How to build a warm chicken coop with your own hands - step-by-step instructions. Livestock farming: how to build a chicken coop for ten chickens with your own hands

If you are reading this article, then most likely you have decided to start breeding and keeping chickens. This idea has many positive aspects. For example, you will always eat fresh eggs and be able to prepare nutritious meals from them. In addition, domestic chickens also provide fresh meat. And if you keep a lot of chickens, then the eggs can be sold, i.e. sell, which will serve as an additional source of income for your family’s budget. However, first you need to make a reliable and durable chicken coop, which will create ideal living conditions for poultry.

The construction process consists of several important stages. Don’t assume that everything is simple, especially if you want to keep chickens in the winter. After all, you need to worry about high-quality ventilation, reliable roofing, walls, heating and other important components. This article will provide complete material about all construction processes and equipment. Interesting video materials, collections of photographs and diagrams will make the process of learning information fun. Step-by-step instructions will help you figure out how to build a chicken coop.

What should a house for chickens be like?

Birds, just like humans, need a comfortable habitat, so before starting construction it is worth highlighting several important factors that will allow you to create a warm and cozy chicken coop. There are a number of requirements for this room:

• Temperature. If you plan to keep a bird in the winter, it is important to take care of the proper temperature. So, in winter the temperature should not be lower than 12°C. There should be no drafts inside the room; they pose a threat to the health of the bird. In summer, the indoor temperature should not exceed 25°C. If these temperature conditions are not observed, the chicken will stop laying eggs.
• Lack of moisture. To prevent chickens from getting sick, there should not be high humidity inside. Ventilation can solve this problem. There are several ways to organize it; it can be forced or natural.
• Lighting. Light is life. As a result, the egg production of chickens depends on the availability of light. There should be light bulbs inside the coop that diffuse warm yellow light. To ensure lighting mode, some home craftsmen use automatic timers and relays that turn the light on/off at a given time. When conducting electrical wiring, you need to do everything so that all cables are inaccessible to chickens.

• Calm. For a normal and quiet life for chickens, there should not be a lot of noise around. Therefore, the chosen location must be isolated from a busy country house.
• Safety. This is another important criterion that ensures the bird’s peace of mind. The chicken coop must be protected from rodents and other predatory animals entering it. Considering this, many decide to build on a columnar foundation.

Video: features of keeping chickens in a chicken coop

Where is the best place to place a chicken coop?

The location of the poultry house is an important stage of the preparatory work. You need to think not only about yourself, so that no unpleasant odor penetrates into your residential building, but also about the comfort of the chickens. For example, some breeds do not like their territory to be frequently invaded. Because of this, they begin to lay eggs worse.

A suitable location would be a remote corner of your summer cottage. If you have a barnyard, it is important to remember that extraneous noise also negatively affects their egg production. Often many people decide to attach a chicken coop to an existing barn. But here take into account what kind of pet the chickens will be neighbors with - calm or mostly noisy.

When choosing a place, it is important to worry about a place for them to walk. You can often see chickens roaming throughout the yard. This does not add beauty, in addition, on the threshold of your home you may stumble upon a “gift” they left behind. The space for walking chickens should be limited. As a rule, up to 2 m2 is allocated per head. So, when keeping 20 chickens, the area should have dimensions of 4x10 m. And this is only for their walking.

If you cannot afford such an area, keep in mind that some summer residents resort to an original solution, making walking tunnels around the perimeter of the territory from a metal mesh.

The selected location should have both shaded and sunny areas. The shade will protect the birds from overheating on hot days, but at the same time they will be able to bask in the sun in cool weather.

Video: The Best Place for a Chicken Coop in a Barnyard

It is recommended to choose an elevated place to build a chicken coop. This will prevent flooding of the area during the rainy season or when snow melts. If this is not possible, then dig a drainage ditch to remove excess moisture. Although a hill can be made artificially by pouring crushed stone, gravel or earth.

It is advisable to place the windows of the chicken coop on the south side for better and longer sunlight entering the room. It is also recommended to install a hole, a door and build an enclosure on the south side. The south side is most protected from cold winds.

What size should the poultry house be?

Having decided on the construction site, it is necessary to decide what dimensions the poultry house will have. This parameter is influenced by several factors. It is necessary to start from the maximum number of chickens and accurately calculate the usable area:

1. If you plan to keep meat breeds, 3 heads should have at least 1 m2;
2. For keeping egg breeds for 4 heads - from 1 m2;
3. For breeding and keeping chickens for 15 pieces - from 1 m2.

Separately, it is worth mentioning about chickens. They must have individual quarters, separated from adults. This will allow them to have free access to food. However, you should not allocate too much space for them. As a rule, a small box is enough for an overnight stay. On the other hand, one should not create conditions for their crush.

So, a poultry house intended for keeping 10 chickens can have dimensions of 2x5 m. As for the height, it should be comfortable for you when you have to go there. A ceiling that is too low will create discomfort when cleaning and cleaning the chicken coop. The optimal height is 2.2 m.

Taking this into account, it would be practical to equip a gable roof, raising the ridge to 2.2 m, and leaving the walls at a height of 1.5 m. Such a chicken coop will be convenient both for chickens and for its maintenance. On the other hand, it is much easier to implement a pitched roof. Nests can be installed in the low, dark part.

We have prepared several suitable diagrams and drawings. Based on them, you can make an individual project or build a poultry house from a ready-made one. We invite you to look at some interesting options in the next section.

Drawings and diagrams: ready-made projects for building a poultry house

So, to summarize everything, for the construction of a chicken coop for 10 chickens, the drawings should be calculated based on the following parameters:

• The area is more than 4 m2.
• Availability of up to 4 slots.
• Feeders should be along the wall and opposite the perch.
• There must be access to the cleaning and feeding system from outside.
• The drinker and feeder should rise at least 50–100 mm from the floor level.
• The floor should be smooth, but not slippery.
• Perch at a height of about 600 mm.
• The area of ​​all windows should not exceed 10% of the floor area.
• It is recommended to have an enclosure for walking.
• Be sure to have a ladder to the chicken coop.

Plus, the area and layout of the future poultry house will depend on what you want to place inside it. To save and optimize internal space, a perch pole is installed. An ordinary piece of driftwood usually performs this role. Chickens can sleep on it.

When organizing a roost, it is important to consider that one bird will lay one egg every 1-2 days. Therefore, one place will be enough for 4 chickens. The perches should be high as this will prevent damage to the eggs. Moreover, they should be located in a clean, dry place and away from their overnight stay. Otherwise, chicken droppings may end up on the eggs.

As for the standards, there is SNIP 30-02-97, which indicates the following parameters of the room:

1. On a summer cottage you can keep and raise no more than 40 chickens.
2. There should be at least 4 m from the chicken coop to the border of your territory.
3. If there is an adjoining residential building, then there must be at least 7 meters from the front door to the house.
4. When making an extension to a house, it is recommended to coordinate the project with the architectural commission.

