How to set up a chicken coop with your own hands: instructions. How to build a chicken coop with your own hands - step-by-step instructions and unique photo ideas Do-it-yourself summer house for chickens

For yourself or to sell eggs and poultry meat.

In the first case, it is more profitable to build a simple chicken coop designed for a small number of chickens, in the second, everything is a little more complicated. To understand the size and organization of internal space for birds, carefully study the article.

Territory for chicken coop

If you are a novice poultry farmer and decide to build a chicken coop yourself from scrap materials in the country, you need to first study the drawings and features of arranging a poultry house. First of all, you need to choose the appropriate type of structure and determine its location.

When choosing a place for a bird house, consider 4 criteria:

• remoteness . Chickens are very shy and do not like noise. Frequent stress negatively affects the ability of chickens to lay eggs and gain weight. Therefore, the chicken coop is located away from a residential building and barns with noisy animals;

• elevation . This prevents the accumulation of moisture and flooding of the walking area during rains and when snow melts. If the area is flat, create the landscape yourself, using a mound of earth or gravel. As a last resort, dig a ditch to drain moisture;

• orientation by cardinal directions. A hen's ability to lay eggs depends on the length of daylight hours. It is preferable to place windows and doors so that the sun's rays illuminate the room for as long as possible. 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;

• square . Decide on the number of birds. The area required for the chicken coop will depend on this. Will it be a mini chicken coop for 5 chickens, or a large full-fledged poultry house. To calculate the area, use the ratio: for 1-2 chickens there should be at least 1 m2 of internal space in the chicken coop, and at least 3-4 m2 in the walking area. When planning a winter poultry house, it is additionally necessary to provide space for a warm vestibule. It protects chickens from frosty air from the street.

Choosing a chicken coop

Summer and winter

Based on seasonality, poultry houses are divided into summer and winter. Birds are kept in winter homes all year round; in summer there is no such need; birds spend a lot of time outside.

The simplest summer barn is used to protect chickens from the elements from spring to autumn. The structure is constructed quickly from boards, mesh and available materials. Suitable for those who do not plan to keep the bird for longer than 8-9 months.

The winter poultry house is a more permanent structure with a vestibule and windows. The room must be insulated to protect against severe frosts with thermal insulation materials. Additional artificial lighting is mandatory.

Stationary and portable

A stationary chicken coop is a permanent structure designed for a large number of chickens. The size of the room allows you to simultaneously keep broilers, quails, turkey ducks and other birds in it. Each species is kept in separate cages and walked in different fenced areas (walks).

The bird house can be one or two stories high. Increasing the number of floors allows you to accommodate more birds in a small area.

Advantages of this type:

• year-round keeping of chickens;
• protecting birds from predators;
• storage of equipment and birdseed indoors;
• using chicken coop litter as fertilizer.

Disadvantages: location-specific, speed and complexity of production. Before building a permanent chicken coop, you need to make a foundation.

A portable chicken coop is an easy option for a small number of birds (usually no more than 10 chickens). Portable chicken coops come in different types: arched, box, and even a poultry house on wheels in the form of a trailer or wheelbarrow.

The most popular type is arched. Thanks to its semicircular shape, it is lightweight and highly mobile.

When building a poultry house on wheels, do not skimp on the diameter. This way you will increase the permeability of the structure.

Thanks to easy movement to a new location, mobile poultry houses have the following advantages:

• renewal of grazing forage by transferring it to another territory;
• ease of cleaning when approaching a water source;
• the absence of a foundation speeds up and simplifies construction.

A portable winter chicken coop is insulated with lightweight material. Such a room can be heated with an infrared heater. This is enough for the birds to continue their normal life activities in warm winter conditions. But if winters are too cold in your area, choose a permanent poultry house.

Manufacturing materials

When choosing materials for building a chicken coop, pay attention to their durability and thermal conductivity. To reduce costs, use what you find on the farm, after making sure of the quality.

Wooden chicken coops

Wood is the easiest to work with; it does not require expensive tools for processing, is a natural, breathable material, and is inexpensive. The only drawback is the fragility of the material. The problem is solved by protecting against moisture and treating the walls with substances that prevent rot and mold.

For the construction of walls made of wooden materials use:

1. Timber. A chicken coop made of timber is the most affordable. But, if there is insufficient dryness, the timber dries out and becomes deformed, forming cracks.

1. Shields. A wooden beam is used for the frame, to which OSB sheets or boards are nailed. This design is built quickly and is highly reliable.

1. Logs. It will not be possible to quickly build a chicken coop from a log house with your own hands; special technology and experience are required. After the walls are erected, the building is left to shrink for several months.

1. Railway sleepers. This material is treated with impregnation that prevents rotting. Thanks to this, speed of construction and reliability of the structure are achieved.

Block chicken coops

The blocks are stronger than wood, but cool quickly in winter. Most often used:

1. Brick . Building a brick chicken coop takes a long time, since the bricks are small in size and the masonry is done by hand. It is not recommended to build a wall to its full height in one go.

