Friends, in this photo selection I want to show the projects of the simplest home chicken coops in the country, which you can do with your own hands. Often summer residents living in a summer cottage all year round, or from spring to autumn, have chickens.

Most are guided by 10 pieces plus a rooster - this is a kind of minimum that will allow you to be with an egg and meat. Chickens not only lay eggs, but also leave valuable fertilizer - chicken droppings, so the benefits of them are twofold.

The simplest chicken coop with a walking area under the net

Or maybe triple, given that surplus eggs can always be sold on the market, which means that at least part of the costs can be recouped. I offer you 10 projects for building a chicken house that I found and which seemed to me worthy of attention.

The easiest winter chicken coop easy to maintain

Here, with this project of a home chicken coop, everything should be clear from the drawing. Select the sizes according to your needs. The idea seemed to me very practical.

Beautiful winter version of the poultry house

I liked this beautiful and functional mini chicken coop for 5 chickens. The video shows the entire construction with the author's comments behind the scenes. Take a look and get inspired to build.

The idea of ​​a solid chicken coop with a poultry walking area

If your herd is larger, then you can increase the size. This, in my opinion, is the best video, I can watch it all the time, everything is so smart!

This video provides practical building tips. I recommend watching!

Wooden frame chicken coop

The simplest drawing of a chicken coop

If you are just starting to delve into the question of building a chicken coop on your own, then this article is for you! Carefully read the practical part of the construction, it describes in clear language how to build a frame house for chickens, sheathed with boards on both sides, how to insulate it, how to make the floor and windows.

Sergey Lissitzky's video is an excellent chicken coop for 15 chickens (Hisex and Loman Brown breeds)

Be sure to watch this video! I believe that Sergei has an ideal and correct chicken coop and optimal breeds of laying hens. 13-15 eggs per day from 15 chickens is, in my opinion, an excellent indicator! After familiarizing yourself with the video material, it will not be difficult for you to make a similar chicken coop in your home.

Chicken coop project with walking area

you can consider in detail in excellent photos with an increase the project of a chicken coop with an area for walking. A light summer house is connected to a walk, fenced with a chain-link netting. A very helpful article!

In it, the authors also relate to the rules for keeping chickens, because the structure of the chicken coop directly depends on these rules. The photo projections show the dimensions of the house and its necessary elements: feeders, perches, openings for walking.

Chicken coop with a frame of a bar sheathed with plywood

The construction of a wonderful chicken coop for 20 chickens is described on the website

The structure was built from a bar sheathed with OSB slabs. With a gable roof and windows sheathed with thick metal mesh. The article contains a list of materials required for construction. In principle, this chicken coop can be built with a metal frame - the owner's business.

However, in order to use this chicken coop in winter, additional insulation is needed. The project envisages the construction of a walk around the chicken coop. We hope you find this material useful!

You will see the construction of a "five-star" chicken coop on the site "By yourself"

The step-by-step photos show in detail the construction and decoration of a warm winter house for chickens. The size of the chicken coop is 4x5 m, it consists of two rooms. Even the floor is heated in this coop!

Everything is thought out: a roost with removable trays, a ventilation system, doors at the bottom of the wall for chickens to exit to the next room. If you decide to build a winter chicken coop, then this information is for you!

Backfill winter version of the poultry house

Small chicken coop with walking area

An interesting project of a small chicken coop is offered to readers by the author of the article

Its total size is 2x3 m. The base of this chicken coop is made of 100x100 mm timber, and the frame of the house is made of 50x50 mm timber. The house itself is small - only 2x1.2 m, sheathed with OSB boards and trimmed with croaker covered with Maxim's paint (mahogany). Looks pretty decent! Chickens do not care, but people are pleased to see! Consider this successful project.

Chicken coop option for 50 hens

The article talks about the construction of a chicken coop (poultry house). For construction, you can use the drawing of a chicken coop for 50 chickens. For clarity, the authors of the site posted a video at the end of the article about the features of caring for this bird species. Associated with this are the features of arranging the necessary premises for them. Interesting video. Quite clear, concise and useful information!

Lighting issues

Also, after the construction of the premises, you need to resolve issues with lighting. This video provides helpful tips.

Fleas in the chicken coop

I would also like to say about fleas, more precisely about methods of prevention in order to prevent their appearance in the chicken coop. The main condition is the presence of a container with ash so that the chickens can take ash baths.

By the way, contrary to the beliefs of some, lice do not touch chickens, and cannot breed on them in any way. Therefore, there can be no lice on chickens, only fleas.

Photo of the idea of ​​chicken coops - what they are

An example of a solid wood chicken coop, with a walking area for chickens, protected by a net from predators. Please note that the design allows you to move it from place to place, thereby providing birds with access to fresh greenery.

We all have our own idea of ​​what an ideal chicken coop should be. For example, this one is more likely an option for townspeople who want to play with chickens for the summer.

And this is a simple solid chicken coop with a walking area covered with a net. In general, nets are required, as ferrets can chew on the bird. These animals can destroy all chickens in one night, so pay attention to protecting the birds from these predators.

But the rat, if it gets through, it will spoil the eggs, it will not dare to attack the birds. Only in extreme cases, when it was completely hungry, were attacks by large rats on chickens noted. A variant of the fight, as in the case of ferrets, is to upholster the room from the inside with a net.

Well, if a fox made its way into your chicken coop, then it remains to sympathize. It will crush everyone, while if you follow the safety rules, then no one will climb up to you. Therefore, address all questions to yourself ...

Another example of decorative performance. Children will be happy to watch the life of the chickens.

I am a woman, which means that I am looking first of all for beautiful ideas. Functional constructs are described above, but here - joy!

Another simple chicken coop is a square for 5 chickens and a rooster. This is an all-season option, heating is provided inside.

If you fear for your garden, but at the same time want your chickens to be able to feed on insects and fresh herbs, then pay attention to the idea of ​​a tunnel with a metal mesh.

This structure can be regularly moved around the site so that birds do not trample the same place. Also, the metal mesh will protect your chickens from predatory animals and hawks.

