placed under the perches to collect chicken droppings.

Perches cannot be placed on top of each other.

Arrangement of nests:

take boxes filled with sawdust (wicker baskets);
they are placed in the corners of the poultry house (height above the floor 40 cm);

Dry material or straw is laid on the floor for the convenience of the chickens, this will make them more comfortable. Litter will accumulate on it, making cleaning easier.

Aviary

In the spring, chickens are separated into groups of 10-12 and provided with a separate place to roam. If the chickens are cramped, then this becomes the cause of the development of infectious diseases.

For a chicken coop with a walk, an aviary is additionally equipped, the size of which should be 2 times larger than the poultry house. They build it on a flat, green area so that later, when walking, the chickens will have enough nutrients that they will find in the grass and soil.

To build an enclosure prepare:

bars;
metal mesh.

The chicken pen consists of several sections. One of them is hung with loops and used as a gate.

Construction of a summer chicken coop for broilers

To breed broilers with your own hands, you can build a small chicken coop. 5 square meters is enough for a dozen chickens. m.

Making a chicken coop:

Using self-tapping screws and boards, 2 side frames are assembled. The upper part is fixed with self-tapping screws. At the bottom, fix the board at a distance of 35 cm from the bottom. In the middle part, spacers are attached and a rectangular sheet of plywood is laid; it will act as a ceiling and floor at the same time and impart rigidity to the structure.
A chain-link mesh is secured with staples or nails and a door is made.
The role of the roof is performed by two sheets of plywood attached to the sides. The ridge is formed by two horizontal boards.
The feeder and drinker are attached to the door. Set up a perch and nest made of straw.

If there are no self-tapping screws, use nails. They are not driven in completely and bent so that the bird does not get hurt. For convenience, the birds prepare a ramp from a piece of plywood with transverse slats.

Lighting in the chicken coop: window installation and electricity

To ensure maximum light penetration into the chicken coop, window openings are made on the south side. If there is not enough lighting for chickens, they become lethargic and lay eggs less often.

The total area of window openings must be at least 1/12 of the floor area.

Windows must be opened to allow fresh air to enter. They are protected by a net from predators. In summer the windows are opened.

In order to organize artificial lighting, lamps are installed based on the required power of 5 W per 1 m2. Using a relay, you can regulate the length of daylight hours; in winter it should be 17 hours. Places with nests are shaded, and drinking bowls and feeders, on the contrary, require good lighting.

Capital chicken coop for all seasons

If you plan to raise chickens in your dacha all year round, then the chicken coop needs to be insulated. An additional heating system is installed to ensure high egg production in winter. The windows need to be glazed and the cracks sealed if the frames are old.

Foundation of an all-season chicken coop must be durable. For the purpose of its construction, a hole 0.5 m deep is prepared. Formwork is installed along the perimeter and filled with concrete. Wait several days for complete hardening.

The thickness of the walls should be more than 20 cm. Mineral wool is used for thermal insulation. Windows and doors should be tightly closed to prevent drafts. The floor is insulated with polystyrene foam and a metal mesh is placed to protect against rodents. The boards are laid on top of the mesh. They make the floor warm.

Perches for laying hens in the country

After construction is completed, it is necessary to pay special attention to the organization of perches and nests where it will be convenient for chickens to lay eggs. A dozen chickens need 3 nests. In the summer, perches are installed in the walking area, the distance between which should be half a meter above the floor. The nests are filled with straw and changed regularly. Canopies are made over the perches.

Hay is not used because it rots and becomes a medium for the spread of small pests and infections.

Bright lighting for chickens - the reason for the decrease in egg production. Therefore, the nests should be less illuminated than the rest of the chicken coop.

For a chicken coop with year-round housing for chickens, additional ventilation is made from corrugated pipe. They make a hole in the ceiling and bring the pipe up. This ensures good ventilation and prevents drafts.

With proper arrangement of the chicken coop: creating natural exhaust ventilation, proper lighting and a warm room; the birds will lay eggs all year round.

Are you planning to raise chickens in your country house, but don’t know how to build a chicken coop with your own hands? You can make it from scrap materials and without using any fancy tools. In our article you will find many tips, as well as detailed photos, videos and drawings that will help you build a poultry house correctly.

Preparatory work

Before you begin, you will need to choose the most suitable chicken coop design. Consider in advance its size, location and seasonality, because these characteristics will not be able to be changed after construction is completed. In addition, if you try hard, the chicken coop will become not only a reliable haven for chickens, but also a real decoration at your dacha.

Selecting a location

Building a chicken coop with your own hands should begin with choosing a good location. Try to locate the room on a hill. This way you can protect it from flooding during heavy rains. Think in advance about how much space you will need. If you plan to expand your farm over time, then immediately select a large area.

Also try to position the house correctly relative to the cardinal directions. There must be windows on the south side, this way you will extend the daylight period for the birds, which will increase egg production. It is better to place doors on the western or eastern side, this way you will protect the room from the cold north wind.

Most breeds of laying hens are quite restless birds, and the presence of sources of noise near the poultry house can significantly impair their productivity. Try to find a place in the country where they will not be disturbed by various sharp sounds. It would also be a good solution if we build a chicken coop with our own hands, surrounded by a hedge, which will protect the birds from stress.

