Gonna build me a chicken house

upnover

upnover

Grumpy, decrepit Old Man
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Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Morganton NC
So, gonna build me a chicken house. My plan is to house at least 12 hens and a rooster. The plan is to use as much free/reclaimed lumber and other materials as I can, and make it as attractive (not an eye sore) and very functional at the same time.Large pallets are going to play a big part of it.
I want to elevate the actual house so making gathering eggs an easier chore. A hinged door on each side to access the nests to gather eggs, change out nesting straw, clean and so on. Electric run out to be able to leave a light burning in the winter time, to help increase or rather keep same or close egg production going, as if it were the longer summer days. Thinking of lining the floor of the "yard" with concrete slabs, I can get pretty cheap for easier cleaning. Maybe making a addition to the yard to herd the chickens to a different area when I clean it. Flat shovel, or even water hose it, with a catch pit to collect the rich manure.
Right now, seems my biggest expense will be the chicken wire. Looked at it the other day at tractor supply, and it isn't cheap.
For the fence posts and legs on the coop, I will most likely use treated landscape timbers unless I am able to find cheaper material.
Any hints/tips of personal experience will be appreciated.
 
I personally like the portable coops like this one. With no floor, means that they will be eating a lot of the bugs that you want to get rid of anyways.
 
I just got done building one for my Mom, went a little overboard. Fun to build though. One thing I added is a vent fan in the roof to try to keep some circulation, and some spot lights on the outside to ward off coyotes and such. When we move it to her place in a few weeks, we're gonna bury an extension cable from the house to the coup with a 3 female outlet and hopefully make it switchable from inside so she can kick everything on from her kitchen or whatever. I'ts more of a "back yard coup" thing, but its what she wanted.
 

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I wouldn't use chicken wire, it rots and vermin will eat straight through it. Landscape timbers are actually not treated for below ground contact so they will rot quicker than you may think.

I have 7 hens (no rooster bc inside the city). Built on a 4x8 base, 2+ feet off the ground. I have a full size door, three windows, and an exterior hatch to grab the eggs. The window are hinged for summer and have hardware cloth over them. My exterior lot has a graduated field fence. Keep in mind that they bath in dirt so they need a place to fluff around. I usually put grass clippings, leaves and anything else in the lot for them to scratch around on.

My inside is solid and I take a flat head shovel and clean the straw and poo out almost monthly and compost it. I put garage floor epoxy down on floor and walls to keep the smell down and keep it working as long as possible.

They need a minimum of 3-5 sq ft in side and 5-10 outside to be happy.

I get about 6 eggs a day year round (heat lamp for winter). I try to kill a couple birds per year and eat' em since they are the most productive layers the first year. They need fresh water daily especially in the summer.

Give me ring if I can help further.
 
frankenyoter said:
I wouldn't use chicken wire, it rots and vermin will eat straight through it. Landscape timbers are actually not treated for below ground contact so they will rot quicker than you may think.

I have 7 hens (no rooster bc inside the city). Built on a 4x8 base, 2+ feet off the ground. I have a full size door, three windows, and an exterior hatch to grab the eggs. The window are hinged for summer and have hardware cloth over them. My exterior lot has a graduated field fence. Keep in mind that they bath in dirt so they need a place to fluff around. I usually put grass clippings, leaves and anything else in the lot for them to scratch around on.

My inside is solid and I take a flat head shovel and clean the straw and poo out almost monthly and compost it. I put garage floor epoxy down on floor and walls to keep the smell down and keep it working as long as possible.

They need a minimum of 3-5 sq ft in side and 5-10 outside to be happy.

I get about 6 eggs a day year round (heat lamp for winter). I try to kill a couple birds per year and eat' em since they are the most productive layers the first year. They need fresh water daily especially in the summer.

Give me ring if I can help further.
Click to expand...

True, landscape timbers are not rated for below ground, but, when they are put into a bucket of oil and allowed to wick in the oil, they will. I have some here that have been in the ground for 20 plus years, and still solid(I tried to get them out and snapped two of them)
I figured the area under the house would be sufficient enough for them to get their grit and fluffing material.

I had toyed with the idea of putting the whole thing on wheels to move it around and allow them to fertilize a different area every day or so. Not sure about that yet though.
As far as the chicken wire, I will have a base of 2X4 welded wire around the bottom and over lay that with either chicken wire or smaller welded wire, galvanized to keep their heads in and varmints out.
 
Just a thought....but I may be hesitant to soak anything in oil and then give the chickens access too peck it or consume oil laden scraps.
 
they won't bother it. That's the way dads was when he was alive. pecked about everything else, but left it alone, guess they didn't like the smell or taste.
 
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