The mesh can simply be folded up with an arc, and fastened from the bottom of the edge either with wire or with a fishing line so that the arc does not unfold. Separate fragments of the structure can be fastened together with plastic clamps, or with the same wire or fishing line.

Austere chicken coop resembling a wardrobe. Be sure to think about lighting indoors so that the chickens can fully use the space. The fact is that chickens hardly see at dusk, remember the expression "night blindness". Therefore, always light up your chicken coop.

The simplest summer chicken coop hut for five chickens. Suitable for those summer residents who are interested in the process of interacting with a bird, rather than getting a large number of eggs.

The transparent chicken coop is a nest, but even it has roosts. In general, the roost is an indispensable element of any, even the smallest chicken coop. Chickens, like any birds, love to sit on sticks, this is inherent in them by nature.

Just always make these sticks in one row, otherwise stratification of society will flourish in chickens and weak individuals will be driven to lower levels.

Would you like to have such a cute chicken coop in the country? Original, beautiful and practical!

Beautiful chicken coop with walking area

An interesting example of a solid chicken coop. The author did not make the building from waste material, but approached with understanding and acquired new wood for the chickens.

Of course, this is an option for a summer residence, for summer, for your own consumption. But first of all we need an egg for ourselves.

Exit for chickens to the walking area.

External feeder and drinker.

Roost and internal feeder.

Masonry nests.

More ideas

Well, and two more beautiful chicken coops at the end of the selection.

I hope that this material will be enough for you to make the right decision about the project of your chicken coop. Build with pleasure, eat homemade eggs from your chickens, sell the surplus, if any. Good luck!

Bonus video - budget chicken coop for 200 rubles

If you need a chicken coop, and the funds for the purchase of building materials are extremely small, then by watching this video you will learn how you can make it practically for nothing from recycled materials.

In fact, in Europe, the craze for buildings from waste materials is very common. There are even whole communities in which the authors share their buildings, and at the same time they sometimes look more beautiful than those in which a lot of money has been invested.

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 with them. In addition, domestic chickens are also fresh meat. And if you keep a lot of chickens, then 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, thanks to which the ideal conditions for the life of poultry will be created.

The construction process consists of several important stages. Do not assume that everything is simple, especially if you want to keep chickens during the winter season. After all, you need to worry about high-quality ventilation, reliable roofing, walls, heating and other important components. This article will provide a complete material about all construction and equipment processes. Interesting videos, collections of photographs and diagrams will make the process of studying information fascinating. And step-by-step instructions will help you figure out how to build a chicken coop.

What should be a house for chickens


A bird, just like a person, needs a comfortable habitat, therefore, before starting construction, it is worth highlighting several important factors that will make it possible to make a warm and cozy chicken coop. A number of requirements are imposed on this room:

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


  • Calmness... For a normal and calm life of chickens, there should not be much noise around. Therefore, the chosen place must be isolated from a busy country house.
  • Security... This is another important criterion for keeping the bird calm. The chicken coop must be protected from rodents and other predatory animals entering it. With this in mind, many decide to build on a columnar base.

Video: features of keeping chickens in a hen house

Where is the best place to place the chicken coop


The location of the house is an important preparatory stage. You need to think not only about yourself, so that an unpleasant smell does not penetrate into a residential building, but also about the comfort of chickens. For example, some breeds do not like frequent invasions of their territory. Because of this, they begin to rush worse.

A suitable place would be a remote corner on the territory 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, consider what kind of pet will be the neighbors of the chickens - calm or mostly noisy.

When choosing a place, it is important to worry about a place for them to walk. You can often see a picture when chickens walk throughout the yard. This does not add beauty, in addition, on the doorstep of your house, you can stumble upon a "gift" left by them. The area for walking chickens should be limited. As a rule, up to 2 m 2 are allocated for one head. So, when keeping 20 chickens, the site should have dimensions of 4 × 10 m. And this is only for walking them.


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 place should be simultaneously shaded and illuminated by the sun's rays. 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 the chicken coop in the barnyard

For the construction of a chicken coop, it is recommended to choose an elevated place. This will exclude the flooding of the area during the rainy season or when the snow melts. If this is not possible, then dig a drainage ditch to remove excess moisture. Although the elevation can be made artificially, by filling in rubble, gravel or earth.


It is advisable to locate the windows of the hen house on the south side for better and long-term sunlight penetration into the room. Also, on the south side, it is recommended to install a manhole, a door and build an aviary. The southern side is the most protected from cold winds.

What should be the size of the house


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 build on the maximum number of chickens and accurately calculate the usable area:

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

Separately, it should be said about chickens. They should have individual quarters, separate from the adults. This will allow them to have free access to feed. 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, the poultry house intended for keeping 10 hens can have dimensions of 2 × 5 m. As for the height, it should be convenient 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 optimum height is 2.2 m.

Taking this into account, it will 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 for both chickens and for its maintenance. On the other hand, it is much easier to implement a pitched roof. Sockets can be installed in the low shaded part.

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

Drawings and diagrams: ready-made projects for the construction of 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 m 2.
  • Up to 4 nests.
  • Feeders should be along the wall and opposite the perch.
  • The outside must have access to the cleaning and feeding system.
  • The drinker and trough should rise from the floor level by at least 50–100 mm.
  • The floor should be smooth but not slippery.
  • Roost at a height of about 600 mm.
  • The area of ​​all windows should not exceed 10% of the floor area.
  • An open-air cage is recommended.
  • The presence of a ladder to the chicken coop is mandatory.

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

When organizing a roost, it is important to take into account that one bird will lay one egg in 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 the sleeping area. Otherwise, chicken droppings may end up on the eggs.

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

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

If chickens are kept for personal needs outside the city, there are no norms and restrictions.

Types of chicken coops based on needs


There are several types that can be built:

Build a new one or renovate a finished building


If you have an unnecessary shed or garage, then it might be worth considering remodeling it. You can save a lot on the purchase of building material. You will only need to equip the room inside for the normal living of chickens.

