How to make a chicken coop in your garden

If you want to buy some chickens or, if it has happened to you like me that two have sneaked into your garden, you are going to need to make them a hen house to keep them under control. These birds can become dangerous animals for plants since, unless they have feed, they will not hesitate for a moment to eat them.

Therefore, it is highly recommended to spend noon to make them a little house where they can feel safe. Let's see how to build a chicken coop.

Make a drawing on paper of the chicken coop

The first thing to do is decide what the chicken coop will be like. The size will vary depending on what type it is and how many animals you want to have (or have). Therefore, it is important to know the different types that there are, which are:

• No corral: is the most basic. It consists of a closed physical structure. Each hen must have at least 1,5m2 of surface on which to move.
• With corral: It is a bit more difficult to build, but with it your chickens will have more space to move around. Each bird must have at least 60cm2 of surface in the part of the hen house, and 1m2 in the part of the pen.
• Of winterAlthough the hens can be in their usual hen house in winter if the temperature is mild or warm, if we live in an area where winters are cold it will be important to build a more protected hen house. In it, each animal must have at least 1,5m2 of surface.

Do not forget to give them an area to nest, which must be at least 2m long and 60cm above ground level.

Choose the location.

Once you have decided what the chicken coop will be like, you have to decide the location. Chickens really like to be in the sun, so It is highly advisable to place what will be your refuge in an area where they can be exposed to the star king.

But, yes, they must also be able to have shade for the summer, so building it near a series of large trees is an excellent option, since they can sunbathe whenever they want; And that's not to mention that you will get a higher egg production 😉.

Build the chicken coop

Now, it's time to move on to the most interesting part: construction. To do this, you can use dog houses that are no longer useful, sheds, ... On this occasion, we are going to tell you how to build a simple chicken coop with a corral using pallets.

1. Crumble the pallets and remove the nails: this step is convenient to do well. With the help of a hammer and pliers, all the nails must be removed to avoid that, tomorrow, they could harm the chickens.
2. Check that you have all the necessary planks: Lay the planks on the floor, together, and then measure them to see if you have any missing or excess for the floor. Do the same for the walls and the ceiling.
3. Assemble the structure- With the help of a hammer or a drill and nails, build the chicken coop. If necessary, cut the planks with a small hand saw so that it is mounted properly.
   Lay a long plank of wood on the roof.
4. Make the entrance: With the help of a ruler and a pencil or pen, make the lines of the door frame. With an electric wood saw, cut along the lines to get the entrance to the chicken coop ready.
5. Make a window: by it you can remove the eggs without your chickens feeling uncomfortable. Through it, you must pass your hand without problems, but it must not be too large since otherwise they could come out.
6. Protect the chickens from the rain: Place a plastic sheet on the plank of the chicken coop to prevent the birds from getting wet. You can fasten it with nails.
7. Build the corral: put the chicken coop in its final location, and finish it by building a beautiful pen. To do this, you have to place iron rods leaving a distance of about 50cm between them. Bury them about 30cm so that they are well attached. Once finished, place wire mesh (grid) and attach it to the rods with zip ties or wire. The hen house must be inside.
8. Finish the chicken coop: now the only thing that remains is to place straw inside the chicken coop so that they are comfortable, a drinker and a feeder. To make it more original you can decorate it with drawings of chickens.

Following these steps, it will look like this:

When the chicken coop is finished, ask the chickens what they think of their new home. To do this, take them carefully, and install them on it. If you see that they continue with their usual routine, they will surely love it 🙂; In the event that it seems that it does not finish convincing them, do not worry. Give them a few days and you'll see how they end up liking you.