If you would like to know how to build a chicken pen, you may be pleased to learn that this is a relatively simple procedure but one of the most crucial elements, like with many things in life, is good planning. When looking at chicken coop plans, it is important to understand that there are various must-have elements which should be considered when building any coop, regardless of its size.1. SizeIf your hens are likely to be kept inside the coop for most of the time, then the size of the coop is of crucial importance. You need to give the hens enough space to move around comfortably as well as to sleep and nest in. Any good plans should clearly state the number of hens a particular design is suitable for. As a rule of thumb, you should allow “indoor” hens 3-5 square footage of floor space in the nesting/sleeping end and up to 15 square footage each in the run. Obviously, you can be more flexible if you allow your hens to free-range for part of the time, but you must ensure they can sleep comfortably.2. Ease Of CleaningIt is no use at all having the nicest looking coop if you cannot keep it properly clean. This is of vital importance for a couple of reasons. Firstly, hens are susceptible to Red Mite, which is a tiny, spider-like parasite. This can lead to feather loss and extreme discomfort for the hens. Your chicken pen should be easy to clean as to keep Red Mite at bay, you should dust the inside of the coop with red mite powder after cleaning and occasionally spray the inside with a weak disinfectant, so access is vital. In addition, when considering chicken pen plans, you should look for those which incorporate dual access into the nesting/sleeping area. This should be both from the run and from the rear of the coop and it means that you do not need to get access via the run for cleaning the nesting area which can get very messy!3. Protection From PredatorsIf looking at how to build a chicken pen, it is crucial that any plans you follow have clearly taken this into account by suggesting materials and strategies which will prevent attack by foxes and raccoons. Foxes are extremely cunning and will use any means to get your hens. Any mesh you use should be heavy gauge and all doors and openings should have the means to be strongly secured-especially at night. Look for plans which either have a means of preventing “tunneling in” by foxes – this could be by having a mesh fastened to the bottom or by having the mesh extending below the bottom of the coop as this can then be “dug in”. Although some people suggest that cats can be a problem, I have personally not found this-indeed my cats are quite afraid of my hens, who have no qualms in eating their cat food with the cats looking on in a bemused manner!4. Lighting and VentilationYou should consider “lighting” if you are keeping your hens for egg production. During the winter months, egg production naturally declines as the hen’s hormones are regulated by the number of hours of daylight they receive. In winter, hens often stop laying altogether, as I found myself this winter, and will not begin laying again until the number of daylight hours exceeds 12. It is possible to incorporate artificial light into the pen and some chicken pen plans will give advice on how this can be done. It would not be kind to keep the hens in light 24 hours a day, but boosting the light by a few hours in the dark winter months can keep the hens laying. With regard to ventilation, there should be plenty of large-bore holes drilled in the nesting/sleeping area on the pen as not only does this allow for the circulation of air which prevents moisture build-up, it can also help diffuse the harmful gases which are formed from the hen’s waste products.
As a chicken keeper and retailer of chicken housing myself, I was looking for ideas to incorporate into my own designs when I came across a book by Bill Keene, a fellow chicken-lover which detailed explicit chicken pen plans. His designs were so simple that they were almost as easy to construct as my own self-assembly coops were to put together! I have since recommended his book to numerous customers who were looking at building a DIY coop and all have been delighted by both the simplicity and quality of the designs. In addition, it has been shown that building your own housing can save over 50% of the cost of a comparable flatpacked pen and even those with very little experience in DIY can follow the instructions in the book with ease. To take a look at the different options which are available, please visit How To Build A Chicken Pen
