If you dream of raising chickens in the country, but the lack of a specialized room stops you, do not despair, building a comfortable and functional chicken coop with your own hands is not at all difficult.
First of all, it is necessary to determine the number of chickens that will live in the future building.
Given this information, you can plan the size of the chicken coop, and allocate space for the building.
You can make a simple chicken coop from any materials at hand, of course, having at least the most minimal building skills.
Building requirements
Any specialized building must meet the requirements for its functionality. At the design stage, some points should be taken into account:
- Ensuring the safety of the building from the penetration of predators. Otherwise, you can not count the number of birds or the number of eggs.
- Provide ventilation or permanent ventilation of the house.
- The absence of drafts is an important requirement that will prevent all kinds of bird diseases and help maintain a comfortable temperature.
- Thermal insulation is also necessary, especially if chickens are planned to be kept all year round.
- For good egg production of chickens, lighting is needed indoors, which must be turned on at some time of the day.
chicken coop project
Choose a place for a chicken coop on a hill, in the lowland the house will be constantly wet, not having time to dry out from morning fogs and precipitation.
When calculating the area of \u200b\u200bthe building, do not forget about walking the birds, the more laying hens walk, the better they rush. When accurately calculating the area of \u200b\u200bthe chicken coop, take into account the fact that 4 sq.m. is enough for a comfortable existence of five hens, and about 7 sq.m. for walking.
A clearing for walking chickens will be correctly located to the south. Enclose with a chain-link mesh and be sure to make a roof. It will protect not only from rain, but also from the sun.
If your site is flat, then before construction, make an artificial elevation of sand and gravel. To protect the chicken coop from small rodents, mix clay and broken glass and place on top of the mound.
Natural lighting of the house can be provided by making a door with glass. To provide space, the ceiling is raised to 2 m. If the bird nests are attached outside the poultry house, you do not have to go inside to pick up the egg. You can see a drawing of this version of the chicken coop in the photo.
Foundation
If you are building a summer frame chicken coop, you don’t need a concrete base under it, a slight elevation is enough.
When building a capital structure of brick, a foundation is required. A monolithic or tape base is suitable here. In such a room it is ideal to place a winter chicken coop.
Poultry floor
Earthen and clay floors can be made with a low strip foundation. If desired, the floors can be assembled from boards or concreted.
When using the premises in winter, the floor must be insulated with mineral wool, which is laid between the joists, and then covered with plywood. Such floors are covered with sheets of roofing material for reliable coverage and protection of the floor from the waste products of birds.
Sand is also good for sprinkling the floor.
Note!
Wall construction
Most often, the walls of the chicken coop are built of wood, as a rule, this is a frame building sheathed with clapboard. They are insulated with mineral wool or foam, from the outside, before sheathing, the structure is covered with a vapor barrier material.
A brick structure requires good heating in the winter, which will lead to costs, and the construction of such a chicken coop will be more difficult and expensive.
Walls made of any materials must be disinfected before use, this can be done with ordinary lime.
Chicken coop roof
When building a chicken coop in the country, it is better to make a gable roof. This technique will help allocate space for roof insulation.
If the chicken coop is modest in size, you can do without an attic and lay the insulation directly under the roofing material. Chicken coops are covered with slate, metal tiles, professional flooring.
Room ventilation
Good ventilation is important for bird health, especially during the summer. The ventilation system in the chicken coop can be several holes on opposite walls with valves.
Note!
Valves will help control and regulate the flow of cold air, which is especially important in winter.
The interior of the chicken coop
The most important and basic interior item of the chicken coop are the perches, they are wooden rounded poles, the length from the wall to the wall of the chicken coop. It is on perches that chickens spend most of their lives.
You need to fix them at a distance of 50 cm from the floor and 25 cm from the wall and 35 cm between each other. Each resident of the poultry house is entitled to 25 cm of poles. So we expect in a chicken coop for 10 chickens, we will have to place perches at 2.5 m.
If laying hens live in a chicken coop, then nests will be the second important piece of furniture. You need to build at the rate of 5 layers per nest. Having built a chicken coop for 20 chickens, you will have to place about 4 nests.
