Chicken coop on 20 chickens: projects, construction and arrangement

Every farmer who keeps chickens in his plot knows perfectly well that this poultry must be provided with the most comfortable conditions. Only if this condition is met, you can get good eggs and high-quality meat. For layers it is necessary to build a reliable chicken coop, in which they will be comfortable and safe. Today we will learn how to equip such an erection, designed for the maintenance of 20 chickens.

Quality and reliable barn for chickens is quite possible to build their own hands. However, it is very important to bear in mind that such a building must meet several requirements.Only under the condition of their observance the structure will turn out really strong and comfortable for the residence of poultry.

Let us consider in detail what requirements are imposed on the barn for chickens.

• Optimum temperature condition. Laying hens should live under ideal temperature conditions. In addition, drafts should not “walk” inside such an erection, since they are harmful to the health of the bird. However, this does not mean that in the summer in a small barn should not be cool - the temperature above 25 degrees of this living creature does not fit. In such an environment, chickens simply cease to be carried.

• Humidity level It is very important to remember that a high level of moisture has a negative effect on chickens. In such conditions, they can get sick. From here follows one important requirement - in the hen house there should be windows or ventilated pipes mounted under the roof.
• Lighting. Equally important in a chicken coop is the proper lighting. Its level will have a direct impact on the egg production rate of the bird. So, warm yellow light forms a very good atmosphere, and also makes the hens more calm.In addition, the bulbs in the hen house should be kept in the lights for safety. Windows in the hen house should be closed with special gratings or partitions made of wood.

• Rest As mentioned earlier, a calm environment is very important for the hens. So, excessively bright lighting, complete darkness, too loud sounds or incomprehensible noises can seriously frighten animals. Sometimes this leads to a state of chronic anxiety in chickens. In order for the birds to feel safe, it is desirable to place the building in a remote place of the site. Nearby should not pass a noisy road, as well as move other animals. Many experts advise to turn to hedge - it will not only create a cozy shade, but also protect chickens from insect attacks or strong winds.

• Protection from other animals. In order for other animals (in the first place - predators or rodents) not to creep into the chicken coop, the foundation base and walls of the structure should be protected with wire or metal with sharp details. Remember that almost all rodents are carriers of very dangerous infections, so you should additionally take care of the presence of mousetraps and othertraps.
• Environmentally friendly materials. Coops should be built from safe and environmentally friendly materials. They should not adversely affect either the living creature itself or the environment. That is why in most cases these structures are made of safe wood, which does not contain chemical components.

The chicken coop, designed for keeping 20 laying hens, may have a different design. That is why before the start of construction work should prepare a plan-project of the future construction. Let's look at some interesting options.

In many areas there are high poultry houses, consisting of two main parts - the innermost room, made in the form of a neat little house with a double-slope roof, as well as a patio for walking birds, fenced with lattice material. Small but wide wooden steps can lead to the door leading to the inside of the chicken coop. Such a structure will not take much space, but layers will be able to live and walk in it, without going beyond safe limits.

The coop can also be a rectangular structure with a small sloping and flat roof.According to the plan, such an erection may consist of a room where the chickens will live, as well as a grating area covered by bars. Such a structure is very similar to the one described above, but it has some differences - in this henhouse the ladder for birds is located inside the mesh construction, and the walking area is equipped with a large mesh door. On the side of the building there can be one large box with two compartments intended for layers. To clean the roost was easier, this construction can be equipped with a retractable tray installed in the lower part of the "house".

For a small number of chickens it is quite possible to make a simple design with two ramps. If a chicken coop has such a structure, then precipitation will crawl along its roof without penetrating inside. If you plan to use this facility as a multigrade, then he will need additional insulation. In this case, it is permissible to insulate the roof with mineral wool. Further, this basis should be sheathed with inexpensive sheets of chipboard.

Many farmers build chicken coops on their own. The implementation of these works can not be called difficult. The main thing is to follow all the instructions. Do not neglect any of the stages of work.