If chickens are kept for personal use outside the city, there are no rules or restrictions.

Types of chicken coops based on needs

There are several types that can be built:

Build a new or reconstruct an existing premises

If you have a shed or garage that is no longer needed, you may want to consider remodeling it. You can save a lot on the purchase of building materials. You will only need to arrange the premises inside for normal living of chickens.

On the other hand, such a room is not always suitable. For example, inconvenient location, small area, etc. Today there are many ready-made schemes that will help you quickly develop a finished project. In this matter, you should not think only about saving money. As mentioned above, the egg production of birds and their health depend on how comfortable the conditions inside the chicken coop are.

If you still prefer the old premises, then make sure that there are no lumber inside it that was coated with lead paint or that was previously used to store various chemicals. All of this can have a detrimental effect on the health of chickens.

Stages of poultry house construction

Having familiarized ourselves with all the requirements and regulations for the construction of a chicken coop, we will highlight the main stages of construction:

Stage 1– design.

Stage 2- making the foundation.

Stage 3– construction of walls and partitions.

Stage 4- construction of the roof.

Stage 5– production of flooring.

Stage 6- “furnishing”.

Stage 7– insulation.

Stage 8– heating production.

These are perhaps the main construction processes that you should tune in to. We will go through all these processes and also give some step-by-step instructions.

The foundation is the basis of any structure

Installing a chicken coop directly on the ground is a bad option, so a foundation must be built. For a poultry house, the base can be made using different technologies:

• columnar;
• slab;
• tape

When making a slab foundation, the working technology is as follows:

Stages	Description of the work process
Step 1 – marking	To begin with, using a cord and pegs, the perimeter of the future building is indicated.
Step 2 – digging	At this stage, the top fertile soil layer to a depth of 350 mm should be removed.
Step 3 - filling the pillow	Now the bottom of the base is filled with sand and small gravel. Everything is carefully compacted.
Step 4 - formwork	Before pouring concrete, plank formwork is installed around the perimeter of the foundation.
Step 5 - concrete work	Finally, a layer of concrete should be poured onto the manufactured cushion. A woven reinforcing mesh with cells up to 100×100 mm is first laid on the bottom. For concrete, M200 cement is used.

As you can see, the process of making a foundation is not that complicated. Although it requires a lot of effort. This kind of foundation is ideal for a chicken coop built from blocks or bricks.

It is much easier to build a chicken coop on a columnar base. We have prepared for you step-by-step instructions for building a poultry house on a columnar foundation, so you can find out all the details of this process in the next subsection. The only thing worth saying is that steel pipes, bricks, blocks and similar material can be used as support pillars.

Video: features of laying out the foundation

Wall construction technology

The walls must be windproof and warm. The choice of material for building walls depends on the foundation made. If you made a strip or slab, you can use cinder block, foam block and even brick. However, these materials have a high level of thermal conductivity, so they must be insulated from the outside and inside.

If a columnar foundation is chosen, then it is better to give preference to a light frame structure made of wooden blocks. A wooden frame is laid on top of the support posts, onto which the entire frame of the future chicken coop is fixed. It is recommended to use metal mesh to construct the walls of the walking area. It can be attached to a metal corner.

Another option for wall construction is polycarbonate. This building material is practical. For example, it is easy to wash, it is beautiful, strong and reliable. However, such a chicken coop will be problematic to use in the winter season. Some summer residents use logs for construction.

Adobe is often used. You can make your own adobe bricks using clay and chopped straw. Such walls will provide a sufficient degree of heat retention and comfort. The only problem when working with this material will be leveling the surface.

As you can see, there are many construction technologies and materials that can be used to make a reliable and beautiful poultry house. In any case, regardless of the material chosen, it is important to ensure that the walls are disinfected to avoid the appearance of fungus, bacteria and the like.

Video: building walls from OSB boards

Wall insulation - winter option

So, if you decide to insulate the walls with mineral wool, then on the walls you should make a frame of 50x50 mm beams. The beam is fixed strictly vertically. The pitch of laying the timber is adjusted based on the width of the insulation. So, if the width of the mineral wool is 600 mm, then the pitch of the timber should be 590 mm. This will allow the mineral wool to be tightly packed without leaving any possible gaps.

The beams are secured to the wall with self-tapping screws (if the frame is made of wood) or dowels. It is also recommended to make a vapor barrier layer. To do this, before laying mineral wool, a polyethylene film is fixed to the wall. Its installation should be carried out with an overlap of up to 150 mm.

The thickness of the thermal insulation layer must be at least 50 mm. If after installing the insulation you find gaps, they can be filled with polyurethane foam.

As for external wall insulation, it is better to use polystyrene foam or penoplex. For fastening, a special plastic dowel with a cap is used. This method of fastening is used when walls are built from bricks, blocks and the like. The thermal insulation layer must be covered with protective plaster using a façade mesh.

In some cases, external insulation should not be performed, especially if you live in a warm region. The outside of the chicken coop can simply be covered with plywood and painted with moisture-resistant paint.

Roof – reliable protection from precipitation

The best option is a gable roof for the poultry house. Due to this, the ceiling height inside the room increases. If the roof is well insulated, then you won’t even need to fill the ceiling. For covering, the best option would be metal tiles or slate.

The technology for manufacturing a gable roof is as follows:

• Rafters are installed on top of the wall frame.
• A waterproofing sheet is laid and nailed onto the rafters. This is necessary to prevent the thermal insulation layer from getting wet. The film thickness can be 200 microns. Each waterproofing strip should be overlapped by up to 200 mm. It is advisable to glue them together with tape. Due to this, the coating will be completely sealed.
• After this, it is necessary to fill the sheathing for the roof deck. It is stuffed on top of the waterproofing. The spacing of the sheathing will depend on the type of flooring chosen.
• When the sheathing is ready, you can begin installing the roofing.

Video: making a poultry house roof

Ceiling insulation – additional protection from the cold

The procedure for insulating the ceiling of a poultry house is necessary if you live in a cold region. In this case, floor beams are additionally secured to the rafter system. On top of the beams, that is, from the attic side, you can fasten plywood, which is fastened with ordinary self-tapping screws.

A thermal insulation material, such as mineral wool, is placed in the space between the beams. Additionally, you can attach a vapor barrier film. It is attached using a stapler. The ceiling is hemmed with the same plywood or you can use wooden lining, plasterboard and the like.

Chicken coop floors

Finishing the floor is one of the main activities in the interior arrangement of the chicken coop. The finishing method depends on your goals. If you want to breed and keep broilers for meat, then it will be enough to make a light, non-insulated floor. However, the floor must still have a double structure. It’s not difficult to implement, especially if you have a columnar foundation:

• Beams acting as joists are attached to the supporting frame.
• The bottom needs to be hemmed with boards.
• Insulation, such as mineral wool, is laid on top of the boards.
• Next, the finished floor is laid from boards.

