If you have a desire and minimal experience in keeping chickens and you are thinking about how to build a chicken coop with your own hands, then we will tell you how to build a winter chicken coop for 10 hens.
The small size and thermal insulation of the chicken coop will allow the birds to heat the room with the heat of their bodies. At the same time, the construction of such a chicken coop is quite within the power of every householder! This project will not take too much time and will not require expensive tools.
Do-it-yourself chicken coop for 10 chickens.
When designing and building a chicken coop, it is important to keep many factors in mind. After all, a chicken coop is both a comfortable home for birds and an outbuilding designed to make it easier for people to care for animals and increase labor productivity. Therefore, before making a chicken coop with your own hands, let's figure out which structural elements and features should be inherent in every good chicken coop.
1. We rise above the ground
Dampness and moisture are the main enemies of any chicken coop. In a damp room, the birds begin to get sick, so the chicken coop is always raised above the ground. Some designs provide for a very high rise - up to a meter, and sometimes even higher. If your area, like ours, does not have excessive humidity, then 25-40cm should be enough.
Speaking of the area! Choosing the right place for a chicken coop is 50% success. Here are some tips to help you with this:
3. Entrances and exits for chickens and people
Each chicken coop should have an entrance for birds, as well as access for cleaning the room. In our coop, the passage for the chickens is made behind the back wall, and two doors provide the possibility of cleaning the coop.
4. Nests and perch
Chickens will lay eggs in the nests, and you will take these eggs from the nests, so the nests should be convenient for both you and the hens. It's believed that The ideal nest size is 30x30cm long and wide, and 30-40cm. in height. At the same time, it is recommended to do the entrance to the nests already.
Outside, the nests should be easily accessible.
The lid opens so you don't have to climb inside the chicken coop to collect the eggs.
The lid must be inclined so that water flows freely from it and does not fall into the nests.
Total perch length is calculated based on 25cm per hen. Since we are counting on our chicken coop for ten chickens, the crossbar is enough for the entire length of the chicken coop (almost 2.5 m).
5. Lighting and ventilation of the chicken coop
Chickens need light. Shortening of daylight hours is one of the main reasons why chickens stop laying eggs in winter, and experienced owners know that turning on a light bulb solves this problem. Therefore, the windows in the chicken coop - to be!
It is better to make windows on at least three sides so that light penetrates the chicken coop throughout the day. Also pay attention to the folding ventilation window on the back wall. In wet weather, it can be opened for additional ventilation. The windows above the nests on the front wall also open. Ventilation is very important, but remember: whatever tricks you use to ventilate your winter coop, be sure to provide for the possibility of adjusting the air flow up to its complete overlap - this will come in handy in winter, when ventilation will suck out precious heat.
Chicken coop drawing.
Below we provide drawings of our chicken coop. For construction, we used timber and boards of coniferous wood, as well as plywood 15 mm thick. It is quite possible to use OSB for the floor and the substrate under the roof. When specifying the step between the lags and rafters, the distances are indicated between the centers of the bars.
How to insulate a chicken coop with your own hands
So we built a chicken coop. Now it is necessary to carry out its warming. Can be used as a heater various materials. Mineral wool is perfect for this.
As well as polystyrene and expanded polystyrene.
At worst, you can sheathe the walls with cardboard and old blankets.
The insulation is inserted between the bars, after which it is sewn up with plywood. Otherwise, birds can peck at it (they especially love foam).
In winter, it is also worth closing the windows with insulation. It is important to provide artificial lighting.
In case of severe frosts, it is possible to provide for the presence infrared lamps. At the same time, their work can be controlled by a timer or even a thermal relay - this eliminates unnecessary trouble, eliminates human factor(forgot to turn on/off) and saves money.
Do-it-yourself chicken coop. Summer paddock.
In the warm season, chickens need more space, and they will be happy to spend most of their time outside. Therefore, when making a chicken coop with your own hands, you need to make an open summer pen for chickens. The area of the paddock is calculated by the formula 1 sq.m. for every chicken.
Pay attention to the mesh at the bottom of the chicken coop - it protects from predators. It should be deepened into the ground by 20-30 cm, as some predators are quite capable of digging. And if large birds of prey are found in your area, then the paddock must also be protected from above.
It is also very important that at least part of the corral is in the shade - the chickens must be able to hide from the scorching sun. If there is no natural shade, then build a small canopy.
So that the birds can freely enter and exit the chicken coop raised above the ground, a simple ladder is usually built for them.
Do-it-yourself chicken coop from improvised materials.
A German farmer turned an old kitchen cabinet into a small chicken coop.
This reclaimed coop fully complies with EU-approved specifications for keeping chickens and provides enough space for up to three hens to collect and lay their eggs.
Chickens need space to roam, so the chicken coop is placed in the backyard to give them enough room to roam.
Chicken coop from improvised materials shows how modern methods keeping chickens can be implemented by non-standard means.
As you can see, in the construction of such a seemingly simple thing as a chicken coop, there are many nuances and important points, not knowing which can nullify all efforts.
But despite this, anyone can build a good chicken coop with their own hands.
The main thing is to arm yourself with the right knowledge and think over all aspects of the design in advance. You can build a chicken coop according to our drawings, or, taking their basis, modify its device to suit your needs.
Please share your experience and advice on this topic in the comments!