On the other hand, such a room is not always suitable. For example, an inconvenient location, a small area, and the like. 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 room, then make sure that there are no lumber covered with lead paint or previously used for storing various chemicals inside it. All of these can have detrimental effects on the health of chickens.

Stages of building a poultry house

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

Stage 1- design.

Stage 2- production of the foundation.

Stage 3- construction of walls and partitions.

Stage 4- roof erection.

Stage 5- flooring manufacturing.

6 stage- "furnishings".

7 stage- insulation.

8 stage- production of heating.

These are perhaps the main building processes that you should tune in to. We will go over all these processes, and also give a few step-by-step instructions.

The foundation is the basis of any structure


Installing the 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 manufacturing a slab foundation, the technology of work is as follows:

Stages

Description of the work process

Step 1 - markup

To begin with, using a cord and pegs, the perimeter of the future structure is indicated.

Step 2 - digging

At this stage, the top fertile soil layer with a depth of up to 350 mm should be removed.

Step 3 - backfilling the pillow

Now the bottom of the base is covered with sand and fine gravel. Everything is carefully rammed.

Step 4 - formwork

Before pouring concrete around the perimeter of the foundation, formwork from boards is installed.

Step 5 - concrete work

Finally, a layer of concrete should be poured onto the cushion made. A woven reinforcing mesh with cells up to 100 × 100 mm is preliminarily placed on the bottom. For concrete, cement M200 is used.

As you can see, the process of making the foundation is not so complicated. It takes a lot of effort though. This kind of foundation is ideal for a hen house built of 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 pillars.

Video: features of breaking the foundation

Wall construction technology

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


If the foundation is chosen columnar, then it is better to give preference to a light frame structure made of wooden bars. A wooden frame is laid on top of the support pillars, on which the entire frame of the future chicken coop is fixed. For the construction of the walls of the walking part, it is recommended to use a metal mesh. It can be fixed to a metal corner.

Another option for building walls is polycarbonate. This building material is practical. For example, it is easy to clean, 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 sufficient heat retention and comfort. The only problem with this material will be surface leveling.


As you can see, there are many building 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 take care that the walls are disinfected in order to avoid the appearance of fungus, bacteria and the like.

Video: construction of walls from OSB slabs

Wall insulation - winter version


So, if you decide to insulate the walls with mineral wool, then a frame of 50 × 50 mm beams should be made on the walls. The beam is fixed strictly vertically. The step of laying the timber is regulated 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 pack tightly without leaving any gaps.

The bars are fixed 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. To do this, a plastic film is fixed to the wall in front of the mineral wool flooring. Its installation should be carried out with an overlap of up to 150 mm.

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


As for external wall insulation, it is better to use polystyrene or polystyrene foam. For fastening, a special plastic dowel with a cap is used. This method of fastening is used when the walls are built of bricks, blocks and the like. The heat-insulating layer is necessarily covered with protective plaster using a facade mesh.

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

Roof - reliable protection from precipitation


The best option is a gable roof of the poultry house. Due to this, the ceiling height inside the room increases. If the roof is well insulated, then the ceiling gasket is not even required. For covering, the best option would be metal 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 on the rafters and nailed. It is necessary in order to prevent the thermal insulation layer from getting wet. The film thickness can be 200 µm. Each waterproofing strip should be overlapped up to 200 mm. It is advisable to glue them together with tape. Due to this, the coating will be completely sealed.
  • After that, for roofing, it is necessary to fill the crate. It is stuffed over the waterproofing. The step of the battens will depend on the type of flooring chosen.
  • When the lathing is ready, you can start installing the roofing.

Video: making the roof of the poultry house

Insulation of the ceiling - additional protection from the cold

The roof insulation procedure is necessary if you live in a cold region. In this case, floor beams are additionally fixed to the rafter system. On top of the beams, that is, from the side of the attic, you can fix plywood, which is attached with ordinary self-tapping screws.

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

Chicken coop floors

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

  • Beams are fixed to the support frame, which act as a lag.
  • The bottom needs to be hemmed with boards.
  • Insulation, such as mineral wool, is laid on top of the boards.
  • Next, a finishing floor is laid from boards.

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

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

  1. The base must be protected from penetrating moisture, so it can be covered with roofing material on top. The canvases must be glued together with a special bituminous mastic. Due to this, a reliable waterproofing of the wooden flooring will be created, which will be completely protected from the penetration of chicken waste.
  2. On top of the deck, an embankment of sand, straw, hay or sawdust is made. However, hay and straw absorb moisture and do not dry out well. 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 thinned, 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 in the carpentry shop, sometimes even free of charge.

Internal arrangement of the poultry house

One of the main places inside the coop is the roost. A roost means a wooden pole. It is in it that 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 the feeders and drinkers, they should be higher. Considering that chickens often arrange "showdowns" on the territory, dust may rise inside the chicken coop. To protect the drinker from dust getting into it, a small visor should be made on top.

You should also build nests. 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 from above with a removable lid. As practice shows, the nests should be equipped with a separate cover. This will allow eggs to be removed and litter changed.

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

Video: arrangement of the inside and outside of the poultry house

Heating - comfort and coziness

Chicken is hard to tolerate cold. The cold and drafts negatively affect the legs of chickens, which freeze due to the lack of feathers on them. As mentioned in this article, the indoor temperature should not drop below 12 ° C. If you live in the northern regions, then in addition to insulating walls, floors and ceilings, it is recommended to install heating devices.

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

Video: chicken coop - winter option

Two heating methods: natural and artificial

Heating the chicken coop can be done in two ways. Natural heating means maintaining a comfortable temperature without using heaters. The bottom line is to use the litter discussed above.

In October, the floor is sprinkled with hydrated lime 1 kg / m 2. The litter of peat, sawdust, hay or straw is up to 7 cm thick. As the chickens inhabit, the litter is trampled down and it is necessary to add it. First, the flooring must be agitated with a pitchfork. By spring, the litter can be up to 25 cm thick.