In the case of making a shallow strip foundation, the floors can be made of earthen or adobe. To do this, prepare a mixture of finely chopped straw and clay. The clay mixture is applied in layers. Each layer is carefully compacted. In this case, before laying the next layer, the previous one must dry. The process is quite lengthy, but the foundation will be reliable.

If the foundation is made using slab technology, then it is enough to make a wooden flooring on top of the concrete. However, it is better to use other insulation or lay waterproofing. Mineral wool absorbs moisture. The further process of making the floor is as follows:

1. The base must be protected from penetrating moisture, so the top can be covered with roofing felt. The canvases must be glued together with a special bitumen mastic. Due to this, reliable waterproofing of the wooden flooring will be created, which will be completely protected from the penetration of waste from chickens.
2. A mound of sand, straw, hay or sawdust is placed on top of the flooring. However, hay and straw absorb moisture and dry out poorly. Because of this, the flooring will rot and provoke the appearance of fungi and bacteria.

To eliminate this possibility, the layer of straw or hay must be made thin, and it is recommended to change it regularly. Therefore, as practice shows, it is better to use sawdust for flooring, especially since they can be easily purchased at a carpentry shop, sometimes even for free.

Poultry house interior design

One of the main places inside the chicken coop is the roost. A perch refers to a wooden pole. This is where the chicken spends most of its time. An important rule is not to place perches one above the other. For one chicken you need to calculate about 30 cm. The distance between the poles should be about 50 cm.

As for the location of feeders and drinkers, they should be higher. Considering that chickens often have “showdowns” on the territory, dust may rise inside the chicken coop. To protect the drinker from dust getting into it, a small canopy should be made on top.

Nests should also be built. These places should be dark and secluded. This will ensure good egg production. There should also be bedding inside the nest. The nests themselves are made in the form of boxes, which are closed on top with a removable lid. As practice shows, nests should be equipped with a separate lid. This will allow you to remove the eggs and change the litter.

The location of the feeders should be done at the height of the bird's back. Due to this, the chicken will not scatter the food with its paws, but will reach it by slightly stretching its neck. The number of drinkers and feeders should be sufficient so that all chickens have enough of them.

Video: arrangement of the interior and exterior of the poultry house

Heating – comfort and coziness

Chickens can't handle the cold very well. Cold and drafts have a particularly strong negative effect on the legs of chickens, which freeze due to the lack of feathers on them. As already mentioned in this article, the indoor temperature should not fall below 12°C. If you live in the northern regions, then in addition to insulating the walls, floors and ceilings, it is recommended to install heating devices.

In the absence of heating, the bird eats more food, gets fat and becomes lethargic. These are additional costs. If you are raising chicks in an incubator, the chicken itself may not be warm enough. For these and other reasons, heating the chicken coop is necessary.

Video: chicken coop - winter version

Two heating methods: natural and artificial

Heating a chicken coop can be done using two methods. Natural heating means maintaining a comfortable temperature without the use of heaters. The bottom line is to use the bedding mentioned above.

In October, the floor is sprinkled with slaked lime 1 kg/m2. The thickness of the bedding made of peat, sawdust, hay or straw reaches 7 cm in thickness. As the chickens move in, the bedding gets trampled down and needs to be replenished. The flooring must first be turned with a pitchfork. By spring, the thickness of the litter can reach 25 cm.

The peculiarity of the litter is that during the composting process it generates heat. Accordingly, the temperature in the poultry house is stably maintained at about 12°C. The available heat slows down the decomposition of droppings and disinfects pathogens. But with all this, it is necessary to organize high-quality ventilation. Otherwise, harmful ammonia will accumulate in the chicken coop. In addition, in winter, the ventilation pipe should be covered for a short time to prevent warm air from escaping quickly.

However, if the outside temperature drops below -10°C, then all these methods are ineffective. Another heating method should be used - artificial. We invite you to consider several options presented in the table:

Heating method	Features of heating organization
Electric heater	This is one of the available and inexpensive heating methods. You can use different heaters, for example, convectors, air heaters, fan heaters, oil radiators, etc. It is necessary to select the power based on the area of ​​the chicken coop and the number of chickens. The presence of automation will allow you to set the off/on mode.
Gas heater	Using gas to heat a poultry house is also no less effective, but only for large poultry houses. It is not profitable to purchase an expensive gas boiler for a poultry house for 30 or 50 chickens. Moreover, gas equipment must be constantly monitored.
Stove heating	This category includes an ordinary potbelly stove. However, its use involves a number of difficulties. The problem is that due to high humidity, the metal is susceptible to corrosion. In addition, it is always necessary to have a supply of coal/wood. You should also constantly maintain combustion, build a separate chimney, insulate the heating elements of the stove, and strictly observe fire safety. All this requires a lot of labor.
Diesel stove	This oven is safe to use. It does not smoke and has low power.
Buleryan	This is a special air-convection stove that works effectively on different types of fuel.
Infrared heaters	As you know, an infrared heater heats objects, not air. This method has its advantages, as objects will retain heat longer than the heated air escaping through the ventilation ducts. Such heaters with a power of no more than 500 W can be mounted on the ceiling.
Water heating	If the chicken coop is attached to a residential building, then water heating can be installed in it. Given that the heat inside the house is maintained regularly, the poultry house will always be maintained at the proper temperature.

As you can see, there are many ways to create heating for a poultry house. You should choose the one that you can organize and that will fit the family budget.

Video: features of heating organization

Insulation without energy consumption - an innovative solution

We have discussed with you the traditional solution regarding how to organize heating inside the chicken coop. When installing artificial heating, a lot of money is spent, and if you use the natural heating technology described above, you have to make a lot of effort to control the level of humidity, otherwise there is a risk of mold and mildew.

Considering all the pros and cons, some summer residents resort to an original solution, using the Netto-plast mixture used for spaceships. Net plastic is bacteria that should settle on the floor of the poultry house, namely in the prepared litter. The composition is packaged in packages of 0.5 and 1 kg. According to some calculations, 1 kg of this mixture will be enough to heat 20 m2. Moreover, these bacteria will live for about three years.

To begin with, sawdust is poured into the chicken coop; you can also add oat husks and dry straw. All components are thoroughly mixed together. Next, Netto-Plast bacteria should be evenly sprinkled onto the resulting mixture and mixed again.

In this case, heat will appear as follows:

• The chicken's feces fall onto the litter.
• When they come into contact with these bacteria, heat begins to be generated. At the same time, unpleasant odor is completely eliminated.

This is otherwise called fermentation mat. From time to time, it is enough to lightly loosen the litter and, if necessary, add sawdust or straw. However, you won't have to clean the coop.