Lovers to spend everything free time on the suburban area often comes to mind the idea of own production food. So, the presence of livestock will help not only to find an interesting activity in addition to caring for the garden, but also to always have fresh milk, eggs, and meat on the table. It is better to start gradually and start, for example, chickens. They do not require special care, they are considered the most unpretentious among pets. The first thing you need to keep laying hens is a chicken coop. Since the main time spent in the country or in the garden falls on the warm season, a do-it-yourself summer chicken coop will suffice.
Any house for chickens consists of two sections:
- The main part is a place for chickens, where they sleep, eat, rush.
- Walking in the daytime - a fenced part of the site for the bird to stay in the fresh air. In summer, chickens stay here for about 15 hours, so you can’t do without such an aviary.
The standard variety of chicken coops is represented by three options:
- chicken coop with equipped canopy;
A bird living in a chicken coop with a canopy can, if desired, be inside or take walks in the fresh air
- chicken coop with several pens;
The size of the chicken coop depends on the number of birds living in it.
- mobile chicken coop - portable model.
Perfect for a summer cottage portable chicken coop
For country use, the first option is considered the most suitable, when under a canopy chickens can always hide from wind, precipitation, heat, and predators. The construction of chicken coops with a corral involves a fairly high fence that will not allow laying hens to fly to unintended territory. Chickens can easily harm everything planted on the site, they rake the ground heavily, look for worms and feast on fresh grass and flowers.
The height of the fence should be about 2.5 meters - this is enough so that the chickens do not fly out
The portable chicken coop takes up little space and has a lightweight design. Being not entirely comfortable for long-term residence of chickens, it has its advantages:
- it can be easily carried to a convenient place with enough grass;
- can be limited to a small area of \u200b\u200bthe room.
Regardless of the chosen design of the chicken coop, any of them can be changed both in size and content. A summer house for birds, if desired, can be turned into a winter chicken coop, it is enough to make the necessary insulation and lighting inside.
A special vestibule will reduce heat loss in winter
Chickens, like all birds, can fly, so you simply cannot do without fencing their place of residence. In addition, they are prey for foxes, ferrets, dogs and rats, which also requires special protection of the chicken coop.
The chicken coop must be protected from the entry of predators.
most the best design a fence made of a wooden picket fence or profiled sheet is considered. More economical would be a mesh fence with high artisanal plantings. Such a hedge will not only become an obstacle in the way of uninvited guests, but will also provide natural protection for chickens from overheating during strong sunshine and from hypothermia in windy weather. Another advantage of shrubs on the territory of the poultry house is the creation of favorable conditions for the reproduction of small living creatures, for example, beetles, worms and other insects quickly appear under last year's foliage - a delicacy for chickens.
It is worth arranging the chicken coop so that there is free space for future buildings: over time, you may want to increase the number of chickens in your household
The place for the chicken coop is determined based on the available free territory, but the farther from the residential building it is placed, the less negative emotions the specific smell of chicken manure will cause. In a word, the building should be shaded, sheltered from precipitation and gusts of wind. With an unused old barn, the task of building a chicken coop is simplified.
Video: arranging a chicken coop, personal experience
One of the most important factors a constant supply of eggs advocated lighting.
You need to use lighting from autumn to spring to extend the day for laying hens
According to experts, at least 8-10 hours of light per day is considered sufficient for a bird to stay indoors, and with an 11-12-hour daylight hours, an increase in the number of eggs by 30% is observed. AT summer period, as a rule, chickens have enough sun, but with the advent of the cold season (November - March), it is necessary to provide them with additional lighting.
It is recommended for beginner poultry farmers when building a chicken coop to plan the installation of a good large window with closing external shutters. So, in winter it will be possible to reduce the cost of electricity through natural lighting.
It is better to close the lamp in the chicken coop with a ceiling lamp to protect it from dust, cobwebs and hay
To maintain daylight hours in the habitat of chickens, it is allowed to install different types lamps:
- Electric lamps are incandescent lamps familiar to all with a minimum power of 60 watts.
- Luminescent - are very popular among poultry houses, the power must be at least 40 watts.
- Energy-saving - lamps that allow you to save money, while creating a sufficient level of illumination, the power is limited to 15 watts.
- LED lamp - modern models that are practical and economical to use.
The number of lamps required for installation is determined based on the area of \u200b\u200bthe room. So, for 6 m 2, with a light source placed at a height of 2 m from the floor, a 60 W incandescent lamp is sufficient.
Favorable conditions for birds should be created in the chicken coop
Equally important is the observance temperature regime- in the chicken coop should be at least 15 degrees, lower temperatures provoke a decrease in the number of eggs brought with a significant increase in the appetite of chickens.
To create a favorable microclimate, care should be taken to exclude drafts and the possibility of timely ventilation of the room. The chicken coop should be inspected for cracks and other openings to prevent the entry of rats and other rodents.
Video: chicken coop for laying hens
At the stage of designing a chicken coop, it is important to know how many chickens will live in it. So, 5-6 individuals will have enough area of 3 m, for 10 layers they will have to build a room of 5 m, and 20 birds can comfortably live at 10 m. Walking feathered pets should be carried out in a more spacious area. The area should be 2-3 times larger than the poultry house itself.