1. Cinder block. Due to the larger size of one element, the construction of cinder block walls is faster.

1. Gas blocks. It has good thermal conductivity and hygroscopicity. To increase strength, the perimeter of the chicken coop is fastened with steel reinforcement.

1. Foam blocks. The material is safe for chickens as it is non-toxic. The thickness of the walls is chosen based on climatic conditions: if the winter is cold, double masonry is made from foam blocks.

Important features of a chicken coop

When building a chicken coop, it is important to correctly determine its size. It depends on the number of birds and their breed. 3 meat chickens or 4 laying hens are placed per 1 m2 of usable area. Separate rooms should be made for chickens at the rate of 15 pieces per 1 m2.

A chicken coop for laying hens should have nests and perches for roosting, places for the hens to eat, bathe and walk.

To allow chickens to go out on their own, you need to make a hole in the wall (hole) raised above the ground. There must be a ladder or ladder leading up to it. The same ladder should be suitable for the perches.

The door leading to the chicken coop should open inward to prevent the chickens from running out when opened. Make a latch to prevent wild animals from getting into the coop.

Make an ash bath for chickens near the poultry house. By wallowing in it, the birds get rid of insects. There should be a small canopy over the walking area to protect the birds from rain and sun.

Foundation

In order for the chicken coop to last for a single year, it is important to make a strong foundation. The choice of type of foundation depends on the soil. For a poultry house, one of 3 types of foundations is made: columnar, strip or pile.

A columnar foundation is suitable for a winter frame chicken coop. It should be borne in mind that the chickens will make tunnels, reducing the stability of the poultry house. Advantages of this type of base:

• is constructed simply and quickly;
• it is inexpensive (you can use old brick or stone);
• protects (rodents will not be able to get into the house, and ventilation under the floor will prevent rotting of the wood).

A strip foundation is suitable for a chicken coop with block walls, with the load evenly distributed around the perimeter of the building. The advantages of this foundation:

• ease of construction;
• high reliability.

The foundation for a chicken coop on stilts is the most difficult. It is built with low bearing capacity of the soil. For strictly vertical driving of piles, equipment is rented and a grillage is used.

Roof

The roof is constructed with 1 or 2 slopes. If the chicken barn is small, one is enough. In this case, the angle of inclination should be up to 30 degrees, for a roof with 2 slopes - up to 40.

Advantages of a single-pitch design: ease of coverage; savings on building materials; ease of installation of the ebb.

The gable provides additional space under the roof, which can be used to store garden tools, building materials or birdseed.

The roof of the chicken coop is made of slate, corrugated sheets, tiles or roofing felt. Although it is not recommended to use a metal roof (metal tiles and corrugated sheeting) for a chicken coop, because chickens do not like noise. During rain or hail, they may become frightened, which will negatively affect their ability to lay eggs.

Insulation of walls and ceilings

To make a warm chicken coop for the winter, mineral wool or polystyrene foam is usually used. These materials attach quickly and easily.

The price is also affected by additional costs associated with heating, ventilation, lighting and other amenities.

The minimum amount that will be needed to set up a small household facility (up to 5 chickens) is approximately 20 thousand rubles. A modern capital chicken coop for 15–40 chickens will cost approximately 40 to 200 thousand rubles.

Whether this investment will pay off depends on the conditions of detention, the chosen breed and your diligence.

Do you need a chicken coop at your dacha?

In order for chickens to gain weight well and lay eggs in a timely manner, it is necessary to provide them with optimal conditions. When raising chickens in the country, be sure to build a chicken coop for them. Only away from noise will the birds feel comfortable.

Armed with these tips, feel free to start building and equipping your bird house.

If you are the owner of a summer cottage or a country house, you should think about poultry breeding. Chickens are best suited for this role.

They are undemanding to living conditions and are quite capable of providing your family with eggs and meat. Besides, small chicken coop able to organically complement your garden plot.

For a small family it is quite enough to have 10 layers. If you plan to breed birds for financial profit, then a mini-chicken coop is not enough; you will need a more spacious room. You will learn how to build a simple chicken coop for 10 chickens in this article.

Features of the chicken coop

The main function of the chicken coop is bird protection from environmental influences and predatory animals, for example: foxes or ferrets.

Therefore, the room must be reliable and warm. The air temperature inside the building should vary from -2 to +30 degrees.

In addition, the egg production of birds directly depends on the length of daylight hours, so it is worth taking care of lighting. The chicken coop must have windows and electric lamps installed.

Room dimensions are selected taking into account the available chickens. For broilers, the recommended housing density should not exceed 3 birds per square meter.

Egg breeds feel comfortable when their population does not exceed 4 birds per square meter of area. For chickens - 14 goals per m. It is worth considering the fact that in winter chickens can be compacted to 6-7 individuals per m. Thus, the birds will better withstand the winter cold.