It is best to place them in the dark corners of the chicken coop, after warming them well with sawdust.
The dimensions of the hen box are 30cmx30cm wide and 40cm high. The nest is raised 50 cm from the floor.
Note!
Lighting
An important condition for the normal life of a chicken is lighting. In dark rooms, the bird becomes inactive, its egg production decreases.
The chicken coop must have an opening window, which will provide not only sunlight, but also additional ventilation.
Laying hens must be provided with light up to 18 hours a day. In winter, artificial lighting is indispensable.
Chicken coop heating
In winter, the chicken coop needs to be warmed up to a temperature of at least 10 degrees during the day and 15 at night. It is important to control the level of humidity in winter, high humidity will lead to illness and further death of birds.
In our selection of photos of chicken coops, you can choose for yourself the most the best option.
DIY chicken coop photo
Breeding chickens for many becomes not only a good opportunity to regularly receive fresh domestic 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 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 instructions are provided 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 act as a heat insulator to a sufficient extent.
- If you plan to create a permanent poultry house that will be used in the winter, brick walls will be a better option. 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:
- Quite a dry place, because high humidity has negative impact on the health of the 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 the 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.
Many homeowners are not averse to acquiring a miniature poultry farm. In order not to take up much space on your private territory, but to provide the whole family with an egg, it is enough to build a poultry house for 10 individuals. Any farmer is able to carry out all the work on the construction of the building himself without calling professionals. This will significantly save money and improve the building skills of the owner.
Drafting
The initial stage in the construction of a homemade mini chicken coop is the creation of its sketch and drawing. The clearer and more accurate the scheme is, the easier it will be to build a chicken coop for 10 chickens. On the drawing, it is necessary to draw each “room” of the future poultry house: a closed house, a vestibule, an area for open walking, as well as places for nests and perches. The exact dimensions of all parts of the chicken coop must be transferred to paper.
The most comfortable living area for 1 productive chicken is 3 square meters. meters, but when saving space, it is permissible to reduce the living space at the rate of 1 sq. meter for 2 chickens. That's why the area of the poultry house for 10 chickens will be 5 square meters. meters. The walking area will be more voluminous - 1 sq. meter per person. The drawing also needs to indicate where the feeders will be located for different types feed, containers for mineral additives, drinkers, ventilation pipe and corridor.
Frame installation
The best place for a future poultry house for 10 chickens is a well-lit area, which is located as far as possible from residential buildings and major roads. Groundwater must run deep from the surface of the earth. It is very important to lay a good, high-quality foundation, which will become a strong barrier for rodents. The most economical and popular type of foundation is the column foundation, which is made from old brick pipes, gravel, and a trowel. On this foundation, the frame of the poultry house should be installed.
The wooden frame should be located on a hill from the ground- it is raised with a cinder block (or stone). For this, the selected material is laid on the corners of the future poultry house for 10 hens. The lifting height should not exceed 18-20 cm. Next, a rectangular frame is erected from wooden bars (with a section of 1x1 cm). Be sure to use the building level so that the future chicken coop does not turn out to be skewed. All cavities that appear between the frame building and the cinder block (stone) must be covered with coarse gravel.
Then we take bars with a section of 5x5 cm and make vertical guides from them that are installed on the frame. They are connected to the horizontal rails of the frame with nails.
wall cladding
The walls of a homemade chicken coop, as a rule, are sheathed with wood - this is a strong and environmentally friendly material that, with proper care, can serve for a long time and faithfully. wooden boards sewn onto the entire "skeleton" of the house with the help of self-tapping screws.
Chicken coop walls need to be insulated. But the chosen material for thermal insulation must have good vapor-tight properties, otherwise there is a high risk that the chicken coop will be damp and unsafe for chickens. Styrofoam is not suitable for this purpose, it is better to choose mineral wool. From above, everything is sewn up with thin wood or plywood in several layers. This is enough to provide the house with the necessary heat and not worry about purchasing other heat sources.