When the outside temperature is -20°C, inside the poultry house it can be +15°C. If the frosts are stronger, then you can additionally connect temporary electric heating.

This decision has a lot of positive aspects. For example, there are large cost savings due to the fact that electricity and fuel are not consumed at all. After a while, there is no need to clean the chicken coop, since the composition of bacteria can lie with the litter for about 3 years. And after this time, you will be able to get high-quality fertilizer for the garden.

Indoor ventilation: several common methods

With the onset of winter, ventilation plays an important role in keeping birds, although in the summer it is not the least important. It’s just that in the summer everything is simpler, because you can open doors, windows and organize an influx of fresh air. Decaying chicken droppings release a harmful substance - ammonia. If you do not establish good ventilation, then there is a serious risk of illness for the chickens and even the person who will serve the chicken coop. The worst thing is that due to the lack of ventilation, the walls and all interior decoration will begin to rot and become unusable. For this reason, even at the project development stage, it is important to consider the manufacture of ventilation.

When developing a ventilation project, it is worth considering some nuances. For example, in winter, the flow of fresh air must be strictly regulated. Otherwise, there is a chance that the temperature will drop quickly and the chickens will feel cold. You should also minimize the presence of drafts, which also negatively affects the health of the bird.

So, there are 3 most common ways to organize ventilation in a chicken coop:

• mechanical or forced;
• natural;
• supply and exhaust (a type of natural).

Let's look at the features of each of them separately.

Mechanical ventilation

Forced ventilation is beneficial if you have a lot of chickens and the chicken coop has a large area. Under such circumstances, it is important to organize a stable air change. It's not difficult to implement. We will provide you with a short guide to this process. Additionally, you can watch videos:

Stages of work	Manufacturing process
	First, determine the location where the fan will be installed. Some decide to install it in the wall, instead of a window, or even in a pipe. In the latter case, the diameter of the fan must match the internal diameter of the pipe. You can learn how to make such ventilation from the prepared video material.
	Having decided on a place, for example, in our case it will be a window or window, if there are any, the glass is removed. Plywood will be installed in its place, so the size of the plywood must match the size of the window opening.
	Using a screwdriver and self-tapping screws, plywood is fixed into the opening. First, a hole should be made in the plywood to the diameter of the fan.
	Now you can install the fan, also securing it with self-tapping screws.
	After installing the fan, you need to connect the electrical cable to it. Here you can use a wire with a cross section of 2x2.5. A switch is also installed to control the fan.
	Make sure that all cable terminals and connections are thoroughly insulated. In addition, it is better to place the wire in a protective corrugation.

Additionally, the system can be equipped with temperature sensors to control the ventilation operation. You can also purchase equipment to automatically turn the fan on/off. You can learn how to do this from the video.

Video: organizing forced ventilation

Natural ventilation

This type of ventilation is the easiest to organize. There are 2 interesting solutions that we offer you to choose from. Let's compare them and note the pros and cons:

2 ways	Features of the technology
Open vent/window	This is perhaps the most primitive way of organizing ventilation. But this method is only relevant for summer chicken coops. In the winter season, warm air will cool down very quickly due to open windows and vents. Plus, you will have to constantly run to open/close the window in time. This method is used in exceptional cases.
Installation of pipes for air inlet and outlet	In this case, the ventilation process is automated. Let us immediately note that this method is also relevant if you keep 100 chickens or more, and the room has an area of ​​up to 20 m2. So, you will need 2 pieces of pipe Ø200 mm. Accordingly, one pipe will be installed for air inlet and the other for air outlet. The pipe is installed in different corners of the chicken coop, or rather, in opposite corners. The exhaust pipe can be installed near the bird's perch at a distance from the ceiling of up to 200 mm. It is recommended to organize the outlet of the exhaust pipe at a height of 1.5 m from the roof level. To prevent cold air from blowing on the chickens, the supply pipe should be placed in the opposite corner from the chickens' roost. The lower end of the pipe should be at a height of 200 mm from the floor, and at a height of up to 300 mm from the roof level. A special umbrella is placed on the upper end of the pipe, which will prevent rain, snow, birds and other things from entering the ventilation duct. The ventilation pipe must be insulated to prevent condensation. To ensure efficient operation of the system in winter, it is recommended to install dampers in the duct, which will prevent the rapid escape of warm air. Although in severe frosts there is a high probability of pipe freezing.

We invite you to watch a video that describes the manufacturing technology of such a ventilation system.

Video: making natural ventilation in a poultry house

Construction of a frame chicken coop: step-by-step instructions

To secure all the material, we suggest you read the step-by-step instructions for construction at home. In addition, you can watch the following videos:

Instructions with photos and explanations for building a simple chicken coop from a wooden frame on a columnar foundation
Work stage	Technological process
	First you need to make support pillars. Considering the weight of the entire structure of the chicken coop, steel pipes Ø100–150 mm should be used as the base of the posts. You will also need a sheet of metal cut into squares. Metal thickness is not less than 4 mm. The cut squares should be welded to the support posts. It’s immediately worth noting that the pillars should all be the same size.
	The next step is to select a suitable location for development. Using wooden pegs and rope, the territory is marked. This is an important stage of work, because the final result largely depends on the quality of the preparatory work.
	After marking, it is necessary to remove the fertile layer of soil by one shovel up to 250 mm. Support poles for the future poultry house are installed at the corners of the dug hole. It is important to pay special attention to their installation. They must be installed strictly vertically. Moreover, the upper sole of all 4 supports must be strictly at the same level with each other. The soil under the base of the post must be compacted. If the soil in your area is unstable, then a sand cushion must be made. A layer of sand and crushed stone is poured onto the bottom. The pillow is compacted, after which the support pillars are mounted. Even if there is a slight horizontal difference, it can be leveled by attaching the lower trim.
	Installed support pillars must be treated with an anti-corrosion compound and also painted over with moisture-repellent paint. This will serve as additional protection. Afterwards, the top trim from the board is installed. For this purpose, you can use a 150x50 mm board. First, a beam is attached to the metal sole on two short sides. For this purpose, a hole is drilled in the metal, just like in a beam. Fastened with steel bolts. Then two boards are laid on top on the long sides and fastened in the same way. The fastening must be strong and reliable, because the quality of the future construction will depend on this.
	When the base is ready, we begin making the wooden frame. However, before this, the dug hole is filled with soil (or crushed stone), which is compacted. Support posts are installed in the corners, which can be fixed using metal corners and self-tapping screws to the previously laid wooden frame. An opening is immediately formed to enter the chicken coop. For greater strength, stiffening ribs are created in the middle of the height of the building. The timber can be 600×500 mm.
	Now it’s time to arrange the roof; in this case, the roof has 2 slopes. The rafters are installed and secured to the top frame frame.
	The rafters are additionally fixed with spacers to give the roof the necessary rigidity. The formed attic can be used to store hay, sawdust and other things.
	When the frame is completely ready, you should begin covering it. The outside of such a chicken coop can be lined with plywood. The walls of the frame must be insulated with mineral wool. The inside of the wall can also be covered with plywood, as well as other sheet material. As for the roof, metal tiles are used for it. The roof must be insulated. The inside of the ceiling is lined with plywood or similar material. Some people use drywall.
	Here you can see that there is an additional area for poultry walking. Timber and metal mesh were used as a frame. In addition, the perimeter of the foundation is lined with mesh. This will prevent predatory animals from entering the bird. Doors must be installed in the enclosure so that cleaning can be done inside. A ladder is also made for the chickens to exit from the house to the street. The ladder is constructed from boards; the transverse boards simultaneously impart rigidity to the structure and serve as steps.