Selecting a location

Before starting construction, you need to decide on the location of the future chicken coop. To do this, you can choose any flat place with a slight slope on your garden plot.

The slope is needed so that during rain, water does not accumulate around the house but goes to the side. It is also worth taking care that the chicken coop is not located in the shade of trees or nearby buildings.

Materials and tools

To build a small chicken coop, you can use any scrap materials, which are probably available in every household. In particular:

• wood;
• pieces of sheet iron;
• old window frames;
• mesh.

If you have planned more fundamental design, that is, it makes sense to purchase:

• brick;
• foam blocks;
• polycarbonate;
• cement.

Depending on the scale of construction set of tools may be different. But the required minimum should look something like this:

• hammer;
• axe;
• plane;
• Master OK;
• roulette.

How to build a chicken coop

Project

Any construction begins with. This allows you to better plan future construction and determine the amount of materials needed.

Need to draw on paper diagram future construction. Indicate the location of the door and windows, determine where the area for walking chickens will be located.

For 10 laying hens, it is enough to fence the area 2x2 m. It should be located on the side of the door to the chicken coop.

In order for the birds to be able to go for a walk without hindrance, a small hole is made in the door (a hole with a diameter of about 50 cm). It is worth noting that there are chicken coop options for 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 50, 100 and 200 birds.

Accordingly, the more laying hens you want to have, the larger your construction will be. Although, for personal needs chicken coop for 10 birds will be more than enough.

Base

Having decided on the dimensions of the future structure, you can begin pouring.

If you are planning to build a compact building for keeping birds in the summer, then the foundation can be neglected, quite simply level the area using a shovel (read about various techniques and methods for leveling areas) and fill it with crushed stone.

To fill the foundation, a hole is dug with a depth of about 30 cm. The edges of the pit are lined with boards. This will be the outer part of the future formwork. The internal part is installed at a distance 20 cm from external.

Note! Before installing the formwork, it is recommended to line the edges of the pit with a metal mesh. This will protect the laying hens from predators and mice. Very often, uninvited guests enter the chicken coop by digging.

The formwork is filled with cement-sand mortar or concrete. After pouring, it is necessary to postpone further work until 2-3 days. The solution should gain strength.

Construction of the floor

For flooring there are two possible options:

1. Make the floor earthen;
2. Lay boards over the foundation.

The second option is considered the most optimal. A wooden floor will retain heat better in the winter season. If you decide to lay a plank floor, then first you need to lay waterproofing layer.

For these purposes you can use roofing felt. Bedding is poured on top of the waterproofing, which will act as insulation. Usually it's a mixture sand, sawdust and hay about three cm thick. Only after this can you begin installing the boards.

How to make walls

You can build walls made of brick. This option will give the chicken coop a solid and beautiful appearance. Of course, you can’t use just bricks to build walls; the chicken coop will turn out to be cold.

Therefore, it would be right to take care of additional insulation. To do this, the inner surface of the walls is covered with a frame made of wooden slats or bars.

Insulation is placed between the bars, you can use polystyrene foam or mineral wool. Sheets of plywood or fiberboard (fibreboard) are stuffed on top of the frame.

When erecting walls, do not forget to provide window openings. Otherwise, you will have to pay electricity bills all year round.

The fact is that chickens do not lay eggs in the dark. Therefore, in order for the egg production of birds to be at the proper level, care should be taken not only about, but also about natural. It is best to arrange windows on the sunny side, this will provide the laying hens with sunlight in winter.

Ceiling and roof

To build a roof you can use any improvised material. For example, pieces of sheet iron, roofing felt or slate. Usually there are roofs in chicken coops gable and.

It is best to use the first option. This will not only increase the internal volume of the building, but will also provide more efficient protection from precipitation. The main thing is to insulate it.

This can be done in the same way as walls. To make the roof, install rafters, onto which the frame is nailed. Insulation is laid on the frame. The roof needs to be covered on the inside with plywood, and on the outside with roofing material.

Ventilation device

When you get carried away with construction, you shouldn’t forget about hood. To do this, install a pipe with a diameter of about 20 cm in the roof as far as possible from the perches.

The pipe should go down into the chicken coop at 50-70 cm, the rest remains above the roof. The total length of the ventilation pipe should be about two meters.

Such ventilation can easily cope with the renewal of air in a room of up to 10 sq m.

Important! In winter, it is best to seal the hood. Otherwise, instead of ventilation, drafts will occur, which negatively affects the health of chickens. In winter, the chicken coop must be ventilated regularly; to do this, simply open the door.

chicken pen

To prevent chickens from walking around the garden, pecking out your harvest, you need to make a small aviary where they can walk and breathe fresh air.

As we said earlier, the optimal size of the area for 10 chickens is 2x2 m. To create it, pillars are dug into the ground next to the chicken coop, and the space between them is covered with a mesh.

IN summer time chickens spend most of their time outside and easily find food for themselves.

Internal structure of the chicken coop

Having finished with construction, it is worth thinking about internal equipment. After all, birds need to create the most comfortable conditions for their life.