The peculiarity of the bedding is that during the composting process, it generates heat. Accordingly, the temperature in the poultry house is stable at about 12 ° C. The available heat slows down the decomposition of the droppings and disinfects pathogenic microbes. 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, cover the ventilation pipe for a short time so that the warm air does not escape quickly.

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

Heating method

Feature of the organization of heating

Electric heater

This is one of the affordable and inexpensive heating methods. You can use different heaters, for example, convectors, air heaters, fan heaters, oil coolers, 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 the house is equally effective, but only for large houses. It is unprofitable to purchase an expensive gas boiler for a poultry house for 30 or 50 hens. Moreover, gas equipment must be constantly monitored.

Furnace heating

This category includes an ordinary potbelly stove. However, its use involves a number of difficulties. The problem is that metal corrodes due to high humidity. In addition, it is always necessary to have a supply of coal / firewood. It is also necessary to constantly maintain combustion, build a separate chimney, insulate the heating elements of the furnace, and strictly observe fire safety. All this is labor intensive.

Diesel stove

This oven is safe to use. It does not smoke and has little power.

Buleryan

This is a special air convection stove that works efficiently on different types of fuel.

Infrared heaters

As you know, an infrared heater does not heat the air, but objects. This method has its advantages, as objects will retain heat longer than heated air exiting through the ventilation ducts. Such heaters with a capacity of no more than 500 W can be fixed to the ceiling.

Water heating

If the chicken coop is attached to a residential building, then water heating can be brought into it. Keeping in mind that the house is kept warm on a regular basis, the house will always be kept at the correct temperature.

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

Video: features of the organization of heating

Thermal insulation without energy consumption - an innovative solution

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

Considering all the pros and cons, some summer residents have resorted to an original solution using the Net-Plast mixture used for spaceships. The net layer is bacteria that must settle on the floor in the house, namely in the prepared litter. The composition is packed in packages of 0.5 and 1 kg. According to some estimates, 1 kg of this mixture will be enough to heat 20 m 2. Moreover, these bacteria will live for about three years.

To begin with, sawdust is poured in the chicken coop, you can also add oat husks and dry straw. All components are thoroughly mixed together. Then bacteria Net-layer should be evenly poured onto the resulting mixture and re-mixed.

Heat in this case will appear in this way:

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

This is also called fermentation bedding. From time to time, it is enough to slightly loosen the bedding and add sawdust or straw if necessary. However, you do not have to clean the chicken coop.

At a temperature outside of -20 ° C inside the house, it can be + 15 ° C. If the frosts are stronger, then in addition, you can connect a temporary electric heating.

This decision has a lot of positive aspects. For example, there is a large cost savings due to the fact that electricity and fuel are not completely consumed. After a while, there is no need to clean the chicken coop, since the composition of bacteria can lie with the bedding for about 3 years. And after this time, you will be able to get 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 summer it is not the least important. It's just that in the summer everything is simplified, because you can open doors, windows and organize the flow 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 in chickens and even the person who will serve the chicken coop. Worst of all, due to the lack of ventilation, the walls and the entire interior decoration will begin to rot and become unusable. For this reason, even at the stage of project development, it is important to think over the manufacture of ventilation.

When developing a ventilation project, it is worth considering some of the nuances. For example, in winter, the supply of fresh air must be strictly regulated. Otherwise, there is a possibility that the temperature will drop quickly and chickens will be 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 kind of natural).

Let's consider separately the features of each of them.

Mechanical ventilation

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

Stages of work

Manufacturing process

To begin with, the place where the fan will be installed is determined. Some people 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 inner diameter of the pipe. How to make such ventilation, you can learn from the prepared video material.

Having decided on the place, for example, in our case it will be a window or a window, if 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 in the opening. Beforehand, a hole should be made in the plywood along the diameter of the fan.

Now you can install the fan, securing it also with self-tapping screws.

After installing the fan, it is necessary to bring an electric cable to it. Here you can use a wire with a cross section of 2 × 2.5. A switch is also installed to control the fan.

Make sure that all cable clamps and cable connections are carefully insulated. In addition, it is better to place the wire in a protective corrugation.

Additionally, the system can be equipped with temperature sensors to monitor the ventilation. It is also possible to purchase equipment to automatically turn on / off the fan. How this can be done, you can learn from the video.

Video: organization of 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

Technology features

Open window / window

This is perhaps the most primitive way of organizing ventilation. But this method is relevant only for summer chicken coops. In the winter season, the warm air will cool very quickly due to the open window and vents. Plus, you will have to constantly run in order to open / close the window in time. This method is used in exceptional cases.

Installation of air supply and exhaust pipes

In this case, the ventilation process is automated. Immediately, we note that this method is also relevant if you keep 100 chickens or more, and the room has an area of ​​up to 20 m 2. So, you will need 2 pieces of Ø200 mm pipe. Accordingly, one pipe will be installed on the inlet, and the other on the air outlet. The installation of the pipe is carried out in different corners of the chicken coop, or rather, in the opposite. The chimney can be installed near the bird roost at a distance of up to 200 mm from the ceiling. It is recommended to arrange the outlet of the chimney 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 brought out in the opposite corner from the chicken roost. The lower end of the pipe should be at a height of 200 mm from the floor, and from the roof level at a height of up to 300 mm. A special umbrella is put 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.

For efficient operation of the system in winter, it is recommended to install dampers into the duct, which will exclude the rapid escape of warm air. Although in severe frosts there is a high probability of freezing the pipe.

We offer you to watch a video that tells about 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 consolidate all the material, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the step-by-step instructions for building at home. In addition, you can watch video materials:

Instructions with photographs and explanations for the construction of a simple chicken coop from a wooden frame on a columnar foundation

Stage of work

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 at the base of the posts. You will also need a sheet of metal cut into squares. The thickness of the metal is not less than 4 mm. The cut squares should be welded to the support posts. It should be noted right away that the pillars must all have the same size.


The next step is to choose a suitable building site. Using wooden pegs and a rope, the territory is marked out. This is an important stage of the work, because the final result largely depends on the quality of the preparatory work.