FROM south side in the house you need to place a window of 0.5x0.5 meters. The door should be located on the east side. The floor is constructed according to the same principle as the walls: two floorings, between which the material for insulation is placed. The roof is also insulated and provided with waterproofing. The roof can be either single or gable. Last option it is preferable, as it allows you to equip an attic for tools and feed inside the roof.
Video "For 10 hens"
Chicken coop interior design
Properly designing a bird house from the inside is no less important for the normal life and productivity of laying hens.
First of all, a ventilation system is designed. Domestic chicken needs complete dryness. The better the air exchange, the more productive the birds. Any dampness is detrimental to laying hens, the bird begins to get sick and lay fewer eggs.
Any pipes and technological openings will fit for ventilation. They, like the ventilation window, exit through the roof. One of the pipes is located above the perches and acts as an exhaust hood. The second provides inflow fresh air and is located further away, at a half-meter level.
Wiring must be hidden in special boxes and placed only outside. This standard requirement applies to any wooden structure.
Perches should be comfortable for chickens, without knots and splinters. Reiki must be well sanded and placed at a height of at least 75 cm from the day of the chicken coop. In a house for 10 chickens, one perch will not be enough, they need to be installed at least three pieces. All of them should be located at an identical level, and so that the chickens do not interfere with each other, do not place the perches close. The distance should be at least half a meter.
For 10 chickens, 3-4 nests are enough with a width and height of at least 35 cm and a depth of up to half a meter. Bedding (straw, peat, sawdust) serve as an additional source of heat, they are placed not only in nests, but also on the floor of the poultry house. They will need to be changed in a timely manner so that optimal cleanliness is maintained in the chicken coop. Along with normal humidity, this will be the key to the comfort and productivity of your layers.
Video "Do-it-yourself chicken coop"
Video "Insulated chicken coop for ten hens"
Many owners breed poultry. The best option is 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 felt 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 also 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:
- in 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 suddenly turned off, the bird may be frightened. This is especially true for breeds that are bred to produce eggs. Chickens should also be taught to darkness 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.
Poultry breeding - a common and affordable species subsidiary farm. Fresh, organic products are always in demand. In addition, it is not difficult to build a chicken coop with your own hands. Only some theoretical knowledge and construction skills are needed.
Domestic chicken is quite unpretentious. It has been observed that the productivity of a bird grows in conditions where it feels safe. In order for the herd to be able to wait out the bad weather, keep warm in winter and lay eggs, chicken coops of various types are built.
portable
Mobile chicken coops are used in warm weather. They can be transferred from one place to another as the birds eat green grass. Designed for keeping 10-20 individuals. The design combines a house for chickens and a paddock covered with a net.
Stationary
Do-it-yourself capital chicken coop is built from different materials - wood, cinder blocks, aerated concrete and even earth. In such buildings, birds are grown all year round. In a stationary room, favorable conditions exist both in winter cold and in summer heat.
Multi-tiered
It is convenient to breed a bird in structures consisting of several tiers. At the same time, crowding of the herd in a small area is avoided. Chickens or chickens of the same age are placed in each level. In addition to saving space, this makes maintenance easier.
Features of chicken coops
walking
The ability to move, be in the sun and dig in the ground favorably affects the health and fertility of the chicken. Eggs contain the highest amount of vitamins and nutrients. It is especially important to have a range for breeding breeds and getting chickens.
seasonality
Uninsulated seasonal chicken coop - best option if it is not possible to grow a bird all year round. During the summer, it is realistic to grow 1-2 broilers, which are characterized by rapid weight gain. They are often kept in cages without walking.
Capacity
Overconsolidation negatively affects the productivity of the herd. Veterinary standards recommend allocating at least 0.2 m² of area per chicken when kept on a deep litter, 0.08 m² - in a cage or on a mesh floor.
Location of the chicken coop
Chickens develop active life activity only during daylight hours. The most favorable orientation of the chicken coop is with windows to the south or southeast.
The site should have a slope for the runoff of rain or melt water, not blown by strong winds. In the aviary, you need to organize a shady area where the birds could hide in the heat. These are trees, shrubs or canopies.
