Building the Perfect Chicken Coop

• How many chickens you are starting off with? 
• How many chickens you plan to get in the future? 
• Allow for chicken math (because it’s real!) 
• Consider including storage space  

If you’re designing your own coop, a few basic layout tips can help vastly optimize your overall setup. If you’re shopping for a coop, you can use these criteria to judge the best option: 

• Usually, the chicken door should be located on the south facing side of the chicken coop.  
• If designing a large coop, include a full-size door to make it easier for you to access the coop and clean the coop.  
• Windows should be located on the east and west facing sides of the chicken coop. 
• Avoid having the windows placed above or across from the roosts to prevent any drafts or winds from bothering the chickens while they sleep. 
• Block off or avoid having any unintentional ledges, shelves, or rafters within the chicken area that the chickens may be tempted to roost (and poop) on.  
• Avoid having dark corners in the coop. 
• Design the coop with ease of cleaning in mind!  

You want the chicken coop to be well ventilated but without drafts. The difference between ventilation and drafts is a matter of air flow. Ventilation allows for air exchange whereas drafts are a one-way air current that often blow cold air into the coop.  

Ways to maintain ventilation in your coop include: 

• Install windows that can be opened or closed depending on the weather. 
• Build air vents near the roof of the coop that allow for air exchange. 
• Design your coop to include a cupola that allows for coop ventilation. 
• Any open ventilation holes should be covered with ¼” hardwire cloth to keep out predators.    

Having a well-lit chicken coop is also essential for both the health of your flock and to make cleaning and coop maintenance easier for you. You can use natural light, artificial light, or a combination of both. To achieve a well-lit coop with natural light, you should have plenty of large windows. If you live in a region that has cold winters, you will want to consider how you can partially insulate the large windows during the winter while still allowing in natural light. Artificial lighting is also an option if you install electricity out at the chicken coop or rig up a solar light system. LED rope lights are a great option as they are safe to use in the coop and provide a soft light that puts less strain on the hens.  

Again, design plays a key factor in the success of your coop. A well-ventilated coop and well-lit coop can be achieved through a few thoughtful design considerations, such as windows. There are a few tips you should consider when installing windows in the chicken coop: 

• Have windows on the east and west sides of the coop to maximize the amount of natural light that shines into the coop.  
• Consider having windows that can be opened or closed depending on the temperature and weather.  
• If the windows can’t be opened and closed, then have a method of insulating the windows for when you have to winterize the coop.  
• Make sure the windows are predator-proof. Cover the inside of the windows with ¼” hardwire cloth to keep most predators out.  

• Large breed nesting box size- 14" wide x 14" high x 12" deep 
• Medium breed nesting box size- 12" wide x 14" high x 12" deep 

Place your nesting boxes within the chicken coop. If you design the boxes so that they can be accessed from outside of the coop, make sure the latch on the boxes is secure so that no predators can sneak in through the nesting boxes. However, it's easier to have the nesting boxes installed completely within the coop.  

Line your nesting boxes with clean litter and have a rail running along the outside. The rail makes it easier for the hens to access the nesting boxes. It should be no further than 5” away from the nesting boxes to discourage the hens from using the rail as a roost. Ensure your nesting boxes are lower than the roosting bars in the coop. Chickens instinctually look for the highest place to roost (sleep) for the night. If they start roosting in the nesting boxes, it can lead to a host of unintended consequences. To discourage your hens from wanting to sleep in the nesting boxes, make sure they are lower than the roosting bars.  

Roosts

Roosts are what chickens sleep on at night. Chickens instinctively look for someplace safe and high off the ground to perch for the night. The roosts in the chicken coop should be a safe place that appeals to your flock’s instinctual roosting habits.

Chicken Roost Designs

There are two common types of roosts to use in the chicken coop: 

• ladder roosts- these roosts are staggered vertically, much like a ladder leaning up against a wall 
• horizontal roosts- these are roosting bars that generally run across one side of the coop and are parallel to the coop wall 

Ladder roosts give your flock the option of perching high or low, depending on the breed and weight of the bird. Horizontal roosts often make droppings management easier. If you have heavier breeds in your flock, you will want to make sure the roosts are not higher than 2-3 feet off the ground. Heavier breeds can have feet and leg issues if they are routinely jumping up and down from high roosts. For lighter, more agile breeds the roosts can be slightly higher off the ground since these breeds will want roost in higher places. Allow for 8-12 inches of roost space per chicken, and of course, allow for flock additions and chicken math to occur!   

Roosts can be made from a variety of materials, as long as they are safe and provide good grip for the chickens. Two by four boards that have been sanded make for great roosting boards. Rough but sturdy tree branches will also work as roosting bars. Do not use dowels or other slippery, round materials. You want the roosts to have enough purchase for the chickens to get a good grip and not slip off, but you also want the roosts to be splinter free. Don’t use materials that could potentially cut or sliver off into a chicken’s foot. Roughly sanding down the roosts ever so often is a good idea for keeping the roosts safe and clean.  