After marking, it is necessary to remove the fertile soil layer by one shovel bayonet up to 250 mm. At the corners of the dug hole, support pillars are installed for the future poultry house. In this case, 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 flush with each other. The soil under the foot of the post must be compacted. If the soil is unstable in your area, then a sand cushion must be made. A layer of sand and gravel is poured onto the bottom. The pillow is rammed, after which the support pillars are mounted. Even if there is a small horizontal drop, it can be leveled by attaching the lower strapping.


The installed pillars of the support must be treated with an anti-corrosion compound, and also painted over with moisture-repellent paint. This will serve as additional protection. After that, the installation of the upper strapping from the board is carried out. For this purpose, you can use a board 150 × 50 mm. First, a bar is fixed to the metal sole from two short sides. For this purpose, a hole is drilled in the metal, as well as in a bar. Fastened with steel bolts. After that, two boards are stacked on top from the long sides and fastened in the same way. The fastening must be strong and reliable, because the quality of the future building will depend on it.


When the base is ready, we start making the wooden frame. However, before that, the dug hole is covered with soil (you can also rubble), which is rammed. Support pillars are installed in the corners, which can be fixed with metal corners and self-tapping screws to the previously laid wooden trim. An opening is immediately formed to enter the chicken coop. For greater strength, stiffeners are created in the middle of the building height. 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 fastened to the upper frame of the frame.


The rafters are additionally fixed with spacers to give the roof the necessary rigidity. The formed attic can be used for storing hay, sawdust and other things.


When the frame is completely ready, you should start sheathing. Outside, such a chicken coop can be sheathed with plywood. The walls of the frame must be insulated with mineral wool. The inside of the wall can also be sewn up 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 place for poultry walking. A timber and a metal mesh were used as a frame. In addition, the perimeter of the foundation is sheathed with mesh. This will exclude the penetration of predatory animals to the bird. Doors must be installed in the aviary so that cleaning can be done inside. A ladder is also made for the exit of chickens from the house to the street. The ladder is constructed from planks, the transverse planks at the same time give rigidity to the structure and serve as steps.


Breeding chickens in suburban areas has become increasingly popular recently, since even a small livestock, including only 10 layers or, is able to provide seven fresh eggs in the amount of 8-9 pieces daily. For layers to be as productive as possible, they need to provide comfortable living conditions all year round.

In the warm season, chickens rush without problems in any conditions, but for the period of 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 heads.

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

  • Optimum temperature. To maintain the productivity of layers in winter, the temperature in the hen house 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 in the winter chicken coop, ventilation is equipped: natural or forced.
  • Lighting. The length of daylight hours directly affects the increase in egg production in chickens. For access to daylight in the hen house, windows are made of the optimal size. In the absence of daylight in the hen house, lamps are mounted that scatter the 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.
  • Security. The room must be protected from rodents and predators.
  • Accommodation on the site. One of the criteria for choosing a place for keeping 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


Sunny, sheltered from the wind, suitable for a chicken coop.

An important point in the construction of a chicken coop is the selection of its location:

  • The room must be positioned in such a way that the smell does not penetrate the house.
  • It is worth worrying about the comfort of the chickens. Many breeds are very shy, do not like intrusions into their territory by strangers, and immediately reduce egg production.
  • The most suitable place for the location of the chicken house is the far corner of the suburban area.
  • It is necessary to arrange the building in such a way that it has an exit to the walking area. Ideally, if the chicken coop together with the aviary were a whole, isolated territory.
  • The winter chicken coop must be located on a high place so that during the thaw the melt water does not flood it. Low-lying location is unacceptable as water will spread chicken droppings throughout the site.

The windows in the coop should be large.
  • The windows of the room should be located on the south side, for maximum penetration into the sun's rays.
  • The distance from the premises to the fence on the site must be at least 4 meters. At the same time, it is not worth building a winter chicken coop far from the fence, since it will protect the structure from piercing, cold winds.

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

Preparing for the construction of a chicken coop


The chicken coop area is carefully leveled before construction.

After choosing a place for the construction of a chicken coop, it is necessary to prepare a site for it. The size of the plot depends on the size of the building. The size of the house for 10 chickens is 100X200X150 centimeters. The total interior space of the building is 15 square meters.

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

Drawings of a winter chicken coop for 10 chickens


The approximate size of a chicken coop for 10 chickens.

A drawing is the basis for the construction of any object. It is necessary to calculate the material required for construction and for a correct idea of ​​how the structure will look 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 not only of the external, but also of 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 as the owner wants it to be and correspond to the general design of the site.

In the event that 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 create convenience for the birds.

Advice! When drawing up the drawing, an aviary and a manhole should be provided to ensure walking chickens.

Drawing up drawings begins with drawing the contours of the room. All sizes are indicated. Then the internal arrangement of the winter chicken coop is planned.

Required material


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

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

If you have a brick, you can fold the walls of the chicken coop out of it. Expanded clay-concrete blocks are also suitable. Material calculations 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 metal is categorically not suitable for the construction of a winter chicken coop. It will not keep warm well. A significant drawback 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 start 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;
  • insulation material (mineral wool, etc.);
  • roofing material, slate or other roofing material;
  • electric cable, switch, light bulbs;
  • glass or glass blocks;
  • door hinges;
  • Rabitz;
  • expanded clay for floor insulation;
  • pipe for organizing ventilation.

We build a chicken coop ourselves: 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 specialists. If you have basic skills in construction, 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 to create additional ventilation, preventing wood floor rotting in winter, and also protects the chicken coop from flooding during spring floods.

Considering the low weight of the structure, this option of the foundation is also economically profitable, since during its construction there are less material costs and no specialist assistance is required. It is quite possible to build a pile or columnar foundation yourself.

Pile foundation for a chicken coop


The pile foundation is placed in damp areas.

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

On the prepared site, marking is made according to the size of the future structure with the help of pegs and a rope stretched on them. Then, the places of installation of the piles are outlined. First, they are screwed in at the corners of the structure, then around the entire perimeter. The distance between the piles should be 1.5-2 meters.