Breeding chickens in suburban areas has become increasingly popular recently, since even a small flock, including only 10 laying hens or , can provide a family with 8-9 fresh eggs daily. In order for laying hens to be as productive as possible, they need to be provided with comfortable living conditions all year round.

During the warm season, chickens lay eggs without problems in any conditions, but during the winter cold they need a specially equipped room. Building a winter chicken coop for 10 chickens with your own hands is a task that a summer resident can easily cope with, just follow the instructions given in this article.

There can be a lot of options for building a chicken coop for 10 birds.

For comfortable living, chickens need a room that meets the following conditions:

• Optimal temperature. To maintain the productivity of laying hens in winter, the temperature in the chicken coop should not fall below 12 degrees. This temperature is ensured by the absence of drafts, insulation of the floor and walls.
• Normal humidity. High humidity is one of the main enemies of chicken health. Therefore, the room should always be dry. To maintain optimal humidity, the winter chicken coop is equipped with ventilation: natural or forced.
• Lighting. The length of daylight directly affects the increase in egg production of chickens. To provide access to daylight, windows of the optimal size are made in the chicken coop. In the absence of daylight, lamps are installed in the chicken coop that scatter warm light of the yellow spectrum. Some craftsmen install special timers and relays with their own hands so that the lighting turns on at a given time.
• Safety. The room must be protected from entry by rodents and predators.
• Accommodation on site. One of the criteria for choosing a place to keep chickens is to ensure their peace of mind. The place should be quiet, far from busy traffic and extraneous noise.

Where to build a chicken coop

A sunny, wind-protected place is suitable for placing the chicken coop.

An important point in building a chicken coop is choosing its location:

• The room must be located in such a way that the smell does not penetrate into the house.
• It is worth worrying about the comfort of the chickens. Many breeds are very shy, do not like strangers invading their territory, and immediately reduce egg production.
• The most suitable place to locate a chicken house is the far corner of a suburban area.
• The building must be located in such a way that there is access from it to the walking area. Ideally, the chicken coop together with the aviary would form an integral, separate territory.
• The winter chicken coop must be located in an elevated place so that during the thaw, melt water does not flood it. A low-lying location is unacceptable, as water will spread chicken droppings throughout the area.

The windows in the chicken coop should be large.

• The windows of the room should be located on the south side to maximize the penetration of sunlight.
• The distance from the premises to the fence on the site must be at least 4 meters. At the same time, you should not build a winter chicken coop far from the fence, as it will protect the building from piercing, cold winds.

Important! If a well or well is used on the site as a source of drinking water, the distance to them must be at least 40 meters.

Preparing to build a chicken coop

The area for the chicken coop is carefully leveled before construction.

After choosing a place to build a chicken coop, you need to prepare a site for it. The size of the plot depends on the dimensions of the building. The size of the house for 10 chickens is 100x200x150 centimeters. In total, the internal space of the building is 15 square meters.

The construction site must be prepared and leveled. To do this, remove the soil to a height of 30-35 centimeters so that the site does not subsequently become overgrown with grass. Then make a gravel cushion 10 centimeters high.

Drawings of a winter chicken coop for 10 chickens

Approximate dimensions of a chicken coop for 10 chickens.

A drawing is the basis for the construction of any object. It is necessary for calculating the material required for construction and for a correct idea of ​​what the structure will look like in the final version.

The drawing of the chicken coop should be clear and detailed, with all the details indicated. Moreover, it is important to create drawings of not only the external, but also the internal arrangement of the poultry house. It is not necessary to copy ready-made versions of other people's buildings. The beauty of the process is that it is possible to create a room that best suits your own preferences and concepts of comfort.

The design of the chicken coop can be whatever the owner intends and correspond to the overall design of the site.

If the builder has little experience, it is better to use ready-made drawings from experienced farmers, since a lot of details should be taken into account to make the birds comfortable.

Advice! When drawing up a drawing, you should provide an aviary and a manhole to allow chickens to walk.

Drawing up drawings begins with drawing the contours of the room. All dimensions are indicated. Then the interior arrangement of the winter chicken coop is outlined.

Required material

Wood is the most popular material for building a chicken coop.

Correctly selected material is a guarantee of durability and strength of the structure. The optimal choice in modern conditions is oriented strand board (OSB). They have a low cost and are quite easy to work with, even without much experience in construction.

If you have brick, you can build the walls of the chicken coop out of it. Expanded clay concrete blocks are also suitable. Calculations of materials depend on the characteristics of the planned building. It is quite difficult to give specific recommendations on the material for the walls of a winter chicken coop, since each owner has different materials and different financial capabilities. The optimal material is wood and all products made from it.

Important! Sheet iron is absolutely not suitable for building a winter chicken coop. It will not hold heat well. A significant disadvantage of iron is the formation of condensation on the walls due to temperature changes. In such a chicken coop it will always be cold and damp.

There is a list of materials that will be needed for construction, regardless of the material chosen for the walls.

To begin construction, you need to purchase all the necessary tools and materials.

The list of basic materials for construction includes:

• sand and cement;
• nails and self-tapping screws;
• boards and bars;
• material for insulation (mineral wool, etc.);
• roofing felt, slate or other roofing material;
• electrical cable, switch, light bulbs;
• glass or glass blocks;
• door hinges;
• Rabitz;
• expanded clay for floor insulation;
• pipe for organizing ventilation.

Building a chicken coop yourself: step-by-step instructions

The foundation for a chicken coop can be of any design.

The construction of a winter chicken coop must be carried out consistently, taking into account all the recommendations of experts. If you have basic construction skills, any owner of a suburban area will be able to cope with the task.

Chicken coop base

The construction of a winter chicken coop begins with the construction of the foundation. The best option is a columnar or pile foundation: it helps create additional ventilation, preventing rotting of the floor wood in the winter, and will also protect the chicken coop from flooding during the spring flood.

