DIY CHICKEN COOP BUILD // Start To Finish

This DIY chicken coop is all about how to build a chicken coop wooden from start to finish. This DIY predator proof chicken coop build shows the step by step process of building a coop and a chicken run with a lean to style roof line. Bring Your Own Tools (#BYOTools 165).

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0:00 - Venice Beach: Topher Mohr & Alex Elena

#byot #diy #howto

[ohroonoko]

Great instructional video. Great woodworking techniques here. Specifically for a chicken coup, there are several points to be mindful of to improve on your next coop build. Ventilation and drafts, chicken wire vs ½" hardware cloth, roosting bars, chicken ramp, and extra predator proofing (on the ground perimeter, rafter openings and fasteners).

Ventilation can enter the lower end of the rafters and exit the higher end, but it would be better to add vents high up on the side walls. Make sure the vents are higher than where the chickens will ne roosting so they don't feel a draft. Seal the door against a draft. Poor ventilation can be detrimental to the health of chickens, and drafts can be deadly for chickens.

Chicken wire is universally unacceptable for securing chickens against predators. Chicken wire keeps chickens in, but large and determined predators like foxes, raccoons, possums, skunks, cats and dogs, falcons and owls can shred it. Smaller predators like snakes and weasels can slip right through. And mice and rats will be able to enter the run for food and water. You also want to bury hardware cloth around the perimeter, extending out at least 18"-24" to discourage digging. You can cover it with topsoil or landscaping rocks. And don't forget to seal openings in tbe rafters with hardware cloth as well. It should be fastened well with nails or screws with washers every foot or so, and 18 gauge staples inbetween. Also, the lid on the nesting boxes needs a predator-proof latch. Raccoons can defeat simple latches and that lid is not heavy enough to keep them out of it. Remember, raccoons can climb, squeeze through, throw their weight arpund, push and pull. They open trash can and dumpster lids all the time. Even in urban and suburban environments, you would be surprised what predators lurk at night.

Some chickens will be sliding on that ramp. They need better traction. Install some treads on the ramp with your trim wood. The greater the incline of the ramp, the more treads needed.

Roosting bars should not be so flat as the 4" side of a 2x4. They do not like to sleep perfectly flat-footed. At least, take your router and bullnose the corners so they can comfortably wrap their feet around the edge instead of wrapping their feet around a sharp 90⁰ corner, and use the 2" side up. 2x3's would be better if you've got them.

Lastly, the slide-out poop tray is convenient. I did not see any handles on the board to pull it out. Maybe I missed it. This could be a rope handle. Keep in mind that the nesting boxes also need to be cleaned, so you might want to design a convenient way to sweep those out as well.

[count]

The split end a minute into the video absolutely killed me but I kept watching because you followed up immediately by recommending pilot holes for the next corner hehe

[Brian]

5⭐ chicken coop, great build! 👌👍Dunno about your area but in mine you usually do well to bury the chicken wire 8 or more inches into the ground to stop foxes and other predators from digging their way in. 👍

[arnellmilhouse]

I've looked at a dozen+ of these videos, and yours is the best BY FAR, the most thorough, and the most complete! Thank you!

[magnuman]

looks great but I think ventilation ports should be added to keep coops well vented during hot days and reduce moisture buildup during the cold days

[Wagner-Spraytech]

The chickens will be living in style! We're glad you had the Wagner sprayer to apply the finishing touches

[daliddleOne]

Really nice! Now I just have to convince my husband that we need chickens!!! Thank you for a very easy to understand chicken coop build!

[ThorTyrker]

Congratulations, amazing job! You just gave me great ideas about my next chicken coop :) As a chicken keeper and a very amateur dyi person, however, I would like to point out some issues that I learned only by keeping chickens, if I may. I would recommend wires in the windows covered by a slideable plate from outside instead of glass: chickens need good air ventillation. Also, after I spent considerable amount of time trying to clean the nesting boxes, I made the front panels of the boxes completely removable in the manner as you did with the dividers (except for the two laths are not on the base but on the side, so the closed lid holds the front panel in place, that made the cleaning process so much easier. I also connected the legs of the coop with laths at the bottom to fasten the wire to that also, just to be more safe. One or two feets deep guard around and under the walls also required - wire, tiles, bricks, whatever - to prevent animals that desire some chicken for dinner, from digging in - but I guess that is not your job to do :)
I so envy your tool set btw :)

[JEEPLIFE]

awesome job 👍
FYI raccoons/fox's will be able to push underneath the netting underneath the coop, you need to put a frame around the bottom and staple the netting to it like you did the run. Also put a lock on the laying box. I lost chickens because raccoons are too smart

[WRMonger]

I’ve got a pipe stall out back that my horse refuses to stay in and I started converting it into a chicken stall/run/yard. I’ve got it enclosed in some chicken proof fencing and I’m going to top it with anti bird netting to keep predators out. This chicken coop is perfect to finish this area and I won’t have to build an eight foot chicken run onto the coop. Thanks for the video. Best and most detailed one that I’ve seen so far… guess I can stop looking and start building now.

[alantran]

You should turn your nail gun 90° when nailing vertically. It will reduce all the blow out your always having.

[dawnbailey]

Excellent design/build. My 2 suggestions are legs under nesting box for extra support and wood strips across the ramp so that the chickens have traction walking up.

[perrycox]

We just watched your video and I want to commend you on your skills, unreal! I'm a carpenter myself and am super impressed, gonna try my luck at one of these...have a blessed day

[alenewalker]

I really enjoyed this. Step by step. Thank you so much. It is in my favorites bar for when I build it.