Important. At high air temperatures, laying hens stop laying, and broilers are reluctant to eat food. To protect the house from excessive heating by the sun, it is placed in a light shade.
The building must be convenient access to bring food and water.
House dimensions
The dimensions of the chicken coop are chosen taking into account the optimal placement of livestock and ease of maintenance. Based on the minimum standards, the area of \u200b\u200bthe poultry house for 10-20 chickens, when kept on a deep litter, is at least 2-4 m².
Chickens like to sleep on a perch - a horizontal bar raised and fixed above the floor. An adult bird will need 20-25 cm, a chicken - 15 cm. If the perch is too long, it is divided into parts and placed parallel to each other at a distance of at least 30-35 cm.
In the barn, a bath is sometimes arranged for bathing in the ashes. Each "swimmer" will need 0.12 m² of pool area.
For laying eggs, laying hens are provided with nests at the rate of 2-3 pieces per 10 hens 2-3. The size of one "seat" is 35x35 cm.
Ready-made drawings and diagrams
For the construction of a do-it-yourself chicken coop for 10-20 chickens, they are already offered finished projects. They are designed according to the norms and facilitate the independent construction of the house.
For 10 laying hens kept on a deep litter in a chicken coop with a range, the following parameters are optimal:
- warm room - 1.2x1.7 = 2.04 m²;
- along one long wall perch 1.7 m long;
- nests are placed along any other side - 3 pieces 0.3x0.3 m in size;
- open range - 1.2x3 m = 3.6 m².
Important. When breeding different breeds, it is recommended to arrange a separate room and walking for each species. Birds have different diets and wakefulness, so it is desirable that the chickens do not interfere with each other.
Broilers don't need nests or perches. Birds are too heavy, sleep on a horizontal surface. As a rule, they are not kept longer than 3 months, so the question of obtaining eggs is not worth it. Often meat breeds grown without walking. When movement is restricted, they gain weight faster.
Sometimes cages with chickens or broilers are placed on the upper tier of the chicken coop, and the free space below is used for laying hens. This option is used if the area of \u200b\u200bthe room is limited. Of the pluses - profitability, of the minuses - infections are transmitted at lightning speed, more frequent sanitization is required.
Drawings and photos of chicken coops for 10-20 chickens
Norms SNIP 30-02-97 room parameters
When building a stationary chicken coop with their own hands, they are guided by the norms of SNiP 30-02-97, which limit the location of livestock sheds relative to neighboring objects:
- retreat at least 4 m from the fence or boundary;
- from a residential building (own and neighbor's) - 12 m;
- from a water well or well - 20 m;
- in case of blocking, arrange a separate entrance no closer than 7 m from the entrance to the residential building.
If the rules are not respected, the neighbors have the right to go to court. As a rule, a decision is made to demolish the building. There are no clear regulations for portable structures.
Do-it-yourself chicken coop general instructions
The simplest and most affordable poultry house is a frame one. It is built from a board or timber, insulated, sheathed from the outside and from the inside. This design provides reliable protection from the cold, does not require a massive foundation, and the materials are inexpensive.
Construction is carried out according to the scheme:
- Excavation.
- Building a foundation.
- Installation of the frame of walls, floors and roofs.
- Wall insulation, roofing.
- Installation of windows, doors.
- Internal arrangement, laying of communications.
- Finishing.
For walking content, an aviary is additionally arranged.
The nuances of building a foundation
The best option for a frame winter chicken coop for 10-20 chickens is a columnar prefabricated or monolithic foundation. In the first case, concrete blocks or clay bricks will be needed, in the second - reinforcement and concrete. Asbestos-cement pipes, boards and even car tires are used for formwork.
At the corners of the structure and every 1.5-2 meters around the perimeter, pits are dug 0.5-0.7 m deep. A mixture of crushed stone and sand is poured onto the bottom. They lay out supports from blocks or install formwork and pour concrete.
In advance, an anchor or a stud is placed in the base for attaching the strapping beam. The surface of the foundation is coated with liquid waterproofing in 2 layers.