First, you should highlight the list of tools that will be useful to the master in the construction of the chicken coop:

• hammer;
• nails and screws;
• saw;
• screwdriver;
• roulette;
• shovel;
• plane;
• ax.

In addition to the tools, you will need to purchase the required amount of building materials. Their number can be calculated when drawing up the scheme / project of the chicken coop.

In any case, the following components will be needed:

• board;
• wooden bars;
• plywood;
• old window frames;
• you can find an old wooden door in the country;
• suitable insulation material;
• cement;
• gravel;
• roof;
• ventilation pipes.

Many of these elements can be searched on your summer cottage. Most often it is the old frames and doors that remain from the old buildings located on the existing land.These items are perfect for making a barn for layers. Having made all the necessary diagrams and drawings, it will be possible to proceed to the preparation of the foundation foundation of the chicken coop. Note that for the construction of the chicken coop should choose places located on a certain elevation. Thus, you can save the future house from penetrating into its inner part of the disastrous dampness.

The foundation is not a mandatory component of the coop. But if you still decide to make it, it is recommended to choose from the following options, which are ideal for poultry houses.

• Pillar base. Such a foundation will be an excellent solution when designing a frame hen house. Pillar bases are usually made of block materials or concrete mix. The supports (columns) must be fixed along the perimeter of the planned construction.

• Pile In most cases, the pile foundation is equipped, if we are talking about areas with heaving or marshy ground. The piles themselves must be installed in the grooves, made in the ground, along the perimeter of the future construction. If you chose a pile-rostrum base, then it can be used in the construction of a more impressive block house.

• Ribbon. Such a variant of the foundation is rightfully recognized as one of the most popular and frequently encountered. It can be used regardless of what size chicken coop you plan to build on the site. Prepare this basis by applying a concrete mix (it is recommended to use a product of the brand M500), reinforcement and edged board.

Consider the process of preparing the foundation for the example of the column option:

• dig holes in the corners of the future erection with a depth of about 50 cm and a width of a shovel;
• fix the wooden bars in the dug holes with a width of about 3-5 cm;
• further, both the bars and the pits themselves will need to be filled with rubble;
• after that, the cement mortar is prepared and poured to the ground level, reinforcing the bars;
• in a day it will be possible to move on to the production of walls, because by that time the cement is already “grabbed”.

After that, you can proceed to the device wall structures of the house.

Here such a scheme of actions may be useful.

• First you need to make the first crown of the bars.
• The number of perpendicularly arranged bars will directly depend on the size of the finishing materials - if the trim sheets are narrow, then additional beams will be needed. All parts must be secured with screws.
• After that, from the outside and inside of the chicken coop, you should install a cladding made of chipboard, fiberboard or plywood.
• Between the individual layers of wall structures should be laid insulating material, for example, mineral wool. Of course, if the chicken coop is planned to be built only for summer use, then it will be possible to carry out all the processes without installing insulation.

The next construction that you need to equip will be the roof of a poultry shed. It is permissible to finish it with different roofing materials. Most often, people choose slate, ondulin and roofing material for this. There are many ways to build the roof of the chicken coop - each master himself chooses the best option. With regard to the structure of the roof, then most often design single or gable models.

Of course, a shed construction is the easiest to make, and it is cheaper. However, the modern gable option looks more aesthetically pleasing and is warm. Similar components are prepared as follows:

• first, rafters are laid on top of the wall bases;
• then a frame construction is nailed to them;
• on the prepared frame install insulated material (if necessary);
• the last layer of the resulting "pie" will be roofing material.

So, concrete options are one of the most reliable. They will not allow predators to get into the house. However, the concrete floor will cost a tidy sum, especially if you compare it with other solutions. In addition, in a chicken coop with such a floor at any time of the year will be cool. The simplest earth floor will cost the least. If you use a special deep litter, then such a foundation will also be warm. However, predators willing to eat poultry, such as ferrets, can easily enter the house with a dirt floor.