Whatever type of chicken coop you choose to build, the first step is to make a detailed drawing, on which the dimensions should be indicated
A key factor in the arrangement of the place of residence is the breed of birds kept. For broilers, which are less active, a modest pen is sufficient, while laying hens, on the contrary, need space, otherwise they will stop laying. Experts recommend keeping heterogeneous chickens in separate places to avoid war between them.
Basic requirements for preparing a chicken coop:
- In order to disinfect all the walls of the room should be whitewashed.
- Ammonium vapor released from chicken manure is toxic to birds, so it is important not only to clean up feces on time, but also to equip ventilation.
- For the location of chicken nests, far corners are suitable, taking into account one nest for 2-3 layers. If the area is limited, then the placement of side outer boxes is allowed.
- The bird must have access to water, so drinking bowls with clean water should be equipped both in the house and in the fresh air.
- Chickens during feeding are quite active, which should be taken into account when attaching the feeders, otherwise they can turn over the containers.
- The window is a mandatory element of the room, in size it must be at least 1/12 of the floor surface.
- At night, birds sit on perches, the length of which is calculated based on a minimum of 25–30 cm per occupant and a height of 1.5 m or more.
There must be enough space in the coop, if the bird is placed in a limited space, it will feel uncomfortable and start to get sick
As for the tools, the set is standard, which includes:
- to perform measurements - tape measure, level, pencil;
- to work with the material - a hacksaw, saw, a piece of sandpaper;
- for fasteners - a construction stapler, a screwdriver (if not available, a screwdriver), a set of nails or self-tapping screws, a hammer, pliers.
Video: chicken coop project
What is the best way to build a chicken coop?
Despite the short service life, a temporary chicken coop is assembled from natural wood or materials based on it. Suitable for work wooden planks, fiberboard, chipboard, OSB. Supports can be made of timber, concrete blocks or metal profile pillars. For the arrangement of the aviary, a reinforcing mesh or chain-link mesh is perfectly used. The canopy may be light, but it must provide impeccable protection from wind and rain. Plywood, polycarbonate, film with reinforcement will successfully cope with this task.
Although the summer house is used seasonally, it will last more than one summer with proper wood treatment by impregnation or staining.
Wood material is very practical and economical, and if it is processed correctly, it is also durable.
The importance of the foundation in the construction of a chicken coop
Installation of the house is carried out on a hill, which will prevent it from flooding during heavy rains. If there is a flat area, it is enough to pour gravel, crushed stone, even broken bricks will do. The top layer is sand, which also helps the digestion of laying hens. The purpose of the foundation, in addition to the fact that it performs the function of the basis of the structure, is to ensure the safety of chickens when attacked by predatory animals. Depending on the capabilities of the owner, it is allowed to fill a strip or column foundation.
The missing foundation of the chicken coop should be replaced with slate sheets or a metal coating, which is dug in at some elevation (about 30 cm from the ground) around the entire building. If you can’t make such a structure either, then you need to at least overlay the bottom of the chicken coop with large stones, closing the cracks.
A portable summer house does not need a foundation, it is enough to fix the frame on wide bars, to which the mesh will be fixed.
The chicken coop can be equipped with wheels for ease of movement.
You can also breed broiler chickens if you have a portable chicken coop in the form of a hut. As for the size of such a design, 4 m2 of area will be enough for 6–8 chickens. The construction of the house is quite simple according to the scheme below:
- The side frames are folded from edged boards, secured with screws or nails.
You need to start construction with the construction of the frame frame
- The mesh is fixed to the wooden walls with a construction stapler. In the absence of a stapler, you can get by with nails, then you need to drive them in not completely, but in such a way that you can then bend them in the form of a bracket. All sharp metal ends should be removed so that the bird is not injured during the flight.
- The upper part of both walls is connected to self-tapping screws, and to fix the lower parts, crossbars are laid. The middle can also be made more stable by laying the boards with an indent of 40 cm from the bottom.
It is necessary to connect the walls of the frame in at least three places
- The middle, as it were, separates the aviary from the perch, therefore, for rigidity, additional spacers will be needed, on top of which rectangular plywood is laid on self-tapping screws.
You can additionally strengthen the walls of the chicken coop with spacers.
- The upper part of the house must be closed; for this, two plywood of the right size are attached on both sides of the structure from the middle to the top. The ridge element is formed by two horizontal boards nailed to plywood.
- A mesh is stretched from the ends of the chicken coop or doors are installed for the convenience of cleaning the room and collecting eggs.
- To strengthen the places where the mesh is fixed to the plywood, it is recommended to nail the bar. So, the design will not be deformed, it will last longer.
The plank between plywood and mesh will give rigidity to the junction
- For the convenience of moving chickens from the street to the room, a ramp is assembled - a sheet of plywood with stuffed transverse rails is placed on a spacer.
- After that, you can begin to create a perch, nests, install a feeder, drinkers.
Video: do-it-yourself summer chicken coop
After the completion of the construction of the chicken coop, it remains to equip it inside, making nests, perches and placing feeders.
The function of perches is easily performed by wooden poles with a diameter of 5-6 cm, located against the wall opposite the entrance. Large breeds it is more convenient to sit on a perch at a height of about 70 cm from the floor, ordinary chickens fit in two rows at a height of up to 120–130 cm. Each bird will need about 30–50 cm of pole length.