Need to install feeders and drinkers. It is best to place them on the side of the coop opposite the roosts. The number of feeders depends on the number of birds.

The main thing is that every chicken can come up for food without any problems. Each bird should have at least 15 cm feeder length.

To rest, birds need to install perches. They are made from a wooden block, the sharp corners of which must be smoothed with a plane. This precaution is necessary to prevent the birds from injuring their paws.

The length of the perch depends on the number of chickens. For example, for 10 laying hens a block of length is enough 3m. The perch is installed at a height 50 cm from the floor and at a distance 35 cm from the wall.

You need to install electric lamps. The length of daylight hours for chickens should be approx. 15 hours. Lamps with shades are better suited for this.

When installing lighting, remember that for every square meter of area there should be at least 5 Watts of electricity. It is better to place the lamps in such a way that the light falls not on the perches, but on the feeders.

Don't forget about nests for laying hens. For ten chickens you will need 2-3 slots. You can make them from ordinary wooden boxes.

The dimensions should be as follows: drawer height 40 centimeters, width and depth approx. 30 cm. They can be placed in any shaded area of ​​the chicken coop. As bedding, the bottom of the box is lined with straw.

Where to buy a ready-made chicken coop

If you do not have the opportunity to build a chicken coop yourself, you can purchase one already finished design. To do this, you can turn to the Internet for help.

There are companies specializing in the production houses for poultry. You can order not only a chicken coop, but also cages for breeding quails, rooms for keeping geese or turkeys.

You can purchase ready-made models or order a chicken coop for an individual project. A typical building for keeping chickens will cost you approximately 10000-15000 rubles.

The cost will depend on the size and material of manufacture. Custom chicken coops will cost much more expensive.

Therefore, many novice farmers prefer to build chicken coops with your own hands. Firstly, it is inexpensive, and secondly, you can make a room for chickens of any design and size. Everything will depend on your imagination.

A clear example of a chicken coop built with your own hands and its dimensions, you can watch in this video.

A chicken coop is a real home

The winter period brings with it frosts, snowfalls and decreased daylight hours, which can greatly affect egg production. The optimal conditions for winter housing of laying hens are:

1. Temperature allows values ​​from + 12 to + 18°C. Any fluctuations in it reduce egg production. Depending on the region, heating is used.
2. Suitable air humidity and (60−80%) is constantly maintained due to ventilation. Drafts are not allowed.
3. In order for eggs to appear regularly, you need to take into account lighting. In winter it gets dark early, so you need to add additional lighting to the chicken coop so that the total daylight hours is 14-15 hours.
4. No gaps in the walls are allowed. Poultry house windows should be tightly closed.
5. At placement of heating elements You need to take into account that chickens are curious creatures and can get injured or ruin the heating.
6. Before placing chickens in the poultry house, it is necessary to completely disinfect the room with lime.. To obtain an aqueous solution, take 2 kg of lime and 10 liters of water.

Why do chickens need a chicken coop?

A chicken coop is an integral part of keeping birds on the site. This building serves to protect the chickens from external adverse conditions: weather conditions, other animals, people. Every bird needs a place where it can safely lay an egg. Nests are installed in the chicken coop where the chicken feels protected. The poultry house not only protects the hens from the sharp claws and teeth of cats or foxes, but also serves as a comfortable sleeping place: the chickens sleep on a perch, often huddled together.

Chickens happily roost

Main types of chicken coop construction

Determining the type of DIY winter chicken coop to build for 10 chickens or more is necessary in order to decide what materials will be needed. If chickens are kept only in the summer, then the structure will be light and uninsulated. For winter, it is necessary to include wall insulation and room heating in the plan.

The vestibule in the chicken coop will not require a large consumption of materials, but will serve as an additional shield from frost.

Chicken coop with vestibule: less heat loss

When choosing the type of building for a dacha, the space for it is taken into account. It is important for laying hens to have a run, so a yard is included in the plan. Typically, a poultry house consists of a courtyard, a vestibule, and a roosting area, which is divided into a nesting and feeding area.

How well the chickens will lay eggs directly depends on the internal structure of a comfortable chicken coop.

The buildings can be solid, made of concrete, brick, foam concrete, or lighter ones - wooden frames. The more massive the structure, the stronger the foundation needed for it. A dugout chicken coop will be inexpensive. The walls of this building are very low, the window with double frames is on the south side. By winter, such a structure is covered with earth, insulating only its upper part.

Necessary materials for building a winter chicken coop

To build a warm chicken coop with your own hands, you need materials such as foam blocks, shell rock, wood, brick, cinder blocks, and plywood. Of course, you shouldn’t immediately purchase everything mentioned; you need to choose the best one for your budget and type of construction.

The popularity of wood is due to its qualities: durability, practicality, relative cheapness and aesthetics. Foam blocks and cinder blocks increase strength, brick will also last for decades. The foundation is erected using stone, broken brick, and reinforcing mesh. A pile foundation is considered a good option.