Column foundation for a chicken coop


The columnar foundation is placed on loose, sandy soils.

Columnar foundation is the easiest to install and requires minimal investment. For its construction, no special knowledge and experience is needed; one person will cope with the installation. Installation of a columnar foundation consists of the following steps:

  • Marking is done using a stretched rope.
  • Pits 70 centimeters deep and 50X50 wide are dug along the perimeter. The distance between the pits is 1 meter.
  • At the bottom of the pits, a mixture of sand and gravel 10 centimeters thick is poured. This pillow must be tamped down carefully.
  • A brick is laid at the bottom of the pillow and poured with concrete. Pouring continues until the hydraulic level is reached along the rope stretched flush with the ground.
  • Columns or pedestals are installed on prepared bases. They should rise 20-30 centimeters above the hydraulic level.
  • The entire site is covered with gravel.

The strip foundation is most often poured under the construction of a chicken coop.

For the construction of a chicken coop, it is possible to use a strip foundation. For its construction, it is necessary to dig a trench around the perimeter of the chicken coop, make a 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, as it will require waiting for the concrete to mature before starting construction. A wooden structure can be erected in 3 weeks after pouring, a brick one in 4-5 weeks.

Installation of the floor of the chicken coop

A week after the manufacture of the columnar foundation, when the solution grasps, you can proceed to the installation of the floor of the chicken coop. For installation, a support frame is made of a bar, which is sheathed with boards from below. Lags are made of 100X150 section timber. The distance between the lags is 50 centimeters. Such a base is attached to the pillars of the foundation, on which a layer of roofing material is first placed.


The floor of the chicken coop is concreted or sewn up with boards on top of expanded clay.

A layer of expanded clay is poured into the resulting cells, which will serve as a heater. Floorboards are mounted 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 proceed to the main stage - the construction of the walls and roof of the chicken coop. The walls can be built from a bar, sequentially laying it on top of each other. Linen-jute material is placed between the beams to seal the cracks.

When erecting walls from OSB, a frame of vertical and horizontal beams is attached to the lower rim. Outside, this frame is sheathed with slabs, and inside the resulting cells are mineral wool as insulation. A layer of mineral wool from the inside is again sheathed with slabs. Such a "puff 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 for window openings and a door. Window frames are hammered out of beams and fitted with glass. For ventilation, it is advisable to make a hinged frame. The door is also made of timber and sheathed with particle boards.


The roof of the hen house is made single or gable with a pipe for ventilation.

It is advisable to make a gable roof on the hen house with an attic for storing feed. Ceiling beams are attached to the upper frame rail at an acute angle. First, the deck is mounted on the upper rails. A waterproofing layer of roofing material is applied to the beams, and then the roofing material (profiled sheet, tiles, slate, etc.).

Sheathing and insulation

To maintain a positive temperature in winter, inside the hen house, the walls and the roof must be insulated. Mineral wool, polystyrene foam, expanded polystyrene and any materials are suitable for these purposes. The insulating layer is embedded in the cells of the frame. If the chicken coop is built of timber, the insulation is attached directly to the wall and secured with a metal mesh. You can fix the insulation outside or inside the chicken coop. Especially carefully it is necessary to insulate the door of the chicken coop.

After installing the insulation, the walls are sheathed with plywood, oriented strand board or boards. It is impossible to leave the insulation without sheathing inside the chicken coop, since the chickens will peck on foam or mineral wool, which will negatively affect their health.

Internal arrangement of a winter chicken coop


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

For a comfortable stay 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. The layer thickness is 7-10 centimeters.
  • For sleeping chickens, perches are erected from a bar of 30X40 centimeters or wider. The upper edges of the bars must be slightly abraded. The perches are fixed on the back wall at a distance of 30 centimeters from each other. Poles have a ladder. The total length of perches for 10 chickens is 2 meters. A ladder or ladder is made in front of the perches so that it is more convenient for the chickens to climb on them.
  • For laying hens on walls and covered with straw. The size of the nest is 40X40 centimeters, the height of the location is from 30 to 70 centimeters, depending on the breed of chickens.
  • Also, elongated feeders are installed inside, so that it is convenient for the birds to eat at the same time. Drinking bowls are constructed in such a way that chickens cannot get into them and splash water.

Nests are placed inside and loose litter is poured.

To comply with the duration of daylight hours, lighting must be installed in the winter chicken coop. Wiring, always external, is placed in special boxes.

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

Self-construction of 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 a comfortable living for 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 building secrets:

The best products are those that have been grown by hand. The owner always knows what additives and fertilizers he applied. A similar approach applies to raising pets. Many have found it helpful to start a herd of ten laying hens.

With the right choice of breed, you can consistently receive from 8 chicken eggs every day. But this is possible only with proper care, which cannot be provided without a solid chicken coop. The article will consider the option of self-manufacturing a house for chickens.

Requirements for chicken coops

A chicken coop is a tricky makeshift canopy that can be made for show. There are certain requirements that it must meet. They are:

  • protection from adverse weather conditions;
  • the presence of a constant temperature inside;
  • availability of high-quality lighting;
  • the chicken coop must have sufficient space inside;
  • sleeping places and nests should be provided;
  • availability of a place for walking;
  • construction from non-toxic materials.

The protective function of the chicken coop is one of the most important. The design should be thought out in such a way that precipitation in the form of rain or snow does not fall inside. In addition, the chicken coop should be not ventilated. The bird is sensitive to climate change, so it can pick up any kind of infection.

Inside the chicken coop, a stable temperature must be maintained both in cold and warm seasons. Someone decides to build several chicken coops for two seasons. There should be good lighting inside the room. Thanks to him, you can increase the number of eggs laid.

It should be comfortable for the bird to be inside the chicken coop, so it is necessary to provide enough space both in the nests and in the sleeping places. If there are only sleeping places, then the bird will have nowhere to rush, so it is important to take care of the nests. The latter are located in such a way that the territory is not passable, since the eggs will constantly be dirty with bird droppings. The bird cannot constantly sit still, so it is necessary to provide for a place for walking. Materials are selected without toxic emissions, since this will subsequently affect the health of consumers of meat and eggs.