Droppings Management System 

Having a droppings management system in the chicken coop is not essential, but it sure helps with cleaning the coop! Chickens poop at night while they roost. That means every morning there will be a collection of droppings that needs to be removed so that no ammonia fumes build up within the coop. Installing a droppings management system below the roosts can make morning clean up go a lot faster and it can also prevent your flock from having to walk through the droppings every morning. A couple of popular droppings management systems include: 

• Droppings boards- These boards are mounted about 4-5” below the roosts and extend about 6-7” beyond the roosts on either side. They catch the nightly droppings so that in the morning the poop just has to be scrapped off the board and into a bucket to be deposited in a compost pile.  
• Poop slings- Slings are made from sturdy fabric and are slung below the roosts. The slings collect the nightly droppings and then are cleaned off in the morning.  
• Poop trays- Poop trays are trays that are positioned below the roosts and lined with litter to make removing the nightly droppings easier in the morning. The trays just need to be dumped out and re-installed for the next night. It helps to have a hardwire or chicken wire covering fashioned over poop trays to keep the chickens from walking through the trays in the morning.  

If you keep the feed and water outside, you will want to at least bring the feeder in to a safe location every night. Predators will be attracted to chicken feed, which is something you want to avoid. Depending on how many chickens you are raising, you may need more than one feeder or waterer. Consider the location and how much space the feeder and water system will require in the coop.  

How much space the feeder and water require may depend on the type of system you choose to use. Hanging systems are often the best choice for getting the most out of your coop space since they simply hang from the coop ceiling and don’t require additional floor space. However, free-standing systems can also be used, or you can create systems that mount right to the coop wall. Feeders and water systems should always be at back height to your shortest chicken. This height limits feed waste and helps keep both the feed and water clean. Whatever feeding and water system you choose to use, just make sure it is easy for the chickens to access, can’t be tipped over or jostled, and that it keeps the contents clean and free of debris.  

Some popular chicken feeder and water systems include: 

• Poultry water nipples- can be fashioned into a hanging system or a wall-mount system 
• Bell feeders and waterers- can be hung or created into a free-standing system  
• Homemade PVC feeder and waterers- can be made into hanging systems or free-standing systems   

Doors

The doors of the chicken coop are pretty self-explanatory, but you should be aware that a chicken coop needs at least two doors: one for the chickens to use and one for you to use! The chicken door should lead from the chicken coop to the enclosure that is attached to the chicken coop. It should be large enough to accommodate your largest hen, but it does not need to be a full-size door. The chicken door may also need a ramp that leads down from the coop to the ground in the enclosure. The door that you use should be a full-size door so that you can come and go with ease as you clean and maintain the coop.  

Electricity 

Another nonessential but helpful feature out at the coop is electricity. Having electricity installed out at the coop can be helpful for various reasons: 

• If you live in cold regions, electricity allows you to use electric water heaters to keep water from freezing during the winter.  
• Electricity gives you the option of supplying supplemental light during short winter days to encourage your hens to keep laying.  
• It can also be very helpful for cleaning the coop and running electric appliances like a shop-vac or power washer.  

It’s important that any enclosure is both weather-proof and predator proof. This allows your flock to get safe exercise no matter the weather. It also helps prevent boredom and allows the chickens to participate in normal bird activities on a daily basis. You will find that your flock will spend a majority of their day outside in their enclosure, which helps keep the chicken coop cleaner.  

The chicken coop enclosure should allow about 8-10 square feet of space per chicken. A spacious enclosure will pay off in the long run with preventing behavior issues, boosting flock health, and keeping the coop clean. The enclosure should be completely encased in a predator proof material. Some are better than others, but here is a few popular options: 

• Chicken wire- Not entirely predator proof, but the cheapest option. 
• Hardwire cloth (1/4”)- The most predator proof choice. 
• Galvanized livestock fencing- Galvanized fencing is very predator proof but can allow access for smaller predators like weasels, snakes, and opossums.  
• Poultry netting- Poultry netting is the least predator proof. 

The chicken coop enclosure should be covered and have a well-draining litter on the ground. A covered enclosure allows for year-round daily use and protects against arial predators. A well-draining litter keeps the enclosure from getting too muddy or wet, which is essential for maintaining flock health. Having loose soil in the enclosure stimulates natural flock behaviors like dust bathing and foraging.  

The enclosure can also be a great place to include entertainment features. Homemade perches, ramps, balance beams, swings, and other chicken toys can all be installed in the chicken coop enclosure to stimulate activity and prevent boredom.  

The feeder and water can also be kept in the chicken coop enclosure during the day. Just make sure you bring the feeder inside every evening to avoid attracting predators.