Warm is the floor of the tree.In addition, with a similar basis in the shed will not be able to get other dangerous animals, and the cost of wood flooring is cheaper than concrete. Let's take a closer look at how to equip it in a small chicken house for 20 chickens:

• for such works, boards will be required, the length of which will be equal to one of the sides of the structure;
• The material itself is permissible to choose almost any (it can be very cheap);
• so that the floor of wood is not rotted, it will be necessary to put such details as logs made from bars (under these components there will be the necessary air circulation that will prevent dampness of the boards);
• wooden floor in the chicken coop will need to be treated with special antiseptic agents (many users prefer the composition called "Senezh");
• further, on the floor should put a squared frame;
• it will be necessary to put the boards on it, carefully adjusting to each other so that there are no gaps left (if it is impossible to dock these parts, then the edges will need to be finished with a plane);
• finished floor in the house can be smeared with linseed oil - with this tool it will last much longer.

One of the most important components of a chicken coop is the roost. It is also possible to do it yourself. Consider a number of nuances that must be kept in mind in the case of self-manufacturing of these elements.

• About 25 cm of bar will be needed for each hen - if there are 20 chickens in the house, then the roost will be needed, the total length of which will be 5 m.
• Usually these parts are mounted in the form of a ladder or placed horizontally. In no case should the roosts be fixed above each other, because the hens sitting on top will surely soil the birds below.
• Initially, think over in which particular part of the chicken coop you will be easier and more comfortable to clean up, since it is under the roosts all bird droppings will gather.
• Make roosts from a wooden bar having a width of 3-5 cm. With the help of a planer you can round out all the faces of these parts so that the birds can comfortably and safely use them.

The internal arrangement of the chicken coop is an important stage in the preparation of this structure for the “invasion” of birds. Mainly inside the houses are the following important elements:

• nests - they are placed in the far corner of the construction;
• perches (we spoke about the nuances of their self-production above) - as a rule, these parts are arranged parallel to the nests;
• drinkers and feeders;
• tray filled with sifted ash or sand mixture;
• heating units, if we are talking about the arrangement of year-round facilities;
• equipment responsible for the ventilation of the room;
• lighting devices.

It is not recommended to build an oversized barn for 20 hens. If there is a small number of birds, then in such an environment, they can easily freeze. There is no need to construct the foundation if the coop is to be operated only in summer.If the area of ​​the building allows, it is worthwhile to place in the hen house a compact bath filled with ashes. In it, chickens will clean their feathers, as well as get rid of various parasites.

If your site is absolutely flat, then it is worthwhile to independently equip a small hill on which the house will be located later. Such a mound can be made of stone or split brick. Experts do not advise building chicken coops from block materials or bricks, as they are very cold, especially if you compare them with wood. In such conditions, the chickens will not be very comfortable, which will necessarily affect the egg production.

It is advisable to complement such buildings with dual-pitch roofs. Such designs are much more effective to keep a comfortable temperature in the hen house. In addition, they will be able to build a kind of attic in which the owners will be able to place food or the necessary tools. Equipping a comfortable chicken coop for 20 chickens, you need to remember that they will need a suitable place for walking. In this case, it is permissible to allocate a zone with a width of 2 m and a length of at least 7 m.

The floor in the chicken coop is recommended to spread out of two plank layers (if a wooden floor is being constructed). In addition, on top of the first layer it is better to put a waterproofing material - the usual roofing material will be the most affordable option. When you complete the self-erection of a “dwelling” for 20 layers, you will need to competently caulk all the building gaps. Do not forget that this poultry is very afraid of drafts.

The chicken coop can not only become a great place to live chickens, but also a bright detail of landscape design. For example, you can build a neat structure of the boards, painted with dark chocolate paint, and then supplement them with a snow-white frame of wooden slats. This building will look spectacular duo-brown brown roof, as well as a small window with a white frame.

In search of non-standard solutions, you can refer to the original designs in the style of the wild west. For example, it is possible to arrange 2 buildings close to each other, separating behind a spacious place for walking chickens. Build in such chicken coops small balconies and small canopies above the entrance.

How to make a chicken coop on 20 chickens with your own hands, see the next video.