How to build a chicken coop for 10 chickens?

Today, many people keep poultry on their plots. The most popular are, of course, chickens. For such living creatures, it is necessary to build a high-quality and comfortable “home”. If we are talking about arranging a small area, then here you can put a small barn for 10 birds. You can make it with your own hands.

Types

For a small number of birds (5-10) it is quite possible to build a small but no less comfortable barn. Such erections are excellent solutions for small areas where it is not possible to put a large building.

Consider what types of small chicken sheds exist, and what structure they have.

• Chicken coop with free range area. This erection is a small house for chickens, which stands separately. At the same time, birds can absolutely freely roam the area of ​​uXNUMXbuXNUMXbthe existing site. This type of chicken coop has one serious disadvantage – it is quite difficult to keep chickens under control, because of which they can ruin various objects in the territory, for example, flower beds. In addition, having built such a dwelling for layers, you need to be prepared for the fact that their droppings will be scattered throughout the site.

• Combined. Many farmers are turning to combined types of chicken coops. These buildings are optimal if you are aiming to keep the birds fully and correctly. The main thing is to build a room of the correct dimensions, as well as allocate a corner sufficient in area for walking chickens.

• closed type. Basically, such varieties of small-sized bird sheds are constructed from old greenhouses that are no longer used for their main purpose. The main difference between closed chicken coops is that they have to be constantly cleaned of pollution. They are best suited for organizing a summer “home” for layers.

• Cells. If the area of ​​​​your site does not allow you to build a full-fledged chicken coop even for a small number of birds, then on one of the walls of the barn or house it is possible to install small hanging cages in which laying hens can be kept. These objects are located at a modest height and arranged in several rows (one above the other). The area reserved for walking, with such a decision, remains unoccupied, or a small aviary for chickens is organized there. Such “dwellings” for birds have proven themselves well in keeping meat breeds.

• Mobile. Portable mini chicken coops are very popular today. Most often, they are compact summer houses that can be easily transferred from one place to another or transported using small wheels. Mobile options are designed to accommodate no more than 10 chickens. Usually they are created from light and non-capricious materials.

Projects

The construction of a high-quality and durable chicken coop is impossible without a preliminary drawing up of a detailed project. An extremely important step in this case is the preparation of a diagram and a drawing of a future building – they must be accurate. Only having a detailed drawing of the chicken coop in hand, you can imagine the end result.

It is also worth remembering that a well-designed drawing of a poultry shed will make it possible to develop a plan for the necessary actions. To get a good result, experts do not advise turning to ready-made schemes and plans. It is better to do the design yourself. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the features of the site on which the construction work is planned. Although if experience in these matters is very small (or not at all), then it is permissible to rely on ready-made drawings. Using them, it will be possible to find out many different subtleties of building a barn. If the chickens find themselves in a very cramped space, where they will be completely uncomfortable, then this will necessarily negatively affect their productivity.

For example, for 3 hens, you will need to allocate free space in 1 sq. m (according to sanitary standards). If we draw an analogy, we can conclude that for 10 birds it will be necessary to make a chicken coop no larger than 2×2 m.

Where to arrange?

The chicken coop must not only be properly designed, but also located in a suitable place on the site. When all the dimensions of the building are known, you can proceed to the selection of a suitable area for its construction.

In this situation, you should follow these rules:

• choose a place that is dry – in conditions of high humidity, birds can become seriously ill;
• the surface of the barn should be slightly sloped – this is necessary so that in conditions of frequent rains, the accumulated water leaves the building as quickly as possible;
• it is extremely important to make sure that the chosen place is well lit by sunlight;
• it is desirable to have a space for walking laying hens in the south side of the site.

Never set up the house directly on the ground. Remember that such an erection must have a sufficiently strong foundation.

Choice of materials

It is equally important to correctly choose the right materials for the construction of a small chicken coop. It is from this criterion that the service life of the erection, as well as the level of its safety, will depend. It is desirable to build light poultry houses from wood. This natural building material is environmentally friendly. It contains no hazardous substances that can harm humans or animals. It is very easy to work with him. In addition, not very large sums are usually spent on the insulation of a wooden structure, since the tree itself is a warm material.

It should be borne in mind that wooden walls must be made of considerable thickness. In this case, they will not freeze if you use the house during the winter season. The width of the walls should be approximately 20 cm.

If you are planning to build a capital poultry house for all-weather use, then it is better to make it out of brick. Such an erection will turn out to be strong and reliable, but it will definitely need to be insulated. Otherwise, the chicken coop will turn out to be cold and in the winter season the chickens will be completely uncomfortable in it. In many situations, brick bases are sheathed with wood inside. As a result, acceptable conditions for keeping poultry are formed.

The only material that cannot be used in the construction of a chicken coop is iron sheets. As for the insulation, the ideal option would be high-quality mineral wool. It will not prevent excess moisture from escaping outside the room if there are any problems with the ventilation system. Mineral wool has only one minus – it does not tolerate contact with water. An alternative material is ordinary straw.

