Chickens are a good investment and a great addition to your farm. As part of your domestic animals, your birds will require a place to rest after roaming all day long. And this is where a chicken coop comes into play.
Let’s learn a few do-it-yourself (DIY) ways you can come up with a practical chicken pen that will not cost you a fortune. So, what is the 5 coop is the best chicken coop DIY designs?
There are more than a dozen designs out there to choose from. The most common DIY ones include the A-Frame or tractor Design, Wheeled Coop Design, Traditional Coop Design, Walk-in Hen House Design, and Large Hen-House Design.
All these are our top-pick practical chicken coop designs that you can use to construct a coop for your birds. Each one of these has its own advantages and disadvantages.
It is good to check out for all the positives and negatives of each design before deciding which one is suitable for you. It is all about choice and we are going to make your selection hassle-free by looking critically into each design.
Top 5 Chicken Coop DIY Designs
1. Wheeled Coop
Our first chicken coop DIY design is popularly known as the Wheeled Coop. Although it is safer than the A-frame, this structure is small and not a good choice for you if you have a large number of chickens.
Wheeled Coop is another version of a portable chicken house built on wheels for easy movement. The presence of wheels on this structure serves two major functions which are; easy movement and preventing damage to the lawn when moving around your farm.
During the construction process, you can bring in the idea of an A-frame coop and then modify it a little bit. The modification can involve attaching your A-frame to the portable chicken coop in order to come with a complete structure of what is referred to as a Wheeled Coop.
Space
This innovative idea will help you increase the space that can accommodate between 6 and 8 birds at once. With enough space, your birds will be able to move around and spread their wings at will. At least the birds will have the freedom to move around rather than being confined in one place.
When it comes to security, the Wheeled Coop has what it takes to keep your flock safe. Measuring 8 by 15 feet, this DIY coop is a secure place that will keep all predators away from your birds. This is because the floor area is somehow raised off the ground, thus denying potential predators access to your chickens or eggs. During the night, the door can be closed so that none of your birds is left outside.
Given that this is a moveable chicken coop, you will not have any problem transporting it from one place to another. This is due to the fact that the Wheeled Coop has wheels that make it easy to move around anytime you feel like it.
The only downside with this chicken coop DIY design is that it’s too small to accommodate more chickens. Otherwise, this is a great option if you are looking forward to raising a few birds to supply your family with fresh eggs. For this reason, this coop made the top 5 chicken coop DIY designs.
2. The A-Frame or Chicken On-the-Go
If you’re a beginner chicken owner and on a budget, then the A-frame (also known as tractor coop) is your choice. This design suits a newcomer in the business of chicken keeping because of its simplicity.
This structure is built with a footprint of about 7 by 6 feet. A triangular structure by design, the A-Frame consists of a metal or wooden roof. A metal roof is normally added on either side to provide enough shelter for chickens.
This type of chicken coop is built to move around the yard and has enough space for 5 to 6 birds. The portability aspect of this design is the most important feature you can think of. This means you can move it from one spot to another within your backyard without compromising its stability. Also, it helps in the distribution of chickens’ natural fertilizer around your farm.
What to Expect
On the flip side, you need a vast area to move this structure every day. At the same time, the area should be flat and free of obstacles that may interfere with moving it around. The best materials required for this project include wire mesh, wood, nails, door pulls, hinges, and galvanized roofing.
So, why should you consider this DIY design for your chickens? This floor design does not need any cleaning. This is advantageous, especially if you are a backyard farmer. Chickens are fond of scratching the ground while searching for edibles. For that reason, the A-frame design will give them a better platform to roam around and find their favorite meal.
The presence of mesh wire enables breezes to blow through and circulate the air around while the top provides enough shade for your chickens during summertime. On the other hand, predators such as raccoons, possums, skunks, and foxes will have easy access to your birds or eggs if no security measures are put in place.
3. The Traditional Coop
The traditional Chicken Coop made the top 5 chicken coop DIY designs. It gives your hens the warmth and safety they deserve.
With its 4 by 6 feet enclosed roost and nesting box, this structure can comfortably accommodate about 4 to 6 chickens.
And for the safety of your birds, there’s a well-functioning door to lock them inside at night. This allows the chickens to run during the day.
Despite its small size, the Traditional Coop gives you an easy time to collect the eggs. Most importantly, your chickens will be protected throughout harsh weather conditions at any time of the day or night.
In winter, you can warm up the coop using a heating lamp. This will keep your birds comfortable throughout the cold season. Also, you may need electricity to power your chickens’ waterer to prevent it from freezing. Certainly, this is the best coop for your birds, especially in cold weather.
Compared to the A-frame design, the Traditional Coop is more spacious inside and has enough security for your chickens. Again you won’t have to move it from one place to another every day.
4. Walk-In Hen House
Constructing a chicken house is a costly experience. Portable ones are more affordable. Besides, you need to be an expert in building and construction to come up with a meaningful structure.
A full-size chicken house will require a lot of effort to relocate it with you when moving to another place. This is why this one was included in the top 5 chicken coop DIY designs. A simple DIY design will be a better option if you plan on moving to a new home.
One advantage of constructing a Walk-in Hen House is that you can get inside and check how your birds are doing. This type of structure is large enough to accommodate more birds at one time because of its size.
In addition, your chickens will have enough space to walk around or spread their wings. As you may know, overcrowded chicken coops have their share of problems such as the spread of diseases, fighting, and pecking.
The Walk-In Hen House measures 10 by 6 feet, it’s obvious that it will accommodate not less than 10 to 15 birds at once. As mentioned earlier, you can also walk inside this structure and collect eggs without crawling around.
Another good about the Walk-In Hen House is that it has a lot of ventilation. This enables the circulation of air for your chickens.
5. Large Hen-House
As the name suggests, this structure is bigger than the other four discussed so far for a number of reasons. To begin with, you can keep a whopping 50 chickens in this chicken coop thanks to its 8 by 24 feet size. When coming up with its design, remember to include a gable vent with ventilation to serve the purpose of the wire mesh or windows.
Just like the Walk-In Hen, you may also build a concrete or sand floor inside to provide that much-needed comfort for your chickens.
This structure is more permanent than the rest and can accommodate more chickens than all the other four combined. The only downside with it is the cost of construction and material in general. In spite of that, it will keep your birds safe and comfortable regardless of the time of the year.
Related Questions
What should you consider when choosing a suitable design for your chickens? When looking for a design of the chicken coop for your birds, you need to consider their comfort, safety, and health as well as your budget.
Why should you include a chicken run in your DIY design? Chicken runs are necessary such that they give your birds absolute freedom to free-range and find some food.
In Conclusion:
So far we’ve covered five of the best chicken coop DIY designs. You can use these to build a house for your birds. If your flock is smaller in number, then you should choose between the Wheeled coop design and A-Frame design depending on your needs.
For security and extra comfort of your birds, you can give the Traditional Coop your priority. But if you want to provide shelter to your larger flock of chickens, then Large Hen House or Walk-In Hen House should be your option. Whichever design you choose, make sure it serves better
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