A chicken coop made from pallets is a cheap option to build with your own hands, but short-lived

Insulating a chicken coop - choosing insulation

Do-it-yourself chicken coops for laying hens are built quickly, but for winter use they do not forget about insulation. Foam boards are best suited for insulation, but we must not forget that chickens are capable of pecking at this material. The foam should be closed from prying bird eyes. Expanded clay, coal slag, straw and mineral wool are also used as insulation.

IMPORTANT!

No amount of insulation will help if the roof is made poorly!

The roof is made of corrugated sheets, slate, and metal tiles. Moisture should not get inside the room. The inside of the roof can also be insulated with straw.

Choosing the right location for the chicken coop on the site

When making a winter chicken coop with your own hands, especially if you are building it for 50 chickens, take into account the place where the poultry house will be located. You should not build a building in a low area. Spring waters and summer puddles are not considered the most suitable place for keeping birds.

Chickens do not like noise: if you want fewer eggs, build a poultry house near outdoor activities or a road. You need to understand that egg production depends on light, so the windows face south, but do not forget about shading in the heat. The soil should also be prepared: the swampy area should be drained. Since drafts are poorly tolerated by laying hens, the place should be protected from winds.

We found out what the location of the chicken house should be before we started construction and arrangement. The photo below shows how well laying hens feel in the right place.

Calculation of the size and area of ​​a chicken coop for 20 chickens

To make a chicken coop with your own hands, you need to know how to calculate the required room dimensions. The formula is: 2 chickens = 1 m² + water bowl, feeder, perch, nests. Therefore, the project includes at least 15-20 m². The height of the room is not lower than 180-200 cm.

ADVICE!

If the site allows, make the house larger, because a larger room will increase the number of eggs from laying hens.

Building a chicken coop with your own hands, drawings, instructions

How many birds would you need to build a chicken coop with your own hands, 10 chickens or 50, but you definitely need drawings. It is best not to be lazy and make a drawing in three projections indicating all dimensions.

The drawing provides a complete understanding of all the nuances of the future construction and helps to calculate the consumption of materials

Assembly diagram

The drawing is done either on paper by hand or in architectural computer programs. The main thing is to strictly take into account the dimensions of each element.

Choosing the type of foundation for a chicken coop

Without a foundation there can be no quality construction. For a home chicken coop, you can build a strip foundation. However, although this is a very reliable option, it is also the most expensive. A column foundation is inexpensive, but is inferior in reliability to a strip foundation. A pile foundation is reliable and simple, but it will not be as cheap as a columnar foundation. It all depends on the financial side and the desire for durability.

Walling

The walls are built based on what material is used. For a wooden barn for chickens, which you build with your own hands, you make a frame with load-bearing beams. In parallel with the construction of walls, they take care of insulation. The photo below shows several examples of wooden chicken coops.

Bricks and foam blocks are laid using a good cement mortar. According to the drawings, space is left for windows, ventilation and doors.

A chicken coop made of foam blocks is more practical

Photo of the arrangement of the chicken coop inside. Everything with your own hands

From the inside, you can lay sheets of plywood on top of the insulation or build an internal plank wall. Sometimes the walls are covered with old linoleum. It depends on the materials at hand and the wishes of the owner of the chicken coop. It is not necessary to cover the floor; it is enough to sprinkle it with a small amount of earth and straw.

We offer an educational video about setting up a chicken coop:

Making a perch for laying hens with your own hands. Nests, feeders, drawings and tips

Perches are the easiest to prepare. Drawings will only be needed if you are making a perch from wooden slats. In the drawing, markings of the future structure with the indicated dimensions are made. All that remains is to transfer everything from paper to material. If you make a perch from thick tree branches, you will need to take two bars with a cross-section of about 40 mm and smooth the upper parts. Branches are nailed onto the bars.

Basic Rules:

• the distance between the rows of the perch is 25-30 cm;
• the structure itself must be in a non-passable place;
• for 20 chickens there is 6 m of the length of all perches;
• One hen has 30 cm of space on the pole;
• litter trays are placed directly under the perch.

Drawing of a perch for laying hens

The perch is an essential element of the poultry house

Nests can be made open or closed. If this doesn’t matter to you personally, then the chicken will choose the closed option because of the feeling of security. Nests are made from wood, plastic containers or baskets. Regular size nests for laying hens - 30 by 40 cm, 10 nests are enough for 20 birds. The bottom is lined with straw, which is changed once a week.

Different options for chicken nests.

Feeders are made of plastic, wood, iron. But whatever material you choose, the feeder should be some distance from the floor to avoid contamination of the food.

Ventilation device in a chicken coop in winter

Ventilation is necessary to allow air to circulate freely in the room as a concern for the health of the birds.

Ventilation diagram in the chicken coop

If the ventilation holes are equipped with valves, then you can independently control the air flow, thereby regulating the temperature inside the house. Ventilation holes are located either at the top of the coop or in its floor.

