Fowl Play: How to Build a Chicken Coop

Hatching plans to raise chickens? Start with a DIY chicken coop!

In both rural and urban environments, raising chickens is growing in popularity. Not only do chickens produce delicious, healthy eggs -- they also fertilize your yard. Give them a home with this cute coop. It’s small enough to move with ease and big enough to house three egg-laying hens.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Get Started

The best approach to this project is to treat it as two distinct assemblies -- the coop and the base -- then join them once both are built. This makes the construction much more manageable by letting you concentrate on separate phases without trying to tackle the entire project at once. Take a few minutes to look over the photographs and drawings, and you’ll see that this is a pretty straightforward project when approached this way.

The Main Coop

Before you make your first mark or plug in a power tool, review the illustrations for the various coop parts, especially the large wall panels. They show cutouts and joinery details. Once the “blanks” are cut to size, you’ll do all this detail work while they are still separate parts.

For example, the end wall panels (A) have tops cut in a semicircle, and that’s the first feature to tackle. The arc has a radius of 17-3/4", which is determined by the curve of the window-well surrounds used for the roof panels. Note the center point for the arc is 20-1/4" from the bottom edge of each panel, and centered side to side. Mark a layout line and rough-trim the curve with a jigsaw.

While the center point is still intact, use it to mark hole centers for the three press-in vents in each end wall. One is centered 12-1/2" up from the pivot point and the other two are the same radial distance from the pivot and 30° to the right and left (Project Diagram, Front Panel). Use a 2" hole saw to cut the holes. To prevent tear-out on the plywood surface, cut partway through the panel until the hole saw pilot bit exits the back side, then flip the panel over and finish the hole from the other side.

The front and rear end wall panels are identical except for the access door sizes (Project Diagram, Back Panel). The front panel has a 15"×24" door opening for better access for cleaning and restocking food and water for your birds. The smaller 9"×24" back panel opening minimizes disturbance to the nest area when gathering eggs.

Use a portable circular saw with a straightedge guide to make the outline cuts for the door openings. You’ll use a technique called plunge cutting, which involves releasing the blade depth lock and slowly lowering the spinning blade into the surface of the workpiece. The saw base must be held firmly against a securely clamped straightedge. After the blade is buried in the cut, move the saw forward in a normal cutting motion, stopping just short of the corners. After making all four cuts, use a jigsaw to complete the corner cuts. Smooth the edges with a flat file. You’ll use the cutouts later as the doors (B, C), so mark part letters on them. Use a table saw to trim any rough edges from the corners, and set them aside.

The side walls (D) get cutouts for acrylic window panels. These cutouts are too small to plunge-cut with the circular saw, so mark them as shown, drill 3/8" pilot holes, then insert your jigsaw blade and cut.

Then rout a 1/2"-wide×3/16"-deep rabbet around the perimeter of the 7"×12" holes on the inside faces. Cut 1/4"-mesh hardware cloth screens for the 7"×12" windows and staple them inside the rabbets. The acrylic windowpanes slide along the inside surface, supported by window tracks (M) that are rabbeted to accept them (Project Diagram, Front Panel Assembly).

The last big component for the coop is the floor (E). It has two cutouts—one for the ramp (F) and one for a screened opening under the roosting area. Plunge-cut the openings the same way you did the access doors. Save the ramp opening cutout to make the ramp by attaching cleats (G) (Project Diagram, Ramp). Cut a 12-1/2"×19" piece of 1/4" mesh hardware cloth, center it over the 11-1/2"×17-5/8" opening and staple it in place.

There are still a few small parts to cut for the coop assembly, but for now you can assemble all the large panels and let the construction adhesive dry. Start by drilling 3/16" countersunk screw holes where panels join (Project Diagrams). Then assemble the two end walls (A) and two side walls (D) with construction adhesive and 2" screws. Now fit the wall sub-assembly over the floor (E) and secure it with screws.

Next, cut and attach all of the cleats and other small parts on the inside of the coop where shown. Start with the long and short floor cleats (H, I) around the tray areas. Then attach the cleats, runners, and blocks (J, K, L) for the nesting boxes using 1-1/4" screws. At the vertical window openings, attach the window tracks (M) as shown with the rabbeted edges oriented to hold the sliding acrylic windows. Attach the window stops (N) and door stops (O).

Finally, cut and fit the nest box parts (P, Q, R). Use your Kreg jig to drill pocket holes, and then assemble the nest box (Project Diagram, Nest Box). Position the parts on the floorboard and secure them with screws (Project Diagram, Floor Assembly). Do not fasten the nest cap (S). It simply rests atop the nest box to enclose them (which laying hens prefer) and then slides forward on the nest cap runners (K) when you need access to the nests.

If you want to paint or stain your coop, now is the time to apply the body color, before attaching any trim. Don’t forget to paint the access doors (B, C) and the ramp (F).