Varieties of designs

In addition to the fact that chicken coops are divided into winter and summer, there are other parameters that determine the buildings for certain groups. They can be conditionally divided into:

  • with a free-range zone;
  • combined;
  • closed type;
  • cells;
  • mobile chicken coops.

If the territory for the chicken coop is more than enough, then it makes sense not to completely occupy it with a structure, but to leave the area for walking the bird. In this case, it is fenced off with a net or other material so that the bird does not scatter. In an open area during the warm season, it is easier for a bird to give food and water to the bird. The combined chicken coop is used all year round and does not require any modifications. Closed structures limit the bird walking area not only with a fence. Such structures have a roof, usually chicken coops are similar to greenhouses. Such chicken coops are often used in industrial poultry farming. One of the disadvantages of this solution is the need for periodic cleaning so that a large amount of droppings do not accumulate inside.

In some cases, it is almost impossible to allocate a place on the site for the construction of a chicken coop. This may be due to the limited area or special design of the site. In this case, bird cages are an excellent solution. They can be placed in any room and installed in several tiers. The requirements for poultry cages are similar to those given for standard chicken coops.

The ideal solution is to grow meat breeds of chickens in cages. Due to a sedentary lifestyle, body weight is gained faster and the meat remains tender. Mobile poultry house structures can be moved around the yard. They are a lightweight version of the chicken coop and are used during the warmer months.

Blueprints

An overview of the drawings will allow you to select the appropriate option for specific conditions. In addition, you can combine several options and get your own.

The variant of the chicken coop, which is shown in the drawing above, can be used for a larger number of poultry. It has all the necessary rooms to keep the chickens comfortable. The yard for poultry is fenced and has an additional exit, which can be used by both the owner and in order to transfer layers to a wider area. There is a separate dormitory for the bird, which has an opening window, which is useful in summer. The nests are in a separate room that is not a walk-through. At the same time, there is another entrance to it, through which it will be convenient to collect eggs.

Another interesting option for a bird house that has similar features to the previous one. There is also an area for walking on the street near the house itself. There are also two entrances for the owner. Notable is the presence of a vestibule, which cuts off the cold air in winter. The nests and sleeping places for birds are in the same room, but the former are raised above the floor level to make them harder to get into. Dimensions in the drawing are in centimeters.

This is a good example of a summer bird construction. As you can see, the walking area is fenced off with a strong grate, which is especially useful for those areas where foxes are frequent guests. Such metal will not allow them to penetrate inside the chicken coop. Feeders for 10 birds are located along one of the walls. On the other hand, nests can be made in this way, which means that the bird does not have to be stressed when removing eggs.

Chicken coop construction

Understanding the features of the chicken coop is a guarantee that you can build a chicken coop yourself. This is a simple process that requires basic skills in working with the tool.

Design

Before choosing a place where a chicken coop for 10 chickens will be located, you need to draw up your own drawing of the structure. This can be a rough plan with dimensions. It is important to think carefully about the internal arrangement of the various elements. For ten chickens, there should be at least four nests indoors. An example of how a bird roost might be located is shown below. It is necessary to plan the perches in such a way that droppings from birds that will sit above do not fall from those who are below.

The ten bird feeders are best positioned opposite the perches. This will make it easier for birds to access the feeding area. It is desirable that the containers are raised from the floor by 10 cm. One or more windows must be installed. Their area is calculated depending on the total floor area. The first percentage should be 30. The floor inside the building should not be too slippery to make it easier for the bird to move around.

Seat selection

When the issue with the dimensions is resolved, you can proceed to the selection of a specific site for the chicken coop. It is better to choose an area that will be located on a small hill. This is done in order to prevent the accumulation of water from precipitation in the chicken coop or in the aviary. It is necessary to evaluate the parties that are most often blown through and avoid them. Ideal would be the south side of the house, where it is sunny and warm most of the day, which is important for the well-being of the bird.

The distance from the hen house to the main building should be sufficient so that the smell does not penetrate into the house. If there are sources of clean water in the yard, for example, a well, then the house must be removed at least 40 meters from it. You should not place a house for chickens right next to a neighbor's fence. It is better to place it at a distance of 4 meters. The area where the chicken coop will be located should not be a checkpoint. The bird does not like uninvited guests on its territory.

Foundation

The chicken coop belongs to buildings that are lightweight, so several foundation options are suitable for it. But it is safer and easier to carry out the construction of a conventional tape structure for a chicken coop. In accordance with the selected dimensions of the chicken coop, the territory on the site is marked. The sod is removed so that access to the ground is open, it will be easier to work this way. A trench is dug with a shovel. Its width should be 5 cm greater than the width of the chicken coop wall. The depth will be enough at 30 cm. The bottom of the pit is well rammed and leveled. After that, a ten-centimeter layer of crushed stone cushion is laid. It is also leveled and the same pillow is poured on top, but from the sand. It also needs to be tamped well.

The next step is the installation of the formwork, into which the concrete solution will be poured. The design of the foundation for the chicken coop will be strengthened by a metal grill, which is laid before pouring. It is important to compact the concrete well so that it fills the pores. If the walls are built of bricks, then you will need to wait for the full set of strength, which can last up to one month. If the structure is made of wood-based panels, then work can be continued in two weeks.

Walls

The construction of the walls of the hen house can be made from various materials. A simple solution would be to assemble them from sheet material. For this, OSB plates are suitable. The first step is to waterproof the surface of the foundation for the chicken coop. First of all, it is opened with bituminous mastic, on which roofing material is laid. Next, you need a beam with a section of 10 cm. It is screwed to the base with dowels. Racks with the same section are mounted on the timber. They can be fixed to the base with metal corners and jibs. The upper strapping of the structure is being carried out, which is designed to strengthen the racks. Every 60 cm, vertical racks are mounted from a board with a width of 10 cm.