Perches for laying hens should be as comfortable as possible and have enough space to accommodate all the hens at once.
In order to enjoy fresh eggs every day, it is important to take care of the arrangement of nests. When installing them, you must adhere to the following requirements:
- Nests are made at the rate of 1 nest for 3-5 hens.
- The size of the nest should be suitable for the parameters of the bird: approximate width - 30 cm; depth - up to 50 cm; height - 30–35 cm.
- Nests can be arranged individually or in one row in a secluded place.
- Before entering the nest, there should be a shelf on which laying hens can easily take off.
- The nest inside should be lined with straw or hay.
Nests can be closed and open, but closed chickens feel calmer and more secure.
You should not equip nests on the floor, otherwise the chickens will begin to mark there and even spend the night. To attract laying hens to new laying places, it is enough for the first time to put a dummy egg, for example, carve it out of wood, cut it out of foam.
1 nest can be equipped for 2-3 hens
The last stage of work is the installation of the feeder, there are also some nuances here.
Video: do-it-yourself pipe feeder
It is quite simple to build a summer chicken coop, and with its proper arrangement, it is also easy to maintain. With a minimum of effort, you can get tasty and environmentally friendly products to the table every day throughout the entire warm period of time, without leaving your garden plot.
Breeding chickens for many becomes not only a good opportunity to regularly receive fresh homemade poultry meat, but also an opportunity to earn money if laying hens bring a sufficient number of eggs. In order for chickens to grow up healthy, they need their own chicken coop, which can be successfully made with your own hands. Especially if at the time of construction the total number of individuals is no more than 10 pieces.
Understanding what goals and needs you need to build a chicken coop to meet is the key to creating the most comfortable home for birds. The main purpose of the building is a place for the chicken to spend the night and a secluded place where you can lay eggs. Therefore, the chicken coop must be built in such a way as to protect chickens from:
- adverse weather conditions;
- rodents;
- predatory animals.
Many owners of poultry houses are familiar with the picture of a devastated chicken coop: severed heads, sucked blood and chewed off paws. Ways to eliminate an unwanted guest are presented in the article.
In addition to the main space where the birds will be given access to food and water, they will need a perch and space for future nests.
Reference! Since cleaning the mini-house for chickens will also be necessary, this will need to be taken into account when calculating the height of the building. You should be comfortable cleaning the interior as needed.
Additionally, you will need to take care of the microclimate necessary to maintain the health of chickens. As a result, regular ventilation of the house and a sufficient amount of sunlight are very important.
Preparation for construction
Before organizing a poultry house for 10 chickens with his own hands, the farmer needs to do some preparation.
- First of all, a place is chosen where the poultry house will be located. Then a plan is made internal organization building as it will look from the outside.
- The next step is to select suitable materials for construction. You need to carefully consider what to make walls, a roof from, how good insulation the chickens will need.
- The construction of a chicken coop, in which the birds will be comfortable and safe enough, should be designed according to drawings that take into account the landscape features on the site, as well as the growth of the breeder.
Attention! If you use ready-made drawings, you need to check how suitable such a building will be for both the site and the farmer. Again, special attention is paid to the height of the chicken coop.
Technical features of poultry house design
It is not so difficult to draw up a drawing of a chicken coop on your own. To do this, you need to know a few basic principles of construction:
- Doors are recommended to be installed so that they can be opened inside the room.
- At the floor inside the chicken coop, you need to make a slight slope so that cleaning is faster and easier.
The size of the object is calculated depending on how many chickens are planned to fit in the house. If you do not plan to increase the number of chickens, it makes no sense to make a large building. Otherwise, it will take up space that could otherwise be used on the farm.
Consider the features of several types of chicken coops, and give examples of drawings that can be used to build a mini-house.
summer chicken coop
Quite simple in execution and low-cost construction. To bring it to life, you will need a minimum amount of materials, and initial building skills. Another distinguishing feature is the lack of a foundation. Such poultry houses are made on the basis of additional protection of chickens from rodents and predatory animals.
In addition to the poultry house itself, an aviary with a canopy is necessarily installed. The latter is necessary for cases of sunny hot days, so that the birds do not overheat during walks and do not get sick.
winter construction
This type of poultry house for 10 hens must be supplied with a foundation. In order to keep warm inside the room during the cold season, it is best to attach a special vestibule in front of the main entrance to the chicken coop.
The interior of the chicken coop should include sufficient lighting, ventilation, plus a place that will be equipped specifically for walking chickens. The maximum number of heads per 1 m 2 should not exceed 3 pieces. Therefore, if it is planned to increase the number of birds in the future, it is better to build freer poultry houses.
In order to eat fresh eggs and poultry meat all year round, it is necessary to properly insulate the house for layers, providing them with a comfortable winter. Step-by-step instruction presented in the article.
Video - Winter chicken coop
Required building materials and their choice
The reliability of the building and its convenience for birds significantly depends on the materials used in construction and their quality. What is usually required to create a compact birdhouse is shown in the table below.
| Poultry house design element | materials |
|---|---|
| Foundation |
|
| main building |
|
| Lighting system |
|
Since the construction market is quite wide, and the farmer may have a number of questions about what would be best to use for the construction of the chicken coop, here are some basic tips for selecting the required material.
