If you have been considering adding a few chickens to your landscape, you probably have started to plan for all their creature comforts. Buying a prefabricated coop is always an option, but if you are only looking to add a few hens to the landscape, or unsure of how you would like to grow your flock in the future, making your own might be a good option.
The following small chicken coop plans are a great place to get your own creative building juices flowing and provide you ideas for easy cleaning and egg gathering. Read on to become inspired by the simple options provided below.
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Why Building Your Own Coop is an Excellent Idea
Building your own homemade hen house isn’t as intimidating as it may sound. Basic step by step instructions, simple materials, and even free, budget-friendly designs are all easy to find for a DIY small chicken coop. Small coops are best for when you keep a few hens, are trying to save space, or live in an urban area and are somewhat limited overall. This allows you to personalize and customize the space your chickens live within, making it an excellent experience overall.
Prefabricated coops aren’t always what they are cracked up to be (pun intended). Poor materials, bulky designs, or styles you are forced to ‘settle’ for are all issues you may come across. Staying within a budget and finding what you need can also be an issue. Building your own coop allows you flexibility and the ability to use materials and build out of pallets and other options that you may already have lying around.
Plus, you can add details, such as making your coop movable or painted to match your outdoor home decor and landscaping.
Basic Step by Step Plans
These basic plans provide all the information you need to know for how to build your own small coop- complete with an outside nesting box. Step by step instruction, material lists, and instruction for how to finish to meet your own expectations are included as well.
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Compact Coop and Run Combo
Including an attached run to a raised coop is a popular design plan to allow protection from common predators. This design allows easy access for egg collection, excellent ventilation, and plenty of space for hens to scratch and roost both in, and around, the structure.
Decorative Planters
Many people decide to build their own hen houses in order to apply simple decorative touches to help customize the overall look. This cute little coop is the perfect size for 2 to 3 hens, provides space to scratch, and also is the perfect addition to a cottage landscape with it’s added decorative planters that can be changed season to season.
South City Coop
Looking for a space-saving coop option that blends well into your yard? This coop style, dubbed the “South City” looks just like an outdoor storage unit and provides easy access to the roosting and nesting boxes located within. Clean this up in a snap and attach a short run for exercise and fresh air.
Urban Chickens
If you live in more urban areas, you most likely are already short on overall space for livestock of any sort. Chickens are a popular choice to keep in town and most zones accept a few backyard hens without argument. Choose a coop size that works with your space adds interest to your yard to avoid annoying close lying neighbors.
Protective Coop and Run Instructions
This ingenious design uses a simple lean-to style coop for roosting, nesting, and even feeding and watering, and then attaches it to an awesome protective run. If you live where predators are a problem, and weather can create a challenge, this combination is an excellent idea to take advantage of.
Simple Lean-To Instructions
A raised coop always helps keep out predators, and this simple lean-to coop design provides the perfect option to help keep your chickens off the ground each night, but well secured with plenty of roosting options. Attach an optional run for even more security!
Living Simply
This is one of those coop ideas that is born by looking around what building materials and supplies you may already have and finding inspiration. Sturdy, cheap, and easy to build, you can easily house 3 to 4 chickens in this style coop.
A Cabin in the Woods
If you live close to wildlife areas, you are going to have more than your fair share of predators. This log cabin style coop is sturdy, large, and very protective. Plus, it is built to last and provides easy access to chickens and humans alike for safety and cleaning.
Raised Garden Beds
If you love to garden, love your chickens, but are short of space, why not combine the two? Raised garden beds can be easily converted into short chicken runs and attach simple coops for your poultry. You can even get really ingenious and put them on wheels to create chicken tractors you can move about.
A-Frame Chicken Coop
This cool A-frame style coop is the perfect answer to warm weather and sunny days. Keep your chickens safe and secure in an upper housing level, while they scratch and peck to their heart’s content below. Use as a chicken tractor for even happier chicken experiences.
Versatile Coop Extension
This style of coop allows for a lot of versatility. For starters, you can take advantage of an existing shed or barn wall or even provide access to a larger indoor coop area. You also can add a run, an outer covering, or simply screen in the coop area for ventilation depending on your climate.
Barn Style Coop
Looking to add a touch of country to your backyard. No matter whether you live on a farm, or a city suburb, this coop design has easy to follow instructions and provides true country living results.
Conclusion
Building a coop for your backyard chickens is much more simple than you may think. Not only can you customize your needs, but you can have fun and add the details and small touches to help make egg collection and cleaning easier, as well as provide a decorative building.
These step by step instructions and plans are an excellent place to start to become inspired to either use or create, your own coop. If you have ever built our own coop, we’d love to see your creation below. And, as always, please share!