The places where the windows and doors will be located are additionally strengthened. A vapor barrier is fixed from the inside. Insulation in the form of mineral wool is placed in the cavity between the racks. After that, the outside walls of the hen house are sewn up with waterproofing to close the insulation inside. After that, the walls of the hen house from the inside can be sheathed with OSB sheets. Outside, the chicken coop is finished with siding or moisture-resistant OSB sheets.

Roof

The best option for a chicken coop would be a gable roof. Due to the presence of the attic, an additional air gap is formed, which will act as an insulator. Triangular trusses with a selected angle are installed on the upper harness. The roof of the chicken coop is waterproofed, the lathing is made and the roofing is laid. As the latter, you can use corrugated board or slate. You will need to insulate the ceiling. For these purposes, a vapor barrier is nailed from the inside, onto which mineral wool is laid from the attic. The ceiling is hemmed with moisture resistant OSB sheets.

Floor

The space inside the foundation for the chicken coop is covered with soil and rammed. After that, the surface is waterproofed with plastic wrap or roofing felt, which are overlapped. A lag is installed to the harness of the chicken coop, between which insulation is also laid. From above it is sewn up with waterproofing and moisture-resistant OSB is laid on the floor of the chicken coop. A video about a budget chicken coop is below.

Summary

In addition to good lighting, care must be taken to ensure that the bird always has fresh air in the chicken coop. For these purposes, supply and exhaust ventilation is being constructed. It promptly removes ammonia from poultry droppings.

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

They are undemanding to the conditions of detention and are quite capable of providing your family with eggs and meat. Besides, little chicken coop able to organically complement your personal plot.

For a small family, it is enough to have 10 layers... If you plan to breed birds for financial profit, then a mini-chicken coop is not enough here, you will need a more spacious room. How to build a simple chicken coop for 10 chickens, you will learn from 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... In the hen house, windows must be made and electric lamps installed.

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

Egg breeds feel comfortable when their livestock does not exceed 4 birds per sq m area. For chickens - 14 goals per m.It should be borne in mind that in the winter, chickens can be compacted to 6-7 individuals by one m. Thus, the birds will better endure the winter cold.

Seat selection

Before starting construction, it is necessary to determine the location of the future chicken coop. To do this, you can choose any flat place with a slight slope on your backyard.

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

Materials and tools

For the construction of a small chicken coop, you can use any materials at hand, which are probably available in every household. In particular:

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

If you have planned more fundamental structure, 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 starts with. This allows you to better plan the future construction and determine the amount of materials required.

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

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

In order for the birds to freely go for a walk, a small hole is made in the door (a hole with a diameter of about 50 cm). It is worth noting that there are options for chicken coops on 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 50, 100 and 200 birds.


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

Base

Having decided on the size of the future structure, you can start pouring.

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

To fill the foundation, a hole is dug with a depth of about 30 cm... The edges of the pit are laid out with boards. This will be the outer part of the future formwork. The inner part is set at a distance 20 cm from the outside.

Note! Before installing the formwork, it is recommended to lay out the edges of the pit with a metal mesh. This will protect the hens from predators and mice. Very often, uninvited guests get into the chicken coop with the help of a tunnel.


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

Floor construction

For arrangement of floors there are two possible options:

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

The second option is considered the most optimal. A wood floor will keep you warm better during the winter season. If you decide to lay a plank floor, then first you need to lay on the foundation waterproofing layer.

For these purposes, you can use roofing felt... On top of the waterproofing, a litter is poured, which will play the role of insulation. This is usually a mixture sand, sawdust and hay with a thickness of about three cm. Only then can you start installing the boards.

How to make walls

You can build walls brick... This option will give the chicken coop a solid and beautiful appearance. Of course, one brick for the construction of walls is not enough, the chicken coop will turn out to be cold.

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

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

When building walls, do not forget to provide window openings... Otherwise, you will have to pay your 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 layers with sunlight in winter.

Ceiling and roof

For the construction of the roof, you can use any handy material... For example, pieces of sheet metal, roofing felt or slate. Usually roofs in chicken coops are gable and.

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

This can be done in the same way as walls. For the manufacture of the roof are installed rafters on which the frame is nailed. Insulation is laid on the frame. The roof on the inside must be upholstered with plywood, and on the outside - with roofing material.

Ventilation device

Carried away by construction, do not forget about hood... To do this, a pipe with a diameter of about 20 cm is installed in the roof as far as possible from the perches.

The pipe should be lowered into the hen house for 50-70 cm, the rest remains above the roof. The total length of the ventilation pipe should be about two meters.

Such ventilation without problems copes with the renewal of air in a room with an area of ​​up to 10 sq m.

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

Chicken enclosure

In order for the chickens not to walk around the garden, pecking out your crop, you need to make a small aviary where they can walk and breathe fresh air.

As we said earlier, the optimal size of the site for 10 chickens is 2x2 m... To create it, pillars are dug into the ground next to the chicken coop, the space between which is closed with a net.

V summer time chickens spend most of their time outdoors and easily find food for themselves.

The 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 chicken coop opposite to the perches. 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 must have at least 15 cm the length of the feeder.

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

The length of the perch depends on the number of chickens. For example, a bar of length is enough for 10 layers. 3m... The roost is set at a height 50 cm from the floor and at a distance 35 cm from the wall.

You need to install electric lamps... The duration of daylight hours for chickens should be about 15 hours... For this, lamps with shades are better suited.

When installing lighting, remember that for each 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.

Do not forget about nests for laying hens. For ten chickens you will need 2-3 nests... They can be made from ordinary wooden boxes.

The dimensions should be as follows: box height 40 centimeters, width and depth about 30 cm... You can place them in any shaded place in the chicken coop. As a bedding, the bottom of the box is laid out 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 already finished structure... To do this, you can turn to the help of the Internet.

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

You can purchase both ready-made models and order a chicken coop for an individual project. A typical building for keeping chickens will cost you about 10,000-15,000 rubles.

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

Therefore, many novice farmers prefer to build chicken coops. do it yourself... 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 vivid example of a do-it-yourself chicken coop and its dimensions, you can watch in this video.