The Base Frame

The base frame serves two purposes for the coop. First, when screened with 1/4" mesh hardware cloth as shown, it provides a small, safe area for your birds to be on the grass protected from dogs, raccoons, foxes, and other predators. If you can safely open the frame to a fenced yard or other protected area, the front end frame pivots up to create a gateway in and out of the enclosure. Second, the frame places the coop at a comfortable working height for gathering eggs, and the wheels at the back end allow it to be moved easily around the yard by one person to relocate it to fresh areas of grass.

Because of the direct contact with the ground, the frame is constructed of pressure-treated lumber. Horizontal rails and runners (T, U, V) connect to vertical stiles (W, X) with half-lap joints. Note that all frame parts are cut from 2× stock (1-1/2" thick) except for the two support struts (X) in each side frame, which are 1× stock (3/4" thick). Use a router with a 3/4" straight bit to reduce the dimensions of the end of each side rail (T) to form comfortable handles (Project Diagram, Base Side Assembly). Rout 1/4" round-overs along the handle ends and edges. (Reducing the rail size this way provides a more comfortable and secure grip when moving the coop.)

With the stock cut to size, use the table saw to cut the lap joints as shown. This type of joint is ideal for a frame assembly such as this because it offers plenty of area to apply adhesive and has good mechanical strength from the interlocking shoulders and edges of the boards. With the weight of the coop and the irregularities of the ground it will roll across, the frame must be strong and rigid. Because pressure-treated lumber shrinks as it dries, it’s important to cut joints as tight as possible. Apply construction adhesive to the joints and secure them with 1-1/4" screws. Rout dadoes for the inside wheel brackets (Z) in the back end frame (Project Diagram, Base Back End Assembly).

For strength, the wheel brackets (Y, Z) are cut from 3/4" plywood. Attach the outside brackets (Y) to the outside of the side frame stile with construction adhesive and 1-5/8" screws. The inside brackets (Z) fit into dadoes routed into the stiles of the rear end frame (Project Diagram, Base Back End Assembly). The contour and axle placement are the same for both brackets, so cut four identical parts and then trim the straight end off two pieces to produce inner brackets with the correct offset (Project Diagram, Base Assembly). Apply construction adhesive and screw the brackets in place, flush with the lower edges of the frames.

If you are painting or staining your frame, do it while the sections are still apart and before you staple the hardware cloth. Be sure to mask off the areas on each frame where it will be glued to the adjacent frame so these areas don’t get painted. After the finish dries, cut hardware cloth screens to fit and staple them in place (Project Diagram, Base Assembly). Also, drill a 1/2" hole in the front strut as shown for the 6" carriage bolt that serves as the ramp stop. (This keeps the ramp end off the ground when moving the coop.)

The pivoting front-end frame is an optional feature, so if you want a closed base simply build and attach both end frames the same way. If you want the front frame to open and close as in our version, trim 1/4" from the top edge, and 1/16" from each side edge, then drill 1/4" holes in the side edges, 4-1/2" from the top (Project Diagram, Base Front End Assembly). Also, notch the side frames for the 1×2 cross bar (AA) and attach the bar when you assemble the frame sections (Project Diagram, Base Assembly). Fit the front frame between the two side frames with a 1/4" gap at the top. Transfer the 1/4" hole locations to the side frame members, and then drill 1/4" holes through the side frames. (Install the bolts that serve as door pivots after the cedar trim is installed.)

Put It Together

With the base frame rear corners glued and screwed and the crossbar at the front end installed, flip the assembly onto one side and fit a wheel into the brackets at the up-facing side of the frame. You’ll notice the wheel hub is offset from the tire (creating a convex and a concave side), so you’ll have to use three or four 1/2" flat washers as spacers inside the outside wheel bracket (Y). With the wheel oriented horizontally and its concave side up, set the washers onto the hub, and place it between the inside and outside brackets. Then fit one flat washer onto the 1/2"×4-1/2" galvanized hex bolt and insert the bolt through the outside bracket and down through the washer stack and the wheel hub, finally exiting the inside wheel bracket. (If you need to make up more space, insert a flat washer on the underside of the hub on the concave side.) Secure the axle bolt with another flat washer and a lock nut. Then turn the frame assembly over onto the other side and repeat the process to install the remaining wheel.

Next, drill 3/16" countersunk screw holes through the coop floor, around the perimeter just inside the walls. Place the base frame on a flat surface, then recruit a helper to mount the coop assembly atop the base frame. Align all the edges and corners, and then drive 2" deck screws through the floor and into the upper edges of the base frame rails (T, V). This securely fastens the coop to the base frame, and the cedar trim will add reinforcement.

Trim Work

The first trim pieces—the roof runners (BB)—are cut from 2× pressure-treated lumber. Cut the runners to length and rout the outside ends and edges with a round-over bit to remove any sharpness. Drill screw holes through the side walls (D) along the upper edge, and drive 2" screws through the walls and into the runners. The runners are 5" longer than the coop body. Extend 1" of the extra length at the back end and 4" at the front end. The remaining trim parts (CC through II) are 1× cedar. Cut cedar boards to the required widths. Cut a 15° bevel on the top edges of the baseboards (HH, II) to shed water. Make the door caps (JJ), which are 1-1/2" wide and feature a bevel on the outside and grooves for the drip kerf to shed water (Project Diagram, Door Cap Detail). Stain or paint the stock; then, when dry, cut the parts to final length and touch up the ends.