[meeemeee]

Wow! I was just thinking about how to build a chicken coop! I know it won't be as nice as yours, but you've inspired me 😀 I would love to see you build different sizes of chicken coops. You are an inspiration to me 😊

[gingerlovewedderburn]

This is the most informative video that I’ve seen for a novice to build a chicken coop for my chickens. The thing is that most of the coops are designed with large fowl chickens in mind. I have Silkie chickens which are a bantam breed so I need a coop that is half the the height off the ground than most chicken coops because they don’t really like heights. Additionally, the roosting bars need to be at least half the height off the floor of the coop so the coop itself doesn’t need to be so tall. If you are really interested in designing a coop for my needs, I would really like a design that meets theses requirements. I would love to have a 4x8 platform with the last foot at the end for the nesting boxes 4x1, leaving the main coop with the dimensions 4x7. The opening to the run on the opposite wall of the nesting boxes and the cleaning door for my access on the long side. I’ve never seen it before, but I was thinking that a drop bottom with hinges on one side for cleaning would work best for a coop this size except not dropping under the nest box. Even if it was two sections of 4x3 1/2 drop bottoms with a 2x4 beam between them. And then a beam between the nest boxes and the rest of the coop. I know that’s a lot to ask but if you would like to design something like this it would be exactly what I would need.😊 Is there a way to contact you?

Ginger

[JoseGarcia-phir]

well I think you sold me on the wagner sprayer because I sure love how even that looks as well as how fast it seems to go. I am almost done with my coop and it has been a nightmare. But in the end, my girls will be happy

[brianw]

I bought these plans because I liked the design, however, I disagree with the statement that it is preadator proof as designed. There are several things I did to improve the design. I started by putting tar paper under the coop floor and nesting box floors. After building the platform, I applied 1/2 in hardware cloth to the sides and bottom with the exception of the side the run attaches to. I used big washers and 1.5 inch screws. I painted the floors as well. I also ran PT 2x4's between the legs to give the hardware cloth an attachment point.

I used 2x2's on the inside corners of the nesting box which makes it a lot stronger - I had considered putting legs on it, but don't need to now. Also, designed as is, water will/does get into the nesting box where the top connects to the coop. I solved this by running trim above it with a drip edge so water drips away from the seam. I also ran 1/2 in foam strips on the top edges and installed 1/2 in trim inside the nesting box with the foam for contact there.

This design leaves the space between the top plate and the roof open - a great place for any number of creatures to enter, so before attaching the plywood sides to the coop, I covered the eves with hardware cloth. I then applied self-stick tiles to the floor which makes cleaning eaiser.

I made the windows so they could open. Just built a frame to go into the openings - connected with hinges so they swing up, added trim to the inside window frames and screwed on a piece of plexiglass. Installed hardware cloth on the inside to cover the windows. Currently hold them open with a trim piece - looking into alternatives.

I don't know where the extra material comes from for the trim used in the design - I didn't have it, but I used 1x2 trim instead. Doesn't cost much and looks way better.

The run had several design issues. First, it just sits on the ground. I attached it to a flat ground contact pressure treated 2x4 and took 1.5 inches off the wall height. I did use the pocket hole screws, but made the mistake of them being on the outside instead of the inside. I also put another horizontal 2x4 halfway up the wall in order to secure the hardware cloth more efficiently. Otherwise, it would have had way too much slack from top to bottom. The plans also leave the eves open which is also a way for creatures to gain entrance so I covered those with plywood - and above the coop door as well - you get a good piece to do this from the angled section you cut for the front/back walls.

The run door is also poorly designed - it can't possibly hold up with only pocket screws holding it together. I used 6 inch screws to hold it togther as well as steel L brackets. You could also use triangle pieces in the corners. I also added a horizontal 2x4 in the middle. This door presents some challenges as the wood used to frame it is never straight. I suggest using 3 hinges as mine still needs to be tweaked. One last thing - the plans call for 5 sheets of plywood - this doesn't give you enough for the run roof - which is one whole sheet. Buy 6. The plans also don't really tell you where the run attaches. I attached it so it's even with the sides of the coop which looks nice, but most likely isn't correct since the roof rafters seemed short - but it worked out - except for an open space at the bottom that needed to be filled.

The materials used in the plans for the roof - metal roofing are way too expensive. A much cheaper alternative is to just use a 36 in wide roll of asphalt roofing material - like a roll of shingles - available at Lowes. I put the tar paper on, the flashing, then cut the roof material to length. Sure - I had a big overlap, but I paid way less and didn't have to cut metal sheets. I also was careful to only nail into the rafters. There is some left over from the 50 ft roll.

Lastly, I dug a 16 in deep trench around the 3 sides of the run and put hardware cloth into it - again attached to the run with washers and screws. This prevents anything trying trying to dig in. The use of chicken wire connected with staples in the plans is wholly inadequate.

I thought painting the interior was a good idea, so I used a cheap sprayer from Harbor freight that I have used on my wood fences - but it really makes a mess. I also used a few tubes of caulk on all the seams. We also put 2 hasps on each end of the nesting box, bolt locks on top and bottom of the run door plus gate latches on both dors - all secured with carabiners. I also put a plug on the inside at the top which can be connected to power via an extension cord. This will enable me to run a fan in the summer and a heating pad in the winter.

All in all, this is a great plan, well designed. I don't mean to bash it - it just needs a few tweaks. Our 4 chickens are enjoying it.

[Scorch]

Thank you for this! I'm going to take some of these designs and incorporate them into my build!

[eveturner]

Great coop, also liked the Wagner sprayer.