Arrangement of the walls of the chicken coop
A beam of the lower trim with a section of 100x100 mm is laid on the supports (it is possible from 2 boards per edge), treated from rotting by mining or another antiseptic. Fasten it in the corners "in the paw" or with metal plates.
Install racks from a board of 100x50 mm in increments of 1-1.2 m. Mount the upper harness on top. The corners are reinforced with jibs.
The walls are sheathed on both sides of the OSB, foam or expanded polystyrene plates 100 mm thick are laid inside (preferably in 2 layers of 50 mm with dressing of the joints). To protect against rodents, the insulation is covered with a mesh with a small cell.
Roof, ceiling and floor of the coop
The floor beams are attached to the upper trim with overlays, the rafters are cut in. The connection in the ridge is reinforced with a metal plate.
On the rafters, a crate of edged boards is mounted. Lay roofing material. In most cases, these are inexpensive asbestos-cement sheets.
Hemming the ceiling with a board. Above is a heater. You can pour a layer of expanded clay or sawdust treated with lime, lay mineral wool, wrapping it with a vapor barrier, or expanded polystyrene boards.
floors
The most inexpensive solution is insulated floors on the ground:
- The top layer of soil with plant residues is removed, the surface is compacted.
- Sprinkle sand and ram.
- Styrofoam 50 mm thick is laid.
- Spread waterproofing from a dense film.
- Reinforcing mesh is mounted, concrete is laid, leveled.
Sawdust, straw, moss, sunflower husks, needles, dry leaves are poured onto the finished floors. For accelerated disposal of poultry waste products, the litter is treated with special bacterial preparations.
Concrete floors are easy to maintain. Twice a year, the bedding is removed and the surface is washed with disinfectant solutions.
Ventilation in the chicken coop in winter
To equip a do-it-yourself chicken coop for 10-20 chickens, the simplest one is enough ventilation system. In summer, when the doors are open, air exchange takes place constantly. In winter, accumulated excess moisture and harmful gases must be removed in time.
Ventilation is arranged from two vertical pipes. The air supply is located at a height of 15-30 cm from the floor. The bottom of the exhaust is fixed near the ceiling.
Pipes are carried to different parts of the room to increase the volume of moving air. The holes are protected with nets from rodents, and rain caps are installed on top.
Arrangement of the chicken coop inside
You will need feeders to feed the birds. You can make them yourself or buy ready-made ones. Convenient bunker, devices dosing compound feed. Mounted or tray options are also popular.
A mandatory attribute of a poultry house is a drinking bowl. On sale are simple bowls, containers for an inverted jar or bottle, float, siphon and nipple drinkers.
Nests can be made from ordinary boxes or boxes. Straw and sawdust are placed inside. Place them in a quiet corner, away from the feeders.
The perch is made of a wooden bar with a section of 50x70 mm. For meat-and-egg breeds, it is fixed at a height of 60 cm from the litter, for laying hens - 90 cm. So that the perch does not bend under the weight of the bird, a support is installed in the middle.
Chicken coop lighting in winter
In winter, chickens lay worse due to short daylight hours. You can increase productivity with lighting during the dark hours.
For every 6 m² of space, 60 watts of power is required. The most favorable spectrum emit fluorescent lamps.
Important. According to the observations of poultry farmers, egg production of chickens increases with orange light, with green chickens grow faster. Blue has a calming effect, reduces aggression.
Heated chicken coop in winter with and without electricity
Warmth increases the productivity of birds in winter. For heating use:
- oil coolers;
- infrared emitters;
- air convectors.
The devices are economical, allow you to maintain the optimum temperature in the house.
Along with electric heating, other methods are common:
- heating with a wood-burning stove or potbelly stove;
- connection to the house heating network, if the chicken coop is connected to the house;
- use of heat generated by non-replaceable bedding.
These methods are used if there is no electricity nearby or heating with it is uneconomical.
Do-it-yourself heating of the chicken coop in winter with sawdust
The old method is still used in the villages. It is based on the increase in temperature in the litter during the decomposition of organic matter. The energy released as a result of the exothermic process is sufficient to heat a small chicken coop.