- Light summer poultry houses are best built from wood. This is a natural material that does not require large financial costs for insulation, since it will sufficiently act as a heat insulator.
- If you plan to create a permanent poultry house that will be used in the winter, more the best option the walls will be made of bricks. But they will need to be additionally sheathed with wood to better retain heat inside the house.
- Even though birds need adequate light, high wattage bulbs should not be chosen. For an incandescent lamp, a range of 40-60 W is sufficient, for a fluorescent lamp - 40 W, for an energy-saving lamp - 15 W. If the light bulb is at a height of about 2 meters, its light is enough to cover 6 square meters of floor space.
Prices for various types of timber
Choosing a place to build a chicken coop for 10 laying hens
Once the dimensions of the future building are determined, as well as suitable materials and tools are selected, the optimal site for the placement of the poultry house is selected. Convenient placement of the chicken house is necessary because for chickens it will be a permanent place of residence, and often a place not only for sleeping, but also for laying eggs and walking. Therefore, nothing should cause discomfort to chickens.
What rules will you need to follow when choosing a location:
- A rather dry place, since high humidity has a negative effect on the health of chickens.
- It is advisable to choose a place with a slope. This is necessary in case of rainfall. So the water can leave quickly enough from the chicken coop, and not spoil the soil next to it.
- The location of the chicken coop should be well lit.
- The most successful would be the location of the chicken coop so that the adjacent aviary is located on south side. Thanks to this, the aviary will be heated all year round.
We build a chicken coop in the country with our own hands for 10 chickens
First of all, consider the principles of creating a foundation, if the design of the chicken coop provides for its presence. When the organization of a summer house is required, the columnar type of foundation is optimal.
What will need to be done:
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Mark the borders of the chicken coop using pegs and string. |
| 2 | Remove the soil layer 20 cm high. |
| 3 | At each corner, dig a hole 70 cm deep and 50 cm wide. If, according to the design, the house is elongated, it will be necessary to install additional pegs along the long wall at a distance of 80-100 cm from each other. |
| 4 | Using a rope, measure the required level of supports above the ground. Focus on 20-25 cm. |
| 5 | Pour 10 cm of gravel into each hole. |
| 6 | Go to laying bricks. Strengthen the first 2 bricks with cement, then place the next 2 perpendicularly. Continue laying to the desired height. |
| 7 | Leave the solution to dry for at least a week. |
| 8 | After the solution has completely solidified, it will be necessary to treat the columns with mastic or bitumen. In place of the removed soil, pour a layer of gravel as drainage. |
If you plan to provide the chicken coop with a stronger foundation, it is better to use the following algorithm:
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Dig a hole in the area of \u200b\u200bthe house with a depth of 35 cm. |
| 2 | Pour a drainage layer of gravel and sand with a total height of 10 cm. |
| 3 | Using the boards, establish a frame shape. |
| 4 | Tie the reinforcing mesh. |
| 5 | Fill the rest of the hole with concrete. |
| 6 | Allow the concrete pad to dry for 3 weeks. |
Floor and walls of the house
If the chicken coop is planned to be made without a foundation, you can get by with a simple earthen floor. Otherwise, it will be necessary to lay a plank surface, on which to later place a litter of soft materials. The thickness of the litter should be at least 3 cm. Straw or a layer of sawdust often acts as a heater.
As the basis of the floor, a bar crate is necessarily installed, on which the boards are hemmed. Moreover, to insulate the floor in the room, it is desirable to make sheathing not only from the top, but also from the bottom.
As the main material for the construction of walls, both beams and bricks can be used. The second method is more costly in terms of the amount of materials required, since it requires additional insulation of the birdhouse. To build walls from a bar that retains heat quite well, you must use the following algorithm:
Since unwanted "guests" such as a ferret, rat or fox can try to enter the house, in no case should there be gaps in the walls of the building. To reduce the likelihood of an attack on chickens, it is recommended to protect the house with metal sheets or slate, digging them into the ground so that about 30 cm remain above the ground in height.
Roof
The roof is one of the important elements of the building, as it has a direct impact on the thermal insulation and microclimate inside the poultry house. As a consequence, the roof should not contain any gaps that cause drafts. As for the type of roof, it is better to opt for a shed or gable roof. This will protect the chicken coop from the threat of flooding during rain.
The organization of the roof takes place in several main stages:
The interior of the chicken coop
Nest prices for laying hens
Nest for laying hens
As soon as the main room of the chicken coop is ready, it is necessary to provide the birds with suitable living conditions. Here are a few basic requirements for the internal arrangement of a mini-house for 10 hens:
Prices for a chain-link mesh for fencing an aviary
Rabitz
Many farm stores offer ready-made chicken coops for a different number of chickens. Including 10 or less. For some, this may be a viable option for breeding the most popular poultry. And those who want to be completely sure that they have foreseen all the subtleties of building a poultry house and equipped the interior of the chicken coop so that the chickens are comfortable will prefer to develop drawings on their own and subsequently take up the tools.
For those who live in the country from early spring to late autumn, it makes sense to have laying hens and enjoy homemade eggs. In summer conditions, it is quite possible to make a simple but comfortable chicken coop.
Design features
You can order a chicken coop to a carpenter, buy it ready-made or make it yourself. There are many types of structures, from a small portable version to a large-scale structure. When designing a chicken coop, you should choose a warm, but not hot place. The house with nests and perches needs to be raised above the ground, this will help protect the birds from the night cold and dampness.