Construction Stages

A small house for 10 chickens can be built with your own hands. If you have already drawn up the necessary plans / drawings, have chosen a suitable place for building a house, and have also purchased all the necessary materials, then you can proceed directly to the construction work.

Foundation

The first step is to build a foundation for future construction. Of course, you can choose not to make it if you plan to make a temporary house, designed only for summer use. If the structure is all-weather, then it is better to make a quality foundation for it. Most often, columnar or strip foundations are prepared for these erections. Whichever option you choose, in any case, you will need a good concrete mortar, cement mix or bricks.

It is necessary to independently prepare simple tape bases in accordance with the following rules:

• first you need to thoroughly clear the building site, as well as remove the top earthen layer of 25-55 cm;
• then it will be necessary to dig a hole under the foundation with a depth of about 30 cm;
• you will also need to prepare a special “pillow” of sand and gravel;
• to assemble the formwork, you need to stock up on boards (the width of the formwork should be approximately 25 cm);
• lay waterproofing material under the formwork (roofing material is suitable);
• do not forget to make reinforcement using special rods;
• Now you can proceed to pouring the foundation.

You can build a poultry house out of wood only after it has completely solidified. But at the same time, we must not forget that the size of the prepared area must necessarily correspond to the dimensions of the future “house” for chickens.

If you want to build not a strip, but a columnar foundation, then first you will need to make the correct and accurate marking of the site for construction. It is made using metal rods and rope. After that, pipes are installed along the perimeter of the planned construction, placed at intervals of a meter from each other. It should be noted that the supports should not protrude from the soil by more than 25-30 cm. They are strengthened using a mortar of cement and bricks.

Walls

The next stage in the construction of the poultry house will be the manufacture of high-quality walls. For buildings designed to hold 10 heads, it is best to prepare drawings for future floors. Most often, the walls of such buildings are made of wood (of course, there are other options, but wood is the best solution). Wood is often used for sheathing wall bases, for example, made of brick. At the same time, it must be remembered that all the joints and cracks formed will definitely need to be filled with heat-insulating materials, otherwise they will become “cold” bridges – cold from the street will penetrate through them into the bird shed.

In addition to boards, it is also possible to install plywood sheets or lining. An excellent material for building the walls of a poultry house is a special adobe brick. As mentioned above, mineral wool will be the ideal insulation in this case. It is permissible to lay clay combined with straw.

The beam for preparing the walls must be laid in accordance with the standard scheme. Roofing material can be used as an insulating material to separate the foundation and bars. Usually it is laid in a couple of layers. Floor logs in most cases are also made of timber. They must be laid on edge. At the same time, cracks and voids must be sealed with residual parts from the bars and special flax-jute fiber.

Roof

Having completed the construction of the walls of the house, you can proceed to the construction of another important component – the roof. The preparation of this design should be taken especially seriously if you are making a small chicken coop designed for year-round use. In winter, chickens should live in a room with a quality roof.

The arrangement of the roof of the poultry house has some features that you need to keep in mind during construction work.

• It is advisable to construct a roof of a gable structure – it will be an excellent protection for the construction from accumulations of snow and water.
• Many are wondering what roofing materials can be used to finish the roof of a barn. Basically, for this they buy cheap tiles, roofing material or slate.
• We must not forget about the thermal insulation of the roof structure. To do this, you can lay mineral wool or chipboard sheets.

The gable roof is good because it has the ability to organize a small attic. As a rule, in such rooms people store bedding for chickens and various feeds. In addition, it is permissible to place the inventory necessary in the care of poultry there. Having completed the installation of the ceiling beams, it is necessary to proceed to the flooring of the ceiling covering. In this case, it is permissible to use boards, and expanded clay or special coal slag is most often chosen for insulation.

How to arrange inside?

Having completed all the stages of building a poultry house for 10 heads, you should deal with its internal arrangement. This often takes a very long time.

In carrying out such work, it is desirable to adhere to the following recommendations.

• In the chicken coop, it is imperative to build high-quality and reliable ventilation. In such buildings there must be an influx of fresh air. This component is equipped by installing two pipes: one of them is an inlet, and the second is an outlet.
• In order for the light from the sun to penetrate into the house in sufficient volume, it is necessary to supplement the building with windows of suitable dimensions.
• Set up a good perch for the hens. The diameter of the perches should be approximately 3-4 cm. It is desirable to leave free gaps of 35 cm between them.
• To make good nests, you can turn to various improvised materials. For example, it can be boxes or crates.

Even at the stage of building a chicken coop, it is worth deciding in which particular place the bird will feed. It is desirable to make this zone as comfortable as possible for laying hens. Calculate the feeder length parameter based on a specific number of birds. For example, at least 15 cm should be allocated for one chicken. Of course, if possible, it is better to make a small margin of length. Build additional feeders. They can be made from old boxes. Usually they are located at a height of 15 cm above the floor. Note that they should always contain gravel. This material is required by laying hens for the formation of eggs.