Lighting device

If the chicken coop is used year-round, then it is necessary to take care of lighting during the cold season. Additional illumination should be carried out from the end of November to the beginning of April. All energy costs are recouped by the number of eggs.

ADVICE!

The lamps can be covered with a shade - it’s beautiful, and less dust gets inside.

Light inside the house is necessary in winter

How to heat a chicken coop in winter

We have covered the issue of maintaining heat using insulation, and now we are explaining the importance of heating a winter poultry house. Chickens- laying hens very sensitive to temperature conditions, since in case of heat or cold the number of eggs is reduced. Even if today you allowed the temperature to drop and tomorrow you solved the problem, the chicken will not immediately begin to lay eggs at the same level. Therefore, the issue of winter heating must be studied carefully.

How to insulate a chicken coop for the winter using electricity

It is not difficult to triple the heating of a bird house using electricity. To do this, you can install a fan heater or an infrared lamp.

Thermal fans are selected with the possibility of programming. The cost of such an installation will be recouped by the high egg production of pets and significant energy savings. Automatic adjustment works either by time or by temperature. The latter mode is preferable because the optimal room temperature will always be maintained.

The lamps are hung out of the bird's reach; a wire mesh frame will do for protection. If both options seem unacceptable to you, then you can use an oil cooler. Such a device will be more energy-consuming. Homemade spiral heaters are a fire hazard, so we do not consider this option and do not give advice on their installation.

Methods of electric heating of a poultry house

Example of heating arrangement

How to heat a chicken coop in winter without electricity

Anyone who finds heating with electricity unsuitable will be interested in learning about methods of heating without electricity:

1. Potbelly stove, heating boiler: although this is convenient, it is, however, quite massive. It is not difficult to install a boiler or stove, but it is better to take this into account at the stage of drawing the chicken coop. A heating pipe is laid around the perimeter, and the stove is lined with brick. This measure will help retain heat longer after the boiler is turned off.
2. Sawdust. This wood product generates some heat as it decomposes. A 10-15 cm layer of sawdust is poured onto the floor in two stages: in the fall and before the first severe cold weather. The humidity with sawdust will be optimal. Chickens always dig into such flooring with interest. The layer is added every 1.5 months, the total thickness of the embankment by the beginning of spring is about half a meter. Chicken droppings, when mixed with sawdust, do not emit any odor and serve as an additional catalyst for decomposition.

RECOMMENDATION! (click to find out)

Heating a chicken coop without electricity

Heating the chicken coop

Where can you buy a ready-made winter chicken coop for 20 chickens - prices, stores

Despite the fact that a home-made poultry house will be cheaper and will meet the owner’s needs, you can buy a ready-made version. As a result, both time and effort are saved. In the absence of construction experience, it is problematic to immediately build a poultry house, and it is not always clear the first time how to properly equip a chicken coop for laying hens inside with your own hands.

You can make a mini-chicken coop for 10 chickens with your own hands or purchase it in well-known and reputable stores via the Internet. If there are stores specializing in outbuildings in the city, this will be even easier. The cost of a winter chicken coop for 10-15 chickens, depending on the materials, is high: on average 120,000-165,000 rubles. The project and drawing will cost less: 20-25 thousand rubles.

Mini-chicken coops are popular both among summer residents who raise chickens only in the summer, and among owners of small plots. These compact structures do not take up much space, but at the same time effectively perform all the necessary functions to ensure the comfort of birds. Let's find out in more detail how to build a small chicken coop (for 5-20 chickens) and what needs to be taken into account.

Features of the structure of a small chicken coop

A small chicken coop can be either stationary or portable.

Important! It will be good in a mobile poultry house 5–10 individuals, and for larger numbers of animals a stationary option is better.

However, regardless of the species, the mini-aviary looks like this:

• There is a covered house where chickens spend the night and lay eggs. It can either stand on the ground or be built as a second floor above the walking area;
• in this shelter there are perches and nests for laying hens (they are equipped near the outer walls, in which small openings, closed with doors, are made for convenient collection of eggs);
• the metal floor in the house is usually removable (in the form of a tray) to make cleaning easier;
• A net is stretched around the poultry house on beams, fencing off the chicken coop area, and a door is made in it. There is no floor, so in such an enclosure the birds have the opportunity to dig in the ground and peck grass. Also, do not forget to make a passage from the poultry house to the walking yard;
• a waterproof roof is built over the house and the walking area, and then the birds can walk in any weather;
• In the enclosure they put feeders, drinking bowls, and a container with ash, where chickens love to scurry around.

The only difference between a portable structure is that it can be moved from place to place so that the birds always have fresh grass within the enclosure. Sometimes such chicken coops are specially equipped with wheels for easy movement.

It is advisable to choose a location for a permanent building by following these recommendations:

• it should be a draft-free space;
• it’s great if it is possible to place it on a hill so that after rains water does not collect there, creating dampness;
• Avoid open sun, but you don’t need to completely hide the chicken coop in the shade. It is best if it is protected from the hot rays by tall bushes that allow daylight to pass through well.