Mini chicken coops, for several birds, are easily transferred to another place. They can be made in the form of a stretcher, put on wheels or simply moved in parts. Large plots of land can afford voluminous chicken coops with a spacious range. Sometimes bird houses are built on several floors.
Free range chickens are more fun. But whoever dares to release them into the garden will be left without a harvest. The poultry owners found a way out, how to walk up a bird and save vegetables. They build long corridors from the net, in which the birds can leave the chicken coop and enter it from the other side.
With the summer option in the summer cottage, you can not complicate your life at all, make the simplest chicken coop, in the form of a triangle of several sheets of slate, and a small paddock, covered with a net. Those who love complexity can build a beautiful poultry house with a string of houses, windows and flower beds. Or a mini-house for broilers, similar to a real rural hut.
How to build with your own hands
Before you start building a chicken coop, you need to know how many birds will live in it, the size of the future building depends on this. It is quite possible to make a poultry house in the country with your own hands, you just need to follow the step-by-step instructions.
Preparatory work
In any construction, time is needed for preparatory work. This includes: the choice of location, project, materials, preparation of drawings and calculations.
Location selection
The health and quality of the eggs will depend on the comfortable state of the bird. A correctly chosen place can further affect the egg production of chickens. On a hot summer day, laying hens will be uncomfortable in the sun. It is better to place them under a shady tree. In the morning, the slanting rays of the sun should warm and dry the chicken coop that has cooled overnight, and for this it should be placed on the southeast side of the trees.
It is better to choose a place for the bird away from the garden and vegetable garden in order to eliminate the risks of chemicals entering the room when processing horticultural crops. Sewers, cesspools and compost pits should also not be near the chicken coop and range to avoid infection. If you attach a chicken coop to the cottage building, it is easier to heat it and it is easier to look after the bird. It is impossible to carry out construction in a lowland, since precipitation from land plot will run down to the chicken coop.
It is better to plant a hedge around the walking area of the birds to protect them from wind and drafts. The bird can equally suffer from heat, cold and wind, so all these factors should be excluded. To make it easier to control the birds and close them in time for the night, the chicken coop should be visible from the most inhabited places in the country. When the chickens come to rest, you just need to close the door behind them.
Project
Construction should begin with the preparation of drawings and calculations. By this time, the place of construction must be determined, the sketch of the chicken coop is drawn up with reference to the area and cardinal points. It is necessary to indicate nearby buildings and trees, consider the level of shading, the wind rose, and exclude the presence of drafts. You can draw up a drawing of the building yourself, taking into account the characteristics of your site, or borrow it on the Internet.
The building plan should include a place for perches, drinkers, feeders and walking birds. Ventilation and lighting are thought out and designated. If you are planning a winter chicken coop, you should consider the heating system. The dimensions of the building are determined on the basis of: two chickens per square meter plus 30% of the additional area for nests. But in practice, birds are settled in a larger number than required by the regulations.
Construction process
During the construction process, all work is carried out in stages, focusing on drawings and calculations. At the initial stage, the terrain is marked and the foundation is laid.
Foundation
For several layers, you can build a small portable chicken coop, it does not need a foundation. A larger project will need a foundation.
They are of three types.
- Columnar. It involves the installation of pillars and the construction of a structure using frame technology.
- Pile. Piles are used as pillars, which are driven in unstable soils or on sloping terrain.
- Tape. The most reliable foundation, it is poured with concrete around the perimeter of the entire building.
Simple country options most often use a columnar type of base, it is cheaper and easier to perform.
Along the contour of the future chicken coop, holes should be dug to the depth of freezing. Make recesses with a step frequency of two meters. The support volume will be about 20 cm and rise 40 cm above the ground surface. The formwork can be built from a rough board, 60-80 cm high. Further, reinforce with reinforcement, insert supports and pour concrete. You can start work from any corner of the future building. Cover the poured foundation with polyethylene and leave for a week to dry.
Floor
When the foundation is strong, the basement is tied. To do this, four beams 20 cm thick are laid on the roofing material, creating a box. With the help of metal corners, the bars are fastened together.
Boards placed on edge (logs) are attached to the harness with nails. The areas between them are filled with expanded clay. Then, in order to protect the bird from rodents, the surface is covered with a fine mesh with a half-meter overlap, which will later rise to the walls. A rough board is laid on top.
When constructing the floor, it is better to make a slight slope towards the door to make it easier to care for the chicken coop in the future. When working with wood, it should be remembered that all wooden elements must be treated with antifungal and anti-fire agents. Insulate the floor when the walls are already there.
Walling
The erection of walls should begin with the installation of side racks. In order to make a shed roof in the future, the difference between the front and rear pillars should be about half a meter. It is important to remember that the roof slope should not be in the direction of the birds.
Then, with the help of boards, an upper trim is made, they are attached to the racks with nails. Before mounting the crate, you should find out the dimensions of the insulation. Layers of thermal insulation are laid in the gap between the supports.
In the area of \u200b\u200bthe door, window, opening for the exit of birds, transverse guides are installed. When the frame is ready, the floor and ceiling are sewn up with an edged board.
Roof
To cover the roof, you need to prepare the rafters. To calculate their size, measure the distance between the front and rear pillars, add another thirty centimeters to the roof overhang.