Inside the chicken coop, it is worth placing such a useful structure as a dust bath. To prepare it, you need to take separate containers and pour sand and ash into them. Bathing in such baths has a positive effect on the plumage of birds, and also allows you to get rid of many parasites that usually start on birds.

Useful Tips

It is desirable to equip the chicken coop with a gable roof, but a single-slope design is also acceptable. It must be made in such a way that its slope is not directed towards the area for walking the birds. When designing a poultry house, it should be borne in mind that over time the population may increase and the chickens will need more free space. As a rule, mini-chicken coops are built on a columnar foundation. It will be the ideal solution for lightweight construction. In addition, after its preparation, you do not have to wait until the poured concrete is 100% set.

As mentioned earlier, the chicken coop should have window openings. The building can be equipped with several small or one large window. You can not leave the house without these elements. When designing a chicken shed, you need to remember that it will need frequent cleaning. That is why it is so important to think over the height parameter of this building – it should be as convenient as possible for you to clean it. If, before starting construction work, you stocked up with ready-made drawings, then you must definitely check how they fit specifically to your site. Do not forget about the height of the future construction.

Electric lighting fixtures should be installed in the chicken coop. It is advisable to fix them over feeders, but not over perches. Such devices will come in handy when it is winter outside the window, and with it a short daylight hours. When designing an aviary for walking a bird, take care of its high-quality fencing. So you can protect the bird from the visits of predators.

Place feeders and drinkers opposite perches. Make sure that the constructed structure does not have slots and holes, because through them animals dangerous to chickens can enter the house. It is advisable to build a house fence from metal sheets or slate. These parts must be dug into the ground well. Bird nests are required to be installed in places in the chicken coop where there is darkness. Most often we are talking about areas opposite perches. Nests can be made from baskets, plastic boxes, or hammered together from wood. Drinking bowls and feeders should be not only in the barn itself, but also in the territory that is reserved for walking chickens.

When building a summer chicken coop, do not use material such as a metal profile, as it gets very hot at high outdoor temperatures. As a result, not the most comfortable environment may form in the barn. Locate chicken coops in places on the site where there is no excess noise, and there is no roadway nearby. This is due to the fact that chickens are more comfortable in peace and quiet. Excessive noise frightens these living creatures, which can affect their health and egg production.

You should not build a barn that is too large and spacious for 10 chickens, because in such an environment a small number of birds will simply be cold. It is best to build chicken coops on a site with a slight elevation. If your site has a perfectly flat surface, then a high point on it can be built artificially using chipped brick or stone. You should not keep chickens in the aviary all the time – these birds do not really like to constantly be in a cramped environment. At least once a day, the bird needs to be released from the aviary, otherwise it will get sick and rush badly.

When building a chicken coop on your own, you need to remember that the surface of the walls in the inner part must be perfectly smooth. Often they are covered with plaster or finished with plywood – each farmer uses his own techniques. Be sure to keep the poultry house built with your own hands clean. A dirty building will be subject to all sorts of epidemics. Often the walls in poultry houses are covered with a layer of lime in order to protect the premises from parasites.

If you notice that the hens have begun to behave too aggressively, and also began to pluck each other’s feathers, then you should slightly reduce the intensity of the artificial lighting. Thus, you will be able to calm the living creatures.

The front door leading to the poultry house should be equipped with an additional manhole. To organize it, a special hole is made from the bottom of the door leaf, the dimensions of which should not be less than 35×35 cm. To equip a safe approach to the manhole, it is worth nailing a board to it, supplemented by small horizontal sticks. If you built a poultry house out of wood, then you need to remember that such material is susceptible to decay. To protect the wood from such damage, you need to coat it with a special impregnation, and process it inside with slaked lime. In such conditions, not only rot does not spread, but parasites do not start.

Good Examples

A well-made chicken coop, made of safe and reliable materials, will not only last a long time, but will also be very productive. The appearance of such a structure can be almost anything. In many areas there are original options that decorate the surrounding space.

For example, “fabulous” poultry houses made in the style of a witch’s hut or a small two-story house from a medieval village look truly amazing on the plots. These buildings may have a non-standard structure with small rounded turrets. Such options look especially interesting if they are complemented by various decor items. For example, it can be small retro-style fountains or wild grape wrappings. Of course, not every farmer has time for the phased construction of such structures, but if you decide to supplement the site with similar specimens, then you can be sure that they will make it brighter and more original.

In search of more traditional solutions, you can design a wooden chicken coop with a walking area. This small structure should be fenced with mesh material. A gable roof can be decorated with a green roll coating – it will harmonize against the background of green grass. Such a chicken coop can be supplemented with one medium-sized window.

On the site it will be very interesting to look at a small wooden chicken coop, made in the form of a carriage on large dark wheels. If you paint the building in blue or light green, it will look even more interesting. Complement this design with small windows with heart-shaped cutouts and a corrugated roof to match the color of the walls.

How to build a chicken coop for 10 chickens with your own hands, see the next video.