The sequence for attaching the rest of the trim pieces with 1-1/4" screws is simple. (If you don’t want the screw heads to show, simply paint them with your trim color after installation.) Start with the side battens at the handle end (CC) and wheel end (EE), aligning their edges flush with the plywood corners of the coop. Butt the upper ends against the underside of the roof runners (BB). Follow these with the front battens (DD) and rear battens (FF) as shown, overlapping the edges of the side battens. Cap the front and rear battens with the batten caps (GG) (Project Diagram, Final Assembly).

Next, attach the end baseboards (HH) and side baseboards (II) as shown. These trim pieces cover the joint between the coop and the base frame. Keep 1" of the total 2-1/2" width below the joint line, covering part of the frame rails.

Finally, glue and screw the door caps (JJ) to the upper edge of the access door cutouts. Butt the back edges against the door stops (N). After both caps are installed, measure the dimensions of the door openings. The door panels (B, C) should fit with a 1/16" gap all around.

Final Touches

Extend the 1/4" holes in the two stiles at the front end of the coop base, drilling through the cedar battens (CC). Hammer a 1/4" Tee-nut into each hole on the door side. Fit the door in place, align the holes, and then insert the 1/4×3" machine screws through the cedar battens. Thread them through the Tee-nuts and into the holes in the door stiles to act as pivots for opening the door. Attach the slide bolts and the door handle (Project Diagram, Final Assembly). Then brace the door in the open position and mark where the slide bolts intersect the centerline of the base side rail (T), near the handle ends. Drill a 3/8" hole in each rail to accept the slide bolt. Attach the heavy-duty shelf brackets to reinforce the handle extensions of the frame side rails (T). Secure the brackets with #8×1" panhead screws.

Cut and install the acrylic windowpanes. (Acrylic sheet can be difficult to cut without chipping if you don’t have the right blade. Ask a Lowe’s associate to cut the panes to size for you.) If you want handles to operate the sliding windows, screw narrow wood cleats to the front end of each pane. Attach the fixed panes with #6×1/2" panhead screws.

Next, install the hinges and slide bolts on the two access doors (B, C) and on the underside of the ramp (F). Open the front end frame and slide under the coop to fasten the ramp hinges to the underside of the floor. Check the ramp alignment in the cutout to maintain a consistent gap of 1/16" around the perimeter. (If you can’t manage the acrobatics of this move, get a helper to assist in raising the front of the coop/frame assembly up and resting it gently on the back, providing easier access to the underside of the floor.) Attach the slide bolt to the ramp end and the floor. This allows you to raise the ramp and keep it in the closed position if you want the chickens confined inside.

Install the two access doors with slide bolts at both upper corners. Just inside the large door cutout at the front, attach a pair of closet shelf brackets, one on each side of the door opening. These support a 1-1/4"-diameter wood dowel roosting bar. The height isn’t critical, but make sure the bar is high enough to allow easy access to the floor and tray areas below. Secure the dowel with #6×½" panhead screws.

Fit the 1/2" carriage bolt through the strut of the side frame and secure it with a flat washer, lock washer, and nut. Then, to cushion the ramp, cut a piece of 1/2" clear vinyl tubing and slip it over the exposed bolt.

Install the 2" aluminum louver vents in the holes in each end wall. They should fit just snugly enough to press in by hand, but if it takes more pressure, don’t hammer them in. Instead, use a clamp and a scrap of plywood to press them in until they are seated.

Position two sawhorses approximately 3' apart and place the plastic window well surrounds on them with the arches hanging down and the flanges resting on the sawhorses. The surrounds have one beaded top rim and one flat bottom rim, and they are designed to nest if you want to stack more than one. Dry-assemble the surrounds to test the fit, then apply a bead of gray caulk along each joint and insert #8-32×3/4" roundhead machine screws through the holes provided. Add lock nuts and tighten until the joints are pulled closed. With all three surrounds together as one assembly, place it onto the coop roof runners (BB). There will be some spring in the shape of the surrounds so the roof won’t rest flat on the runners. To correct this, first clamp down one side and then press the other side flanges onto the runners, securing them with more clamps. Adjust the roof so it fits onto the arched end walls (A) and the surround flanges are evenly spaced from the edges of the runners (BB). Secure the roof to the runners with #14×1" panhead screws. The holes in the well flanges are large, so you’ll need to use 1/4" fender washers under the screw heads. Finally, use #8×1" panhead screws for the smaller holes in the roof flanges. Check for any gaps between roof panels or the roof and runners, and seal with gray caulk.

Click below to determine whether there are any coop restrictions mandated by ordinances in your area: