12 Chicken Coop Ideas for Your Backyard Hens

These chicken coop thought will avail keep your flock secure and happy .

Bob Stefko

If you ’ve been believe about backyard chickens , there are several factors to consider . The main matter you ’ll require — aside from the hens themselves — is a chicken coop . I ’ve had volaille for twelvemonth , and during that time I ’ve determine a spate .

hens walking into backyard chicken coop

Credit:Bob Stefko

My backyard flock begin small , but promptly spring up to accommodate more girls . I went from a small Gallus gallus tractor to a henhouse that is spacious and accessible , easy to clean , and comfortable for a mass of six hen . We sided our chicken coop with weathered barn wood , paint the door cherry-red , and hang a coronal on it — but there are unlimited choice when it comes to size , style , and interior decoration .

To help you get start out , these chicken coop ideas admit something for every backyard fold .

Include Nesting Boxes

Ed Gohlich

volaille need a secure , protected positioning — often in the form of small box inside the henhouse — to lay their testicle . But how do you know how many nesting box you need for your flock ? The rule of thumb is one loge per every 4 to 5 hen , and no fewer than two boxes in a coop , so that more than one biddy can pose at a prison term . If you have too few boxes , a hen with a need to lay may squeeze into an engaged box . This oftenresults in crack eggsor orchis repose on the floor .

Decorative Touches

Cameron Sadeghpour

Looking for some chicken coop decor ideas to make a more aesthetically pleasing rest home for your birds ? adjudicate painting it to match your house or garden shed andadding a windowpane boxto leave seasonal color . Decorative mite , such asthe cupola on the roof , add even more charm .

Elevated Chicken Coop

Karla Conrad

Raising the poulet coop off the ground provides a covered sphere beneath where your girls can go if they require to be out of doors , but needshade from the red-hot sunor protection from rain or snow . This is also a good place to keep their eater so it is less potential to get wet .

Provide Secure Access

Marty Baldwin

Providing wide , easy - to - reach admission for egg assembling and cleansing occupy the stress out of those project . Keep the hinge clean and oiled , and be sure that these openings lock up securely;racoons can be pretty craftywhen it comes to getting inside a coop .

Use Fine Mesh for Chicken Coops

Edward Gohlich

Be certain to use a fine gauge mesh topology like this hardware cloth , peculiarly in the lower two feet of the run . A larger gauge interlock , such as 1 or 2 - column inch poulet wire , allows your girl to stick their heads through it . This can be serious — I learned from experience that a stalk raccoon or hawk can pounce , decapitating the unsuspicious hen .

Large Chicken Coop Idea

Dean Schoeppner

This rustic hen house is inviting to both the flock and their keeper . Designed to look like a little cabin , it ’s large enough for a sizable flock . Surrounding it with fencinggives the chickens welcome access to the outdoors , too .

If you have the space , I ’ve find that a larger chicken coop is always ripe . That fashion your poulet will have deal of room , and if you decide to increase your flock , you will have that option .

Chicken coop nesting box

Credit:Ed Gohlich

Add Places to Perch

Kritsada Panichgul

Your hen need roosts — places to perch — both in the run and inside the hen house . It ’s where they roost during the sidereal day and sleep at night . Several different roosts will provide options for your distinguish hens . Anything with a dependable spot for them to sit will put to work : An sometime wooden ladder or gate , a swing ( these can be purchased , or you could construct your own ) , an sure-enough professorship , agarden trellis , or a mere tree branch will all exercise well .

Consider a Chicken Tractor

John Gruen

A cage with handgrip and wheels – often called a chicken tractor — allows you to change the locating of the cage sporadically . This gives your hens new territory to search and they ’ll add freefertilizer to different region of your landscapeat the same metre .

Build a Protected Run

Rikki Snyder

Chickens care to research , but hawks , owl , Fox , raccoons , bay lynx , and other piranha are likely peril when your girls are external . Keep them protect by kick in your hens a big , firmly cover run that admit them to vagabond a number and keeps predators out .

Chicken Coop with Shade

Tria Giovan

volaille postulate shade to forbid them from becoming overheated , especially in the summer months during the hottest part of the day . Summer subtlety is more important to their health than heating in wintertime in most regions . Nearby trees may be all you need , and deciduous Tree are perfect because they shadow in summer but permit the sun ’s light and warmth to penetrate in winter ; just be sure they cast enough nicety during the heat of the day . Consider a ceiling over the run if raw tint needs a rise .

Landscape Your Chicken Coop

Kindra Clineff

Planting beds of mixed shrubsand perennial around your chicken hencoop makes it feel like part of your landscape . Add some container of annualsfor extra color and a couple well-to-do chairs and you ’ll have an inviting smirch from which to delight your flock . The moss - covered cap is a gracious soupcon — it helps isolate the hen house in both summer and winter .

Free Range Chicken Coop

countenance your hen to roam the yard outside of their run keep back them glad and tidy , just as long as you ’re nearby to prevent predators from attacking your trusting flock . Gallus gallus love to forage . Whenever I dig a cakehole for a novel industrial plant , my girl run over to inquire what wormy treasure I exposed . And since they ’ve memorize to come when shout , getting them back into their henhouse for the night is not a job .

Chicken Coop Tips

As you cogitate about what kind of volaille coop will work best for your yard and your hens , screw that you might need to make registration as you go . My chickens seem to really like their coop , but they also care get out of their run , even though it is generously - sized . ( I only permit them to roam devoid when I ’m around , so they do n’t become a repast for local predators . ) Do n’t be afraid to change or add to your coop to touch the indigence of your hen .

The most important example I ’ve learn over the years is to train my chickens to come when called . This was actually pretty easy ; shaking a tin can with a bit of their food and calling them got their attention . I reinforce them with the contents of the can when they receive in the run . After a while I did n’t need the can — they would come me anywhere . This can be helpful , especially if you create a free - range area , as you ’ll involve a elbow room to get them back into the coop to keep them good .

Henhouse with flower window box