Materials and tools

To build a chicken coop in your country house, you will need to stock up on a sufficient number of boards and beams. They will form the basis for the floor, walls and roof. When building a foundation, you will need bricks and cement. In addition, when you build a chicken coop, stock up on a lot of insulating materials, such as roofing felt, mineral wool or sawdust. To build an enclosure you will need several meters of metal mesh.

You will also need a basic set of tools. Before you start building your chicken coop, make sure you have everything on this list:

hammer;
saw;
nails and screws;
ruler with level;
shovel.

Building a chicken coop

Building a comfortable chicken coop with your own hands is not at all difficult if you follow the entire sequence of actions correctly. Before this, you can watch photos and videos to better understand the construction process. Having decided on the location and list of materials, you can begin constructing a building at the dacha.

Foundation

First, decide whether your chicken coop needs a foundation. If you are going to build a small poultry house, you can do without it. But do not forget to deepen the metal plates around the perimeter to protect the birds from predators.

If your poultry house is quite large, then building a foundation will be mandatory. The best choice when building a chicken coop is a columnar foundation. It is quite easy to build and can be made from the cheapest materials. In addition, by properly constructing such a foundation, you will be able to avoid the entry of predators and provide good ventilation for the floor.

First, study the drawing and, according to it, hammer metal rods into the corners of the future building.
Connect them with a rope and take verification measurements just in case.
Remove the top layer of soil by about 20 cm. If it is fertile soil, you can put it to good use in your dacha by transferring the soil to the garden.
Next, along the perimeter it is necessary to build pedestals that will become supports for the future building. The distance between them should be at least 1 m. A hole about 60 cm deep is dug under each cabinet.
The cabinets should rise above the ground by about 20-30 cm. Using a level, make sure that they are level and located at the same height.

This will complete the construction of the foundation. It is necessary to give it time to compact, so it is necessary to continue building the chicken coop no earlier than after 5 days.

Floor

If you want to build a chicken coop in your country house that can be used both in summer and winter, then the floor should retain heat well. The best solution in this case would be to make a double floor. To do this, a “rough” floor is laid immediately above the foundation, which can be made of any materials. Next, beams are laid on it, a layer of insulation is laid and the main floor is laid. It should consist of smooth boards and not contain cracks or openings.

Frame and walls

Walls must also retain heat. Therefore, it is recommended to build a chicken coop using a frame made of bars. Do not forget to leave openings for windows, they must be made to ensure good ventilation. After fixing the beams, it is necessary to cover them with boards on both sides. Place insulating material between them. Mineral wool, sawdust or other insulation is well suited for these purposes.

The height of the walls must be at least 1.8 m. Otherwise, the chickens will be severely limited in space, which can also negatively affect egg production. You can also paint the walls your favorite color. This will not only improve the aesthetic appearance of the poultry house, but will also prevent damage to wooden structures by insects. Also, do not forget to install windows that can be removed or opened during hot periods.

Roof

If we decide that we are building a chicken coop in the country, then in the same room we place everything necessary for caring for the birds. You just need to make a gable roof, and under it you can place tools and feed for your laying hens. In addition, this design will avoid the accumulation of snow and rain, which can lead to dampness.

Making a roof like this is not difficult. First lay the flooring, then fasten the ceiling beams at an angle. The flooring must be well insulated. The insulation can be made from available materials, for example, coal slag or expanded clay. Next, roofing material is attached to the beams, which is covered with slate or other roofing material.

Aviary

If you decide to build a chicken coop with a run, you will need to attach an aviary. Its size should be 1.5-2 times the area of the poultry house. Try to build it on green grass to provide the birds with access to healthy food while walking. To build an enclosure, you can make several sections from beams, covering them with mesh. One of the sections can be attached using hinges, making it a gate. You can see examples of interesting enclosures in the photos and videos in our article.

Inner space

When building a chicken coop, it is very important to pay attention to its interior decoration. It is necessary to properly place the perches and nests and make sure that the hens feel calm and comfortable inside. You can see various options for internal arrangement in the video.

First of all, take care of the number of perches. It is very simple to calculate: each chicken requires at least 30 cm of perch. It is best to make them from 40x60 mm timber, which is recommended to be rounded. Perches should be placed at a height of 70-80 cm, and they should not be fixed on top of each other. To make cleaning easier, you can place trays under the perches.

If you are building a chicken coop for laying hens, you will need to take care of comfortable nests. Wooden boxes filled with sawdust are suitable for this purpose. Place them in the corners of the house at a height of about 30-40 cm from the floor. Don't forget to also lay sawdust, straw or other dry material on the floor. It will make the birds feel more comfortable and will also make cleaning the house easier.

Photo gallery

Have you decided to build a chicken coop in your country house, but have not yet decided on the design? Perhaps one of these photos will inspire you!

Drawings and diagrams

Video “Building a chicken coop at the dacha with your own hands”

In this video you can learn in more detail about how you can build a chicken coop with your own hands. Here you will find detailed instructions, as well as many useful tips that will greatly simplify the construction of a summer poultry house.