Considering the light weight of the structure, this foundation option is also cost-effective, since its construction costs less on material and does not require the help of specialists. It is quite possible to build a pile or columnar foundation yourself.

Pile foundation for a chicken coop

Pile foundations are installed in damp areas.

Screw piles are hollow metal pipes 2.5 meters long with screw blades that are screwed into the ground. The cutting blades of the piles allow you to deepen them into any soil. A screw pile foundation is somewhat more expensive than a columnar foundation, but its load-bearing capacity is higher. Installing such a foundation takes about an hour of work.

On the prepared area, markings are made according to the size of the future structure using pegs and a rope stretched over them. Then the installation locations for the piles are outlined. First, they are screwed into the corners of the building, then along the entire perimeter. The distance between the piles should be 1.5-2 meters.

Columnar foundation for a chicken coop

A columnar foundation is placed on loose, sandy soils.

A columnar foundation is the easiest to install and requires minimal investment. Its construction does not require special knowledge or experience; one person can handle the installation. Installation of a columnar foundation consists of the following steps:

• Markings are made using a stretched rope.
• Holes 70 centimeters deep and 50x50 wide are dug around the perimeter. The distance between pits is 1 meter.
• A mixture of sand and gravel 10 centimeters thick is poured into the bottom of the pits. This pillow must be compacted thoroughly.
• A brick is laid at the bottom of the pillow and filled with concrete. Filling continues until the hydraulic level is reached along a rope stretched level with the ground.
• Columns or pedestals are installed on the prepared bases. They should rise 20-30 centimeters above the hydraulic level.
• The entire site is covered with gravel.

Strip foundations are most often poured for the construction of a chicken coop.

To build a chicken coop, it is possible to use a strip foundation. To build it, you need to dig a trench around the perimeter of the chicken coop, make formwork from boards and pour a concrete base. Such work requires adherence to technology, so it is advisable to consult with specialists. In addition, a strip foundation will increase the construction time of the building, since it will require waiting for the concrete to mature before starting construction. A wooden structure can be erected 3 weeks after pouring, a brick one - after 4-5 weeks.

Chicken coop floor installation

A week after making the columnar foundation, when the mortar has set, you can begin installing the floor of the chicken coop. For installation, a support frame is made of timber, which is covered with boards from below. The logs are made of timber with a section of 100X150. The distance between the logs is 50 centimeters. Such a base is attached to the foundation pillars, on which a layer of roofing material is first placed.

The floor of the chicken coop is concreted or covered with boards over expanded clay.

A layer of expanded clay is poured into the resulting cells, which will serve as insulation. Floorboards are installed on top or concrete or rodents are poured. To protect against moisture, the boards can be immediately impregnated with a special solution.

Walls and roof

After installing the floor, you can begin the main stage - the construction of the walls and roof of the chicken coop. Walls can be erected from timber, sequentially laying it on top of each other. Linen-jute material is laid between the beams to seal the cracks.

When constructing walls from OSB, a frame of vertical and horizontal beams is attached to the lower crown. The outside of this frame is sheathed with slabs, and inside the resulting cells, mineral wool is placed as insulation. The mineral wool layer is again sheathed with slabs from the inside. This “layer cake” will reliably protect chickens from winter frosts. A ventilation pipe is installed in the wall on the south side. A damper must be provided for the pipe.

When installing walls, it is necessary to provide window openings and a door. Window frames are knocked together from beams and equipped with glass. For ventilation, it is advisable to make the frame on hinges. The door is also made of timber and sheathed with particle boards.

The roof of the chicken coop is made single or gable with a pipe for ventilation.

It is advisable to make a gable roof on the chicken coop with an attic for storing feed. Ceiling beams are attached to the upper frame frame at an acute angle. First, the flooring is installed on the upper beams. A waterproofing layer of roofing material is applied to the beams, and then roofing material (corrugated sheets, tiles, slate, etc.).

Sheathing and insulation

To maintain positive temperatures in winter, the walls and roof of the chicken coop must be insulated. Mineral wool, polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam and any materials are suitable for these purposes. The insulating layer is inserted into the cells of the frame. If the chicken coop is built from timber, the insulation is attached directly to the wall and secured with metal mesh. The insulation can be attached to the outside or inside of the chicken coop. Particular care must be taken to insulate the chicken coop door.

After laying the insulation, the walls are sheathed with plywood, oriented strand board or boards. You cannot leave the insulation without lining inside the chicken coop, as the chickens will peck at the foam or mineral wool, which will negatively affect their health.

Interior arrangement of a winter chicken coop

The walls of the chicken coop are insulated and heated with an infrared lamp.

For comfortable living of chickens in winter, it is not enough to build a chicken coop; it is necessary to equip it inside according to all the rules:

• An additional insulating bedding made of sawdust, straw or peat is laid on the floor. Layer thickness is 7-10 centimeters.
• For chickens to spend the night, they build perches from timber 30x40 centimeters or wider. The upper edges of the bars must be slightly trimmed. The perches are fixed along the back wall at a distance of 30 centimeters from each other. The poles are arranged with a ladder. The total length of perches for 10 chickens is 2 meters. A ladder or ladder is made in front of the roosts to make it easier for the chickens to climb them.
• For laying hens on walls and covered with straw. The size of the nest is 40x40 centimeters, the height is from 30 to 70 centimeters, depending on the breed of chickens.
• Elongated feeders are also installed inside to make it convenient for the birds to eat at the same time. Drinkers are constructed in such a way that chickens cannot climb into them and splash water.

Nests are placed inside and loose bedding is poured.

To maintain the length of daylight hours, lighting must be installed in the winter chicken coop. The wiring, which must be external, is placed in special boxes.

Advice! Incandescent lamps in metal lampshades will serve as additional heating on frosty days.

Self-building a chicken coop for 10 chickens is much more profitable than buying a ready-made poultry house. A self-built room is designed for a specific site and meets all the conditions necessary for comfortable living of birds.

The video shows how to choose the optimal size for a chicken coop for 10 chickens, at what distance to place perches and nests and many other construction secrets:

Calculations show that for a family of three people it is quite enough to keep 8 laying hens and two roosters in order to fully provide themselves with high-quality eggs and a quarter of dietary meat. At the same time, there are almost no problems with maintaining such quantities. It is not even necessary to have a private house with a large garden plot. It is enough to build a mini chicken coop in the country.

Preparatory work

The simplest option is to use any barn for cage-keeping poultry. A free space of 3-4 m2 is freed up and a rack is placed in four cells in two tiers. The cells are taken in size 100x50 cm. The first level from the floor is 45-55 cm, the next 120 cm.

A light is installed in each cell; a minimal bulb is sufficient, but it must shine for at least 16 hours a day. Nipple drinkers are used, and hanging tray feeders are used.

