Things to consider when building a chicken coop…
Building a chicken coop comes with considerations. To succeed, I focus on these areas on my off-grid homestead.
This article was featured in September's Revive the Table Guide.
Here is everything you need to consider:
Cleaning it!
Make sure you can get a wheelbarrow (or something similar) under any door/hatch so that you can drag the bedding/poo, etc straight out with a rake/broom into it. Ensure the floor is easy to clean; ours is reinforced plastic sheets, so it’s easy to clean/wipe-off and no mites can hide there. Cleaning needs will be determined by the season. In summer, it’s easy to clean the coop because everything dries out so quickly. But in winter, when everything is wet/damp, it is very different and much harder to keep a clean and mite-free coop.
Ventilation
It's essential that coops have ventilation in summer, yet no drafts in winter. So, our meshed windows are under the roof and can be blocked up. Too many places for mites to hide will eventually lead to many mites. I throw Diatomaceous Earth at every corner or crevice to reduce the likelihood of mites moving in. DE works wonders on mites and also on parasites alike.
Roosting
There will need to be various roosts at multiple levels. Roosters and top-hens usually sleep higher up, and younger/less dominant hens lower down. Roosts should be round like tree branches, so they don’t end up with foot problems. Without sufficient roosts, some will lie on the ground and become poo catchers.
Nesting Boxes
I prefer nesting boxes you can access from the outside. It’s easier to get to eggs and/or new mums this way, and less likely they’ll poo in the boxes and instead just in the main coop area.
Entrance
Consider your door! For years we had a manual door, but earlier this year we invested in electric ones. It’s a game changer! No more worries about foxes or mongooses getting in if we are home after dark, and I don’t have to open the door in the dark in the winter months before going off to a market for the day.
Flock Size
Consider how many birds you intend to have in advance. Our main coop easily holds 30 (for years we only had 8/10 in it but knew eventually we would want more), and it will still comfortably hold around 40. This will ultimately determine how large your coop needs to be.
Do your due diligence to ensure it’s SUPER strong in every area! If there is a bit broken or weak, for sure a predator will find a way in eventually.
Chicken Hospital
Consider what you will do with ill or broody chickens, as other chickens will often attack the little ones if all are left in the main coop. I leave broody chickens in the main coop until the day their eggs start hatching, then they are moved to our large maternity ward, which has ground-level accommodation so the chicks can easily follow mum in and out.
Although it may seem like a good idea to have ducks and geese sleep with the chickens, we don’t let that happen anymore because they are sooo stinky and produce so much poo (esp. ducks), which means cleaning the coop twice as much as normal. They have their own shared and much bigger coop instead.
Ideally, chicken tractors make the most sense for healthy chickens and soil, but that only works if you have a lot of flat land to move them around.
Faith Canter
Roots Regenerative Ranch Portugal
Free 14 off-grid course: https://faithcanter.com/off-grid-course/