The rafters, set on edge, are mounted to the upper trim of the building. The distances between the rafters are equal to the width of the thermal insulation. The rafters are covered with polyethylene, they make a crate and mount the roofing.
To insulate the roof, thermal insulation plates are laid between the rafters. In the northern regions, several layers of insulation can be used. A few centimeters of space should be left between the hemming material and the thermal insulation for free air circulation.
wall cladding
The walls are sheathed after roofing. To the outside of the frame, bars are mounted to which boards, plywood, OSB sheets are attached, what it was planned to sew up the chicken coop with. Insulation is laid between the racks.
Then the chicken coop is sheathed from the inside. The location of the ventilation holes should be left uncovered.
The device and decoration of the chicken coop
The floor must be made of warm materials, and the cement ceramic tile, bricks are not suitable for him. Chickens are prone to rheumatism, if the floor is cold, damp, they sit on their paws and stop walking. Wood is the most suitable material for a chicken coop. In order not to spoil the wood covering with chicken manure, the floor is covered with a thick layer of sand and sawdust.
The roof should not be built from materials that get very hot in the sun or make noise from rain and wind. Chickens rush equally badly both from fright and from overheating.
Ventilation
For solid chicken coops, you can arrange a ventilation duct under the roof. Small birdhouses can get by with two shuttered openings on opposite walls.
The best option would be a hood equipped with a fan. To install such a system, two square holes should be made on opposite walls. One of them should be forty centimeters lower than the other. A special fan is inserted into the hole.
Lighting
Chickens do not see well in the dark if they freeze, or get scared, start to hide in a corner and crush each other. In such conditions, it is convenient to have adjustable lighting with a soft switch-off.
Perches and nests
It is more convenient to make perches removable, so it is easier to take care of them, and place them at different heights. A wooden ladder should be brought to the perch; it is a wide board with transverse bars.
It is better to cover the nests with straw and change it periodically. Hay is less suitable, as it rots quickly. Nests should be darkened, hens do not like to rush in bright light.
In the chicken coop, you need to install several wooden perches at a distance of 30-50 cm from each other.
Many owners breed poultry. Most the best option are chickens. They are undemanding to the conditions of detention, but it is necessary to build a good chicken coop. For a small family, it is enough to have 10 laying hens. To do this, you need to make a chicken coop with your own hands for 10 chickens. Drawings and detailed instructions will help to build a quality building.
You can make a beautiful and roomy chicken coop yourself
Read in the article
How to make a do-it-yourself chicken coop for 10 chickens: drawings and requirements
To get started construction work, you should familiarize yourself with the basic requirements for such a structure:
- building placement. A rectangular chicken coop should be placed from east to west. Chickens lay better if there is enough daylight, so the windows should face south;
- when creating a warm chicken coop with your own hands, it is worth remembering that it should not be hot in the room, since at a temperature value above 25 degrees, chickens will not rush. But even in winter it is necessary to create heat. In frosts, a building will also be needed. The temperature must be at least 12 degrees;
- the building is better located away from noisy places;
- high humidity can provoke bird diseases, so ventilation is necessary;
- the dimensions of the room are selected taking into account the fact that two chickens are placed per square meter. In cramped conditions, chickens rush worse.
Useful advice! When designing a poultry house, it must be taken into account that over time the number of individuals may increase and more space will be required.
When arranging the premises, it is worth equipping windows with shutters from, and for walking, provide for a plot under a tree or under.
chicken coop cage
Features of designing a chicken coop
Drawings and photos will help to draw up a competent project for a chicken coop with your own hands. It is important to choose the right size of the building, which depends on the planned number of birds. The type of construction depends on how many birds will live in it and on the types of materials.
When designing, it is worth planning to open the door inward, and the floor is arranged with a slope towards the entrance. This will make the cleaning process easier. It is worth considering the interior design of the room. There should be a sufficient number of drinkers and perches. For such a structure, it is worth considering heating, lighting and.
Features of installing the simplest chicken coop in the country with your own hands: stages of construction and photos
When deciding how to make a chicken coop with your own hands, you should familiarize yourself with the main stages of installation.
The table shows the main steps in the construction of a simple poultry house.
| Image | Stages |
 | Erection (only for structures with a large livestock) |
 | |
 | Selection and installation of flooring |
 | |
 |
You can build a chicken coop from improvised materials. In order to save money, you can use a room without erection or use a base on posts, for which leftovers or cobblestones will do. The floor can be made of adobe or earth, and the roof is made of durable plastic, tin or slate residues.
The nuances of creating a foundation
For a do-it-yourself chicken coop for 20 chickens, a photo of which can be seen in this review, you will need a more durable one. Depending on its type: or columnar - you will need a concrete mixture, a composition of or.
The foundation is built in accordance with certain rules:
- the site is cleared and the top layer of the earth is removed, about 25-55 cm;
- sand and gravel are used as a pillow;
- the formwork is made of boards, its width is 25 cm;
- rods are used for;
- concrete grade M300 is used.
The construction of the building can begin after the concrete mass has solidified. It should be borne in mind that the size of the site should be equal to the dimensions of the future chicken coop.