Under each cage there is a retractable tray for removing feces and debris. Thermal conditions in winter are ensured by general heating of the barn.

This type of chicken coop is usually used for keeping broilers and laying hens. In this case, cockerels are not needed.

Technical specifications for the designer

To build a permanent chicken coop, you already have to take into account a number of additional factors and make a preliminary design.

Before designing a chicken coop, you should decide on the basic parameters.

Consider the option:

• chicken is kept throughout the year;
• For the winter period, no more than 4 hens and one rooster are left. The temperature is maintained at 12-18°C. Walking is not provided;
• the summer period provides for an increase in the number of birds to 10. On a warm day, a walk is provided;
• We are building a wooden chicken coop with a fenced-in walking yard. A foundation for such a chicken coop is not needed. We should make it mobile and stand quietly on any elevated, not damp place;
• for the main room we proceed from the standard norm of 1 m2 for 4 chickens or the box size is 2x1x1.5 m. If in summer it is better to place it in the area of ​​​​a green lawn, then in winter it can be placed directly in the barn. At the same time, the outside is additionally insulated with polyurethane foam mats;
• the option of additional insulation of the chicken coop for the winter is being considered;
• For walking you need to fence off an area of ​​10 m2.

Main room

Chicken coop structure drawing

Despite its modest size, the design of such a chicken coop must be thought out. There is no need to fence him in hastily.

First, drawings are prepared, materials are purchased, and only then construction begins. Let's consider the simplest option.

The building material chosen is:

• timber 15x15 – 18 m;
• timber 10x10 – 13 m;
• 4 mm plywood or lining – 10.5 m2;
• roofing sheet material – 2.25 m2.

Self-tapping screws, metal corners for fastening, furniture hinges and other accessories.

Walls

Choose a dry place next to a green lawn. We lay 10x10 timber around the perimeter on 4 bricks. The base area is 2x1 m. Using the corners, we secure the frame. Next we make exactly the same one for the top floor.

We take 4 vertical posts from the same timber, 1.5 m long. We make a parallelepiped from two bases and vertical posts. We reinforce the narrow sides onto a triangle with 50x50 blocks diagonally. We cover the sides, roof and floor with multi-layer plywood or clapboard.
On one of the wide sides we leave a passage for chickens.

From the base to the top crossbar is 50 cm. Vertical doors are hung on the horizontal crossbar using furniture hinges. It is enough to make 4, each 50 cm wide. When open, the door should be fixed.

We make a skylight under the ceiling. Possible for the entire length. The free space is covered with plywood. On the opposite side, swing doors are made with an opening width of 180 cm and a height of 150 cm.

When open, such doors allow you to freely work with the interior of the chicken coop without entering it:

• provide food and water;
• collect egg;
• clean and disinfect;
• repair nests and perches.

For convenience, it is worth putting two mosquito nets over the doorway. One across the entire width from the floor and a height of 50 cm. The second for the remaining space. In good weather, it will be possible to keep the doors open during the day and service the chicken coop by removing only the top one, while the free exit for the chicken will be blocked.

Such a chicken coop is insulated with any mineral or polymer heat insulator from the outside. The heat insulator is sheathed on top with any flat material. At a distance of 50-70 cm from the base it is worth sheathing with galvanized iron to prevent the penetration of rodents.

Light

For light in the chicken coop in summer, a window is enough. In winter, you can install external lighting and again the window will let in enough light for the normal functioning of the chickens.

Roof

The roof should be made pitched with a slope on one of the narrow sides. Water will not flow into the walking yard and interfere with approaching the structure. It is better to make the roof in the form of a separate structural element made of 5x5 cm timber.

The general view is represented by a 200x100 cm rectangle made of timber at the base, with one vertical wall 100x50 cm and a slope covered with roofing material. All side walls are covered with plywood. We install the resulting structure on top and secure it with clamps that keep it from gusts of wind.

If the roof is secured with temporary clamps, such a portable constructor will allow you to remove the chicken coop into the barn for the winter. Instead of a permanent year-round structure, there will be a lightweight summer portable version. The frame for a portable chicken coop can be made not from timber, but from an aluminum tube with a diameter of 25-35 mm.

Connection with triangular clamps. Use removable panels as walls. The option will be lightweight and completely collapsible, which is convenient for storage and general disinfection.

Important! For a portable version of the chicken coop, wall insulation is not required.

Inner space

Separately, it is worth noting how the internal arrangement of the chicken coop is arranged. The ideal option is when feeders and drinkers are located next to the working doors, slightly distributed on the right and left sides. Leaving the middle free. It is convenient to place the nests in two rows of four on each narrow side. The first row is at a height of 50 cm, the second 100 cm.

For perching, it is enough to place one pole along the chicken coop, above the exit for the birds, at a height of 50-70 cm, for the entire length of the chicken coop, 200 cm.

The floor must be covered with grass or peat, or wood shavings can be used. This option for arranging the interior space will be ideal for optimizing space. When caring for a bird, there is no need to go into the chicken coop. Almost everything can be done while outside.

The chicken has enough space to feel comfortable. A laying hen, secluded in a nest, can not only lay eggs, but, if necessary, she can be placed to hatch chicks.

Walking yard

The second structural element of a mini chicken coop is a walking yard. You can do without it. It all depends on the design of the common utility yard.

The dacha has its own specifics, where every square meter has its own purpose and there are many garden plantings that a chicken can damage. In this case, you should worry about the walking yard.

For the structure itself, it is enough to make an adjacent fence to the side with doors for poultry walking. The mounting posts should be made of metal on tripods divided into sections of 2 meters. It is convenient to make the fence itself from a chain-link mesh with a height of 120-150 cm.

It is important that the adjacent to the chicken coop and the lower strip of the fence do not allow the chicken to go out and walk throughout the entire territory of the dacha.

The total fenced area should be 500x200 cm or in other words 10 m2. A container filled with wood ash for dry baths and tray feeders with drinkers must be placed on it.

The site itself is prepared in advance. Grass is sown on the selected soil in the fall. Chickens are released when the grass rises to a height of 5-10 cm. For crop rotation, with this technology it is good to have two sites - one is in use, the second is being prepared for the next year.
So, with a little patience and 12 m2 of free territory, you can eat fresh chicken eggs all year round and enjoy communication with a beautiful bird in the summer.

Many people who run households raise chickens. This is not only a good opportunity to always have fresh meat, but also a great way to make money selling eggs.

In order for chickens to lay a sufficient number of quality eggs, they must feel comfortable. A chicken coop will help maintain the health of laying hens and create favorable conditions. In this article you will learn how to build a chicken coop with your own hands for 10-20 chickens.