The chicken coop itself can be solid (made on one frame) or separate (the run is separated from the house). The first option is easier to build, and the second is suitable only for stationary structures.

Did you know?Chicken eggs may have two yolks, but they will never produce two chicks: a pair of embryos will be too crowded in the shell, so they will not be able to develop.

Drawing up a project and calculating dimensions

Preparation for future construction should begin with drawing up a project, which will reduce the likelihood of errors.
You need to start by calculating the dimensions.

They depend on two parameters:

• how much area of ​​land are you willing to allocate for a chicken house;
• how many birds are you going to house there?

According to sanitary standards, per 1 sq. m you can place no more than 3 chickens. For five individuals you will already need an area of ​​6 square meters. m: 2 for the house and 4 for walking. A dozen birds will need twice as much space.

Experienced poultry farmers always recommend building a structure for ten birds, if the size of the site allows it. Even if you plan to keep only 3-7 chickens, they will be happy in such a coop, and you will have room in case you expand your farm.

Having dealt with the area, move on to the dimensions. If we consider a house of 2 square meters. m (for five birds), then it can be built in the form of a rectangle (1x2 m) or square (1.5x1.5 m). For more chickens, increase these figures proportionally.

Having calculated the dimensions of the future chicken coop, you can proceed to drawing up a sketch (choose the shape, type, design features) and drawings (a schematic representation of the structure on paper in accordance with the scale).

Having a complete understanding of the dimensions and dimensions of the structure, you can calculate the amount of materials that will be used for construction and estimate the required budget.

Tools and materials for work

The exact list of necessary materials always depends on the individual approach of the owner of the farmstead. On the Internet you can find hundreds of examples of original chicken houses with their own design and construction features.

Here is a sample list of materials for a typical summer mini-chicken coop:

• wooden beam (40x40 mm) for the frame;
• lining for its cladding;
• roofing decking (corrugated sheets, tiles, slate, etc.);
• metal mesh fencing for the walking enclosure;
• hinges and latches on doors;
• varnish for external wall coverings, protecting materials from environmental influences;
• screws or nails;
• connecting corners for beams;
• concrete, roofing felt sheets, material for supports (for the foundation of a stationary poultry house).

Important!If you are planning to build a winter mini-chicken coop, where the birds can live in the cold season,the structure will additionally require insulation (cotton wool, polystyrene foam, etc.).

You can build a comfortable structure for birds from these materials using a standard kit that almost every owner has:

• screwdriver;
• drill;
• roulette,
• tools for woodworking (jigsaw, hacksaw), etc.

DIY chicken coop: video

How to make a mini chicken coop with your own hands

Let's look at the step-by-step construction of the structure itself:

1. First of all, prepare the base (we omit this step when creating a portable chicken coop). For a stationary foundation, a simple columnar foundation is suitable. It can also be used to increase walking space. Along the perimeter of the future house for chickens, make depressions in the ground up to 70 cm. Fill the bottom with a mixture of sand and gravel, creating a cushion of 10–12 cm. Then install posts in the holes (wooden, metal, in the form of masonry in two bricks or using cast concrete pillars - all options will do) and fill them with concrete for stability. These columns should be at the same level and 20 cm above the ground (if you plan to place an aviary under the poultry house, then make the height 60 cm).
2. When the foundation is ready, it’s time for the floor in the chicken house. First, roofing felt sheets are laid on the columns for waterproofing. A regular wooden flooring is placed on them or a retractable stainless steel tray is equipped, over which a fine mesh is stretched as a floor for the birds.
3. The next stage of construction involves the construction of walls. For this purpose, a frame is made of timber. Vertical supports are placed on the lower frame, which are tied together from above, forming a rectangle. By the way, if your poultry house is located directly on the ground, then the floor can be placed on this very bottom frame. On the resulting frame, racks for doors, openings, windows, if provided, are installed. Next, you need to sheathe the structure with plywood or similar material, first from the inside and then from the outside. It is advisable to treat the outer surface of the walls with varnish or other antifungal agent.
4. Several round windows (passages to nests) are usually made on the back wall of the poultry house., behind which boxes with hinged lids are attached to make it more convenient to add bedding to laying hens and collect eggs. If the shelter is built above the level of the walking yard, then make sure that there is a ladder in it so that the bird can get into the shelter and exit back into the enclosure. Also, think in advance whether you will place a drinking bowl and feeders in the poultry house (then you will need to make a door to access them).
5. If you have a one-piece chicken coop, then the bottom frame is made common, and at this stage all you have to do is pull the mesh over it. When erecting separately, you must first assemble the frame of the enclosure. Don't forget to include a door in the mesh for entry.
6. The final element of the structure will be the roof. In a solid structure it is common, but even in a separate chicken coop it is better to do it above the walking yard. In small poultry houses it can be single-sloped (directed in the direction opposite to the entrance to the aviary), but in larger areas they prefer a gable one. To create a roof, choose a lightweight covering that is attached to the top frame frame. It is advisable not to use metal for these purposes: during rain, the sound of drops will create a loud noise, unnerving the birds. Above the walking yard, part of the covering is sometimes replaced with a net so that the birds receive more sunlight.

