Chicken coop plans are usually available in your local building center as well as online. Some plans are a free download with a list of all the materials needed for building. The best hen houses are built by hand, with your specific needs in mind.
As you plan your chicken housing, be sure to account for the number of hens you plan to have and the climate you live in. Adult chickens require 4 square feet of space (Bantams require half that). This means that if you plan to keep three egg layers, you'll need twelve square feet of space to do it.
Of course, the more space you give them, the happier the hens will usually be. Larger spaces means less squabbling, more exercise, and less illness.
There are also chicken coop kits available that have all of the construction materials included. These are usually sized for about three hens and can be cost prohibitive.
If you are only going to keep a couple of hens, you can buy a coop and run ready-made online or by mail order. Most of these kits will sit directly on the ground and will not be proof against predators. They are convenient, however, because they can be easily moved. As a secondary day pen, they can be perfect as a way to easily allow movement to fresh areas of the yard.
Be wary of building materials that can be a hazard to both birds and eggs when building your own. Arsenic is in pressure-treated lumbers and can be ingested by the chickens when they peck at the wood. Lead and aluminum based paints should also be avoided. Anything your chicken eats can end up in her eggs and thus on your plate.
Chicken wire is not very good for keeping out predators. Animals like dogs, skunks, opossums, raccoons, and others can get through chicken wire easily.
When you are thinking about your chicken coop plans, chicken wire should only be used on the bottom of the cage to keep predators from digging under. It's a good deterrent to digging under the cage because the predator doesn't have the leverage there to break through. He will get discouraged and give up.
Heavier gauge wire should be used on the sides and top of your pen to protect your hens. Even if your coop provides for lock down at night, many predators will still try to get through to eat leftover grain, drink from their water, and will try to get into the coop itself.
You may need something more substantial to keep raccoons out as they are quite intelligent. Veteran racoons will easily defeat a slide bolt or hasp to get at the chickens. Your chicken coop plans should take into account the type of predators that are in your area.
A diy chicken coop can be the beginning of a fun, enoyable hobby for you and your family.