Description of the chicken coop design

It may seem that a chicken coop is just a fad and having one is not that important. But this is not at all true; a chicken coop is extremely important for obtaining a quality product. It is very important for a chicken to feel safe in order to reproduce, just like for any living creature. In a chicken coop, a laying hen can sleep peacefully and lay eggs in a safe, secluded place that will hide her from “prying eyes.” From all this it follows that the chicken coop should protect birds from:

• predators;
• bad weather;
• rodents

To build a chicken coop, it is important to know what the birds need to live. In their shelter, the birds will eat, walk, sleep and lay eggs. Therefore, the chicken coop must have the following zones:

To prevent chickens from getting sick, it is necessary to maintain a certain climate in the chicken coop. It is important to have a satisfactory amount of sunlight and fresh air. Therefore, you should take care of ventilation and windows before construction.

It is also important to note that the chicken coop requires regular cleaning. You should also think about this before starting construction. Consider the height of the building so that cleaning the room does not create additional problems.

To make a chicken coop with your own hands for 10-20 chickens, you need a drawing. Building it yourself will not pose any problems; it is only important to take into account some features that will create comfort not only for the chickens, but also for you. If you want to build a chicken coop, many different plans can be found on the Internet. The main thing is that the idea reflects the important features of the building:

• doors should be designed so that they open freely into the chicken coop;
• The floor of the room should be made with a slight slope to make cleaning from dirt easier and faster.

How large the chicken coop will be depends directly on the number of chickens that are planned to be housed in it. It makes no sense to make it larger than necessary if replenishment of hens is not expected. After all, no one needs to take up extra space, which is always useful in the household.

There are two types of chicken coops: summer and winter. The differences in their design are quite significant, so you should immediately decide which one is right for you.

1. First, we build a frame using wooden beams, with a thickness, as already mentioned, of at least 5 centimeters.
2. Install walls made of treated timber on the frame. If necessary, lay a layer of insulation.
3. Seal any gaps with thermal insulation.

The final stage will be installing the roof.

1. Build a beam frame for the roof, making sure to insulate it.
2. Lay sheets of plywood on the frame.
3. Cover everything with a roof on top.
   

Of course, you can always purchase a ready-made chicken coop. But if you build it yourself, you can be sure that everything necessary for the health and comfort of the chickens is provided, and the work is done efficiently. You can clearly see all the intricacies of how to build a chicken coop with your own hands in the video.

Many owners of their personal plots are not averse to acquiring a miniature poultry farm. In order not to take up a lot of space on your private territory, but to provide eggs for the whole family, it is enough to build a poultry house for 10 birds. Any farmer can carry out all the work on the construction of the building himself without calling professionals. This will significantly save money and improve the owner’s construction skills.

Drawing up a drawing

The initial stage in the construction of a homemade mini chicken coop is the creation of its sketch and drawing. The clearer and more accurate the diagram, the easier it will be to build a chicken coop for 10 chickens. On the drawing, it is necessary to draw each “room” of the future poultry house: a closed house, a vestibule, an area for open walking, as well as places for nests and perches. The exact dimensions of all parts of the chicken coop must be transferred to paper.

The most comfortable living area for 1 productive chicken is 3 square meters. meters, but if you save space, it is permissible to reduce the living space per 1 sq. meter for 2 chickens. That's why The area of ​​the poultry house for 10 chickens will be 5 square meters. meters. The walking area will be larger - 1 square. meter per 1 individual. The drawing also needs to indicate where feeders for different types of food, containers for mineral supplements, drinking bowls, a ventilation pipe and a corridor will be located.

Frame installation

The best place for a future poultry house for 10 chickens is a well-lit area, which is located as far as possible from residential buildings and main roads. Groundwater must flow deep from the surface of the earth. It is very important to lay a good, high-quality foundation that will become a strong barrier for rodents. The most economical and popular type of foundation is a columnar foundation, which is made from old brick pipes, gravel and a trowel. The frame of the poultry house should be installed on this foundation.

The wooden frame should be located at an elevation from the ground- it is raised using a cinder block (or stone). To do this, the selected material is laid on the corners of the future poultry house for 10 chickens. The lifting height should not exceed 18-20 cm. Next, a rectangular frame is erected from wooden blocks (with a cross-section of 1x1 cm). Be sure to use a building level so that the future chicken coop does not turn out skewed. All cavities that appear between the frame building and the cinder block (stone) must be filled with coarse gravel.

Then we take bars with a cross section of 5x5 cm and make vertical guides from them, which are installed on the frame. They are connected to the horizontal frame guides using nails.

Wall cladding

The walls of a homemade chicken coop are usually lined with wood - this is a strong and environmentally friendly material that, with proper care, can serve for a long time and faithfully. Wooden boards are sewn onto the entire “skeleton” of the poultry house using self-tapping screws.

The walls of the chicken coop must be insulated. But the material chosen for thermal insulation must have good vapor-proof properties, otherwise there is a high risk that the chicken coop will be damp and unsafe for chickens. Polystyrene foam is not suitable for this purpose; it is better to choose mineral wool. From above everything is sewn up with thin wood or plywood in several layers. This is enough to provide the poultry house with the necessary heat and not worry about purchasing other heat sources.

On the south side of the poultry house you need to place a window of 0.5x0.5 meters. The door should be located on the east side. The floor is constructed according to the same principle as the walls: two floorings, between which insulation material is placed. The roof is also insulated and provided with waterproofing. The roof can be either single or gable. The latter option is preferable, as it allows you to equip an attic inside the roof for tools and feed.

Video "For 10 chickens"

Interior design of the chicken coop

Properly decorating the inside of a bird house is no less important for the normal functioning and productivity of laying hens.

First of all, the ventilation system is designed. Domestic chicken needs to be completely dry. The better the air exchange, the more productive the birds are. Any dampness is detrimental to laying hens; the birds begin to get sick and lay fewer eggs.

Any pipes and technological openings will do for ventilation. They, like the window for ventilation, go through the roof. One of the pipes is located above the perches and acts as an exhaust hood. The second provides an influx of fresh air and is located further away, at a half-meter level.

Electrical wiring must be hidden in special boxes and placed only outside. This standard requirement applies to any wooden structure.

Perches should be comfortable for chickens, without knots or splinters. The slats must be well sanded and placed at a height of at least 75 cm from the day of the chicken coop. In a house for 10 chickens, one perch will not be enough; at least three of them need to be installed. All of them should be located at an identical level, and so that the chickens do not interfere with each other, do not place the perches close. The distance should be at least half a meter.

For 10 chickens, 3-4 nests with a width and height of at least 35 cm and a depth of up to half a meter are enough. Bedding (straw, peat, sawdust) serves as an additional source of heat; they are placed not only in the nests, but also on the floor of the poultry house. They will need to be changed promptly to maintain optimal cleanliness in the chicken coop. Along with normal humidity, this will be the key to the comfort and productivity of your laying hens.

Video "DIY chicken coop"

Video "Insulated chicken coop for ten chickens"