Low cost diy chicken coop free#

You will also need to make a hinged opening that will allow you to get completely inside of the poultry housing.

Low cost diy chicken coop free#

This will allow the birds to free range in that area. In other words, you will not make a floor from the wood or the wire. The outside part of these poultry houses will have an earthen floor. Related Backyard Laying Hens- Free Range Eggs, For Free! Rotting wood can also attract insect infestations. You also want to treat the wood and wire so that they will not rot or rust over time. If the openings are too large, predators and wild birds can squeeze through and come in contact with the chickens, either harming them or spreading disease. It is important to buy chicken wire that has no larger than 2-inch spaces. They will also be used to frame the outside area where the chicken wire will be attached with staples.

The 2-by-4s will make the frame where the siding or plywood can be nailed. The main materials needed are lumbar, mostly 2-by-4s, chicken wire, nails and staples. If the drainage is poor, it could end up being a health problem for the birds. The areas where the hen houses are placed must drain well. The only other decision that needs to be made at this point is in regard to its location. The inside area will be constructed as an “A” frame building and the backyard will have 2x2s or 2x4s forming a large box without walls or a ceiling. Each section will be framed with 2x2s or 2x4s. There will be a “house” section and a backyard area. You also want an outdoor area where they can free range for a portion of the food.īoth of these areas will be attached to form a single chicken coup. In this case, you want the chicken coup to have an indoor area where their nests can remain clean and dry. When you are making design decisions, you should be thinking about ways to accommodate the needs of your flock. They will forage for a portion of their own food if you will let them, and this will keep your chickens happy and your feed expenses down. Chickens need a clean dry nesting area along with some room to roam. It is possible to get it done in a weekend or two.īefore cutting your first 2-by-4 or nailing two boards together, it is a good idea to come up with a plan.

And it will not take as long or be as hard as you may have ever imagined. When you compare the price difference of building your own hen houses versus buying, you will be amazed at the amount of money you can save constructing them yourself. If you ever thought about raising chickens or even building your own chicken coup for that matter, maybe it is time you actually did something about it.