The technology is simple. The floors are first sprinkled with slaked lime to prevent the breeding of harmful insects. Above - bedding material with a thickness of at least 8-10 cm. As the bedding is compacted, fresh is added, loosening the previous layer with a rake.
Breeding poultry is a profitable and uncomplicated activity. With the right arrangement of the chicken coop, it will bring not only benefits, but also pleasure.
A winter chicken coop for 10-20 chickens is the work of our reader with step-by-step instructions for performing the work.
The construction of the building in total took 3 months by one person.
The chicken coop is designed for keeping birds in the summer and winter seasons.
The dimensions of the chicken coop for 10-20 chickens with paddock are 6 m long, 4 m wide, 3.5 m high.
Size: 1st floor - 2x2x0.8, 2nd floor - 2x3x1.7, 1st floor paddock - 2x2, 2nd floor paddock - 4x4.
Material used: gas silicate blocks, cement, iron pipes, waterproofing material, expanded clay, wooden beams 100x100 and 50x50, boards: 25x100 and 25x50, unedged board 25, sand, insulation: polystyrene foam and mineral wool, glassine, roofing material (bicrost 4.0), chipboard boards, chain-link mesh 50x50.
Tools used: screwdriver, chainsaw, square, hacksaw, hammer, axe, shovel, level, tape measure.
Additional material: old windows, curtains, latches, handles, screws, sewer pipes d110 (for ventilation), cable, lamps, nails, paint, antiseptic.
Beginning of work:
As soon as we have decided on the place to build the chicken coop, we mark out the area of \u200b\u200bconstruction (6 x 4 m.)
In a circle of markings at a shallow depth, we set the blocks according to the level. Blocks and inside the markup, because We will have 2 outings. One paddock for laying hens, the second - for broilers. Iron pipes were placed at the joints (9 pieces came out), they were filled with cement (to prevent subsidence of the structure).
We lay waterproofing material on the blocks - bikrost the first layer, then wooden beams prepared in size (100x100). To prevent wood decay, we treat it with an antiseptic.
We level the area of \u200b\u200bthe chicken coop with sand.
Assembling the frame of the first floor. To do this, you need wooden bars (100x100).
We also see in the photo that the bars are longer than the chicken coop itself - this is a place for nests.
To insulate the floor of the first floor - we fall asleep expanded clay.
We cover the floor. Boards measuring 50x150. We lay linoleum on the boards. We also lay the floor of the second floor.
We install rafters.
We sheathe the walls of the first floor with a board 25x100.
We cut out a window in the wall in the size that is available. We had an old window, which was not particularly restored, the main thing is that it should not be broken.
The wall of the second floor, but they also prepared a place for a window on the second floor, and an exit for chickens. The window around was made with a beautiful finish, so that there would be fewer gaps.
View from the side of a large paddock for chickens.
Wall cladding.
Nest frame assembly.
Work on the roof: we lay the roof with an unedged board, we also make a visor.
We sew the visor.
We cover the roof with bicrost 4.0 with sprinkles.
Sheathe the walls inside with glassine.
We insulate the walls with mineral wool insulation. Then we sheathe boards with chipboard.
Since our mesh "Rabitz" is smaller than the height of the walls of the chicken coop, additional boards were nailed so that the mesh could be fixed. Of course, it was possible to immediately make the height less, but at the very beginning they somehow didn’t calculate it, and considering the fact that there are 2 other people’s gardens in the neighborhood, nimble chickens could run away.
Doors for the chicken coop were made in advance, from improvised means: they used chipboard material, plywood, small bars and insulation.
Next up is painting the chicken coop. Ventilation - they also made it themselves from sewer pipes. Doors for walking were made, as they came up with, nothing complicated. Lighting in the chicken coop - 2 lamps (night and day). Also, the ladder from the house to the street is the largest board with small bars, which they nailed themselves. 5 nests came out, which were separated from each other by chipboard plates.
The doors of the chicken coop open like in the fairy tale "Little Red Riding Hood" - pull the rope and the door will open.
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