Important!To prevent chickens from suffering from cold and drafts, all cracks in the walls and roof of the poultry house must be sealed with polyurethane foam.

Interior arrangement of the chicken coop

Typically, the space allocated for an indoor poultry house is half as much as for a walking yard. Therefore, you need to distribute the space in it thoughtfully.

Perches

Chickens love to rest on perches, where per 1 individual you need to calculate about 30 cm of perch length. On average, five birds will need 3 meters.
Perches are made from beams up to 6 cm thick (their edges are first rounded so as not to injure the bird’s paws), placing them vertically at an angle. Then it will be convenient for the chickens to anoint themselves, and their droppings will not fall on the birds sitting below.

Usually the first row is placed 20–25 cm from the wall, and a distance of 30–35 cm is kept between the rest.

If there is enough space in the house, such perches can be equipped on both sides.

Nests

In mini-chicken coops, in order to save space, nests are usually made in boxes attached from the outside to one of the walls of the poultry house. Birds get there through openings, and the owners have the opportunity to conveniently collect eggs using a hinged lid.
For five laying hens, it is advisable to equip at least 2 nests, and for ten laying hens you will need 5 nests.

Feeders and drinkers

Did you know?Chickens love to lay eggs “in company”, gathering two or three laying hens in one nest.

In a year-round poultry house, feeders with slats in the front or jumpers are used so that the chickens do not rake the feed throughout the entire space with their paws.
It is better to place water opposite the feeder, in the nipple drinker - it will help keep the floor dry.

What else should you take care of?

When building a chicken coop, there are a few more points that should be given additional attention.

Ventilation

In a closed poultry house it must be possible to ventilate the room - otherwise on hot days the chickens will feel stuffy.

The easiest way to do this is to use a window located in the wall opposite the entrance to the house from the enclosure. This option is perfect for a small room for 5-7 chickens, which is used only in the warm season.

For a year-round chicken coop, you will have to organize supply and exhaust ventilation.

Important!To prevent precipitation from entering the house through the pipes, cover them with canopies.

Its step-by-step installation can be described as follows:

1. Two holes are made in the roof of the house for pipes with a diameter of 15–20 cm.
2. One of them will be an exhaust one, so it must be placed above the perches. It should protrude half a meter above the roof surface, and go 10–20 cm deep into the room. Its task will be to remove air.
3. The second pipe, the supply pipe, is mounted further away from the perch. Its outer part can reach 30 cm, but the inner part should only be 20–25 cm short of the floor to ensure the flow of fresh air.

Additional lighting

It is a known fact that chickens lay eggs only when there is light, so in winter, when the sunny days are shorter, this can become a problem. Internal lighting of the poultry house using electricity will help to avoid such difficulties.

It is brought in using boxes located on the outer surface of the walls. Only the end of the wire enters the room itself, to which the lamp is connected. It is desirable that it be in a closed lampshade or protective housing.

Walking yard

The walking yard is an important component of the chicken coop. Its inhabitants need movement to maintain health and egg production. It is in the enclosure that they have the opportunity to run, spread their wings, and dig in the ground or ash.

If we are talking about a portable chicken coop, then the courtyard solves another problem by providing the birds with constant access to fresh greens.

Did you know?The color of the eggshell depends on the breed and age of the chicken that laid the egg. In addition to the traditional light and brown shades, the shell of the egg can also be cream, green and blue.

The larger the area you can allocate for an enclosure, the better. There are no maximum restrictions in this regard, but the minimum requirements are still present: for 5 birds you will need at least 4 square meters. m.

If you want your chickens to lay eggs in winter, you need to provide them with a comfortable temperature in the chicken coop (19–23°C).

Poultry house insulation is carried out using several methods. The first, capital, is used during the construction of the premises. Insulation is installed in the walls and roof between the inner and outer sheathing.

Suitable for these purposes:

• Styrofoam;
• mineral wool;
• penoplex.

As winter approaches, the floor in the poultry house will also need to be insulated.

To do this, simply lay a bedding (3–5 cm thick) on its surface from:

• sawdust;
• straw or hay.

You can also insulate the roof with similar mixtures so as not to spend money on purchased synthetic materials.

Important!To insulate the floor, it is better to use natural materials: they absorb moisture and bird droppings, and at the end of the season they are easily removed from the house.

It’s easy to build a stationary or even a mobile chicken coop for 5–20 chickens with your own hands. To do this, it is enough to carry out high-quality preparation, observing sanitary standards, and carefully follow the instructions for installing the structure.

Then you will have a convenient design for living and walking chickens, promoting their healthy growth and comfortable care for them.