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Eggs…need we say more? Recent events have opened the eyes of many to what it means to have a source of food removed or made so expensive it’s unaffordable. Everyone knows where eggs come from. Chickens are small and relatively easy to keep.
A lot of suburbs will allow residents to keep chickens in their backyards. Between chickens and a garden, you know you’ll have a pretty steady supply of food without worrying about what the current prices at the grocery store are.
To keep chickens in the backyard, you’ll need a home for them. Chicken coops are not a one-size-fits all type of thing. You’ll need to choose a coop based on the available space on your property along with a few other things. You’ll need to consider the predators in your area.
Chickens are easy prey for anything from neighborhood dogs to crows and hawks. You’ll also need to consider snakes, raccoons, skunks and so on that will feast upon the golden eggs your chickens do lay.
Chicken coops don’t need to be Taj Mahals. In fact, people have gotten very creative over the years with their chicken homes. Your main goal is securing the chickens. That’s it. You can make it pretty if you want, but the chickens won’t care.
Check out some of the chicken coop designs and ideas below. Feel free to let your own imagination run a little wild when you make your coop.
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1. Pallets
Pallets are often found free in the neighborhood. They come in many sizes and are made with different types of wood. They can be stacked and nailed/drilled together two or three high to make the sides of the coop. Take apart other pallets to use the two by ones to fill in the gaps.
The floor can be made of pallets as well. You’ll want to weatherproof the coop with some kind of metal or vinyl siding. Depending on the wood, you could also use a hardy stain. Make sure to insulate the inside and use wood panels to cover the insulation.
Pro tip: Use spray insulation on the outside to fill in little gaps to avoid bees and birds making it their homes.
More info: Judys Free Pallet Chicken Coop
2. Playhouses
If you have or can find one cheap, those plastic playhouses will make your chickens very happy. The structure is already weather-proofed and built for you.
The picture above is a great example of how to transform the playhouse into a coop with a run underneath. You could always put the coop inside a fenced area as well. The chickens run during the day and return to the playhouse at night. Just remember to secure the house.
More info: Hen House Rocks S The Chicken Ranch A Playskool Coop
3. Water Tanks and Silos
Old water tanks or silos will make a roomy coop. You’ll want to put in a flat floor for the chickens. A pallet or simply sliding some OSB onto the bottom will do.
Secure the tank to keep it from rolling. To get an idea of how you could make it work, check here. The tank will act as the home, but you will need to put fencing around it to keep the chickens safe.
More info: Water Tank + Pallets = Chicken Coop
4. Trampolines
An old trampoline as a coop is all the rage right now. Basically, it involves using a trampoline as the chicken run. You’ll need to put chicken wire around the bottom of the trampoline. The actual bouncy part will be the roof.
There are a few different ways you could use a trampoline. Building the coop on top of the trampoline is one idea. Another would be attaching a structure at the side. This could be an old playhouse or even an old doghouse.
You don’t want your chickens roosting under the trampoline because that’s where they are going to lay their eggs. Unless you want to crawl under, you’ll want a detached coop.
More info: Chicken Coop Made From A Trampoline Frame
5. Swingsets
An A-frame coop made with scrap wood and metal is another option. It’s basically what it sounds like. This is one example that uses an old swing set! You can use pallets to create this frame as well.
More info here.
6. Sheds
An old shed makes a great big, roomy coop. If it doesn’t have windows, you’ll want to cut at least one in and cover it with chicken wire.
Add a few nesting boxes and your chickens will have a home. A larger coop is great for areas that get a lot of snow. When the snow is deep, your chickens will still have room to walk about.
More info: DIY Chicken Coop: Turn An Unused Shed Into A Chicken Coop
7. Satellite Dish
Ever seen one of those giant satellite dishes from the eighties laying around? They make great roofs for a coop. Support the dish on legs and add some wire around the bottom. Again, this could be a coop with some nesting boxes built in or a run.
More info: Recycling on the Farm: Hoophouse on the Cheap
8. Cabinets
Old cabinets and armoires are very handy to use as nesting boxes inside a coop or run. Entertainment centers from the nineties are usually free in the classifieds. Those can be transformed into a coop.
Pro tip: Add some contact paper to the wood to keep it from completely melting under chicken poop, which is extremely acidic.
More info: Ton Matton’s Chicken Cabinet Produces Fresh Eggs Right in Your Backyard
9. PVC Pipe
Use cheap PVC pipe to construct a frame. If you want to build a large enough frame for you to walk into, using sticks of rebar inside the PVC and staked to the ground will add some stability.
There are many different plans available. Choose what works for you. You can build the PVC frame around a playhouse, doghouse etc. to provide shelter for the chickens.
More info: Pastured Poultry Chicken Coop / Pen
10. Doghouse
An old doghouse, big or small, wood or plastic will be a nice shelter for a couple of chickens. You’ll want to have it raised off the ground to keep out egg snatching critters.
More info: Turn a Dog House into a Chicken Coop
11. Cribs
Cribs are also nice, elevated nesting areas. They are already fenced in and just need a roof on top. They can be put inside an inexpensive run and require very little work to make useful. It would be wise to add a layer of chicken wire around the crib bars because smaller critters (and chicks) could get through the slats.
More info: How To Build A Chicken Coop For Under $50
12. Kitchen Cabinets
Old kitchen and bathroom cabinets that have been pulled out for remodeling make great nesting boxes. Put them inside a chicken run (or use in the shed structure) and you have a quick and easy coop. Knock out the interior walls and put several together for a nice enclosed and secure place.
You could knock out the back wall of the cabinet as well. The “back” of the cabinet would serve as the entry for the chicken inside the coop and the door would be your access to the eggs from the outside of the coop.
More info: For the Love of Backyard Chickens
13. Junk Cars
If you’ve got some property and a junk car just sitting and rusting out, why not use it as a chicken coop? Clean it out. Remove the seats and carpeting and secure any open areas with chicken wire.
More info: DIY Old Car Chicken Coop
14. Gazebos
Old gazebos that are just not what they used to be don’t have to get junked. Add some sturdiness to the supports and wrap chicken wire around it to create an enclosure.
You can make a small gate big enough for just the chickens to go in and out or large enough for a person to walk inside. Depending on the roof situation, you can use a tarp or cover with more chicken wire.
More info: Chicken Coop from an Old Gazebo
15. Campers
Old campers that are no longer useful for humans can be great for chickens. You’ll want to clean the thing out and get rid of any couches and beds. Secure the floor to make sure nothing can come up and into the coop. Add some roosts and nesting boxes and your chickens will be living in style.
More info: Completed Camper Renovation to Chicken Coop
16. Metal Sheds
Those flimsy metal sheds, big or small, that are nothing more than squirrel magnets can be transformed into a coop. Add some supports to the roof and sides and put down some appropriate flooring. Add nesting boxes and you have yourself a quick and easy coop.
More info: Metal Shed Into Coop
Just about anything can be used to make your coop. It only needs the basic elements; roof, enclosed and secured. Chickens don’t need much to be happy. The key is keeping them safe from the many predators. Weatherproof your coops to make them last.
To make it easier on yourself, use materials and designs that make retrieving the eggs and cleaning the coop simple. Another pro tip is to put down cheap laminate or those peel and stick vinyl tiles over the coop floor and in nesting boxes made of wood.
It’s a lot easier to clean and sanitize and will prevent the wood from rotting. Make it fun and dress it up to make repurposed materials look a little prettier.
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