My Tale of Building a Chicken Run

A pre-fabricated chicken coop can cost thousands of dollars.Limitations in size and structure are bothersome when you want to expand.If you decide to start building a chicken coop  from scratch it will be cheaper.Saving money is guaranteed when you get going with a focused plan.Avoid rebuilding the coop and investing more money.

There are many factors you should consider when planning to build a hen house. Thinking about the space, size, materials and blueprints is critical to getting a great outcome.The first thing is to settle on which chicken coop you want to build.

Getting these steps in order before you begin is key to your success.  Here we will look into common building materials and basic plans for how to build a chicken coop.

These are 3 simple starting out points:

First, take metal or wooden posts and sink them in the ground about 12-24” deep. You can use concrete in the hole for a more solid base. You will be creating a rectangle shape in the size specified by your plans.Chicken runs should allow 10 square feet per chicken outside, and 4 square feet per hen inside.

To complete the frame, place 2×4’s outside the posts.It’s a good idea to create a base for the floor with a sheet of metal, wood or chicken wire and attach this to your floor boards.Remember that predators dig under the wall to come up from under the floor of the chicken run.

When starting the roof,  use wood, sheet metal or plastic and slope it downwards.

Last, the materials you choose for building a chicken run will affect the cost of your overall plans.Materials include wood, hardware, PVC, wire and sheet metal. In any case, you want a chicken coop that will last for years in all weather, so you will want to invest in quality materials to achieve this.Wood is often the costliest material.

Quality, weather treated wood is what you need to invest in for a long lasting coop. However, you can source wood from scrap sites, junk yards and many other areas.So long as the lumber is in good condition, used wood is ok to use.

You may not get wood of all the same pattern or grain or color, but painting or staining can add the final touch to your chicken coop and make it look like new.