To create a columnar base, markings are required, which is done using metal rods and rope. Then, cabinets are mounted around the perimeter, which are placed at a distance of a meter. In this case, the supports should protrude from the ground by 25-30 cm. They are reinforced with cement mortar bricks.
chicken coop walls
When building a chicken coop with your own hands for 10 chickens, you need to prepare drawings of the walls. Wood is in demand as a raw material for walls. Used for wall cladding. In this case, the joints must be thermally insulated. In addition to boards, you can use plywood or lining. A good material is adobe brick. The combination of straw and clay allows you to keep warm.
Fitted according to the standard scheme. As insulation for separating the foundation and beams, roofing material is used, which is laid in two layers. Logs for the floor are also made of timber, which is placed edgewise. At the same time, voids and cracks are sealed with the remains of the timber and flax jute fiber.
Roof, ceiling and floor of the building
To create a do-it-yourself winter chicken coop for 10-20 chickens, high-quality floors and roofing are of great importance.
The arrangement has some features:
- it is better to use a gable type roof, which will protect against the accumulation of moisture and snow;
- coating material: roofing material or slate;
- thermal insulation is carried out using mineral wool or.
In a gable roof, you can build a small attic where you can put chicken bedding and food. After installing the ceiling beams, the ceiling covering is covered. In this case, boards are used, and expanded clay and coal slag are used for insulation.
When building a chicken coop, you need to do well. If they freeze, the room will be cold. It is recommended to use thick boards for the floor. First, the raw boards are laid, then a layer of vapor barrier material, and the processed boards are placed on top.
Note! When arranging a shed roof, it must be ensured that the slope does not look towards the bird area.
How to make chicken coop ventilation for 20 chickens with your own hands: drawings
Particular attention should be paid to the chicken coop with your own hands. The ventilation device is responsible for supplying fresh air. This is especially important during the cold season, as the birds are rarely outdoors. A budget and simple option is natural ventilation, which consists in airing the building. In this case, the exhaust window should be small and located on the ceiling or above the door. Such a scheme has many disadvantages, since heat will leave the room along with the air masses. In this case, heating will require a large number of resources.
A more reliable option is an exhaust system. It makes sense to install it if more than 20 chickens live in the chicken coop. This design can be built with your own hands:
- c two holes are made for pipes, the entrance for the passage of air should be placed away from the perches;
- instead of a pipe, you can make special wooden boxes, but they need to be painted and;
- fresh air pipes are located at a distance of 35-40 cm from the roof, and the exhaust pipe rises 1.5 meters above the roof;
- to protect against precipitation, the upper ends of the pipes are equipped with small umbrellas.
For uniform circulation, it is better to place the pipes on opposite sides of the room. In this case, it is used, which is mounted in the window. You need to turn on such a system manually. There are also special sensors that allow you to control the humidity in the room.
How to equip a chicken coop inside?
After the completion of the main work, the arrangement of the interior of the premises is carried out. The arrangement of comfortable perches is of great importance. In this case, the length of perches and their number are calculated. These elements are best done from. The perches are turned to a rounded shape so that the chickens do not get injured. Perches should be installed at a height of 65-75 cm, and 55-65 cm should remain between the perches. It is recommended to place special pallets or trays under the perches. This will make the cleaning process easier. It is better to make perches removable so that it is convenient to perform sanitization.
In the form of boxes, it is worth equipping nests that should be darkened. They are installed in a separate place, and the boxes are covered from above. Recommended by a separate entrance for changing bedding and collecting eggs.
Feeders are another important element. They can be made of wood and installed on a small hill. Bedding is made of peat, straw or sawdust. They are of different depths. Deeper litter is dug up when contaminated. In addition, bedding is optional for the chicken coop in the winter.
Lighting features
Good allows you to ensure the growth and physiological development of birds. You can create a well-equipped and illuminated chicken coop with your own hands for 10 chickens: drawings, detailed diagrams and photos will help you do this. High-quality lighting affects the following parameters:
- number, size, density and weight of eggs;
- chick development;
- digestibility of the consumed feed;
- periods of laying eggs and their duration.
When planning a lighting system, you need to know some features. Chickens do not see well in the dark, so in the evening, you should not turn off all the lamps at once. When all the birds are settled on perches, you need to turn off the remaining lamps.
For hatched chicks, lighting with a brightness of 35-45 lux is required. Then, as the bird grows, the light intensity gradually decreases to 6-8 lux. An adult bird will need a light of 10 lux.
A device for soft turning on the light is recommended, as if the light is turned off abruptly, the bird may be frightened. This is especially true for breeds that are bred to produce eggs. Chickens should also be accustomed to the dark from the third day of life, so that in the event of a power outage, the birds do not trample each other.
Useful advice! If the birds behave aggressively and pluck each other's feathers, then reduced light intensity can solve this problem.
Heating
Before choosing, you need to take care of the insulation of the fences. There should be no drafts in the house, so if the walls and roof are blown, it will not help.
It is worth insulating doors and windows, since most of the heat escapes through these openings. It is also worth building a deep litter. This design consists of a layer of slaked lime and 10 cm of shavings, sawdust and straw. Natural heat-insulating materials are also used: peat, foliage and even manure. Natural composting allows heat to be released.
If you approach the construction of the chicken coop responsibly, then this building can be made cozy and reliable. Using inexpensive materials, you can create a high-quality and well-equipped bird house.
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