Things to Consider when Designing a Chicken Coop
Building a chicken coop takes time, at least some skills, and a lot of careful planning. Before you start hammering, pull out some graph paper and make sure you address everything a chicken needs to stay healthy and safe.
Coop size and shape. Each chicken needs at least 2 square feet of indoor space, or 3-6 square feet in an outdoor run. For example, for indoor chickens, you should multiply the number of chickens by 2 to get the minimum square footage.
Ventilation. Chicken coops need good ventilation, through windows, roof vents, exhaust fans, and/or other means. Usually, cool air enters near the floor, is warmed, then exits near the top. Taller coops will require both top and bottom ventilation points.
Roosts. These considerations protect your chickens from injury. Make sure to consider cleaning in your design. Options for keeping a clean roost area include a slide-out pan or door, a pit, or a flat board that can be removed and scraped.
Shelter. A coop must keep chickens warm and dry, and therefore healthy. Chickens must have access to a shelter and a windbreak (temporary, natural, or permanent) to protect from winter winds.
Sturdy floor. Sagging floors are uncomfortable for the chickens and look unsightly.
Protection from predators. Predators are a big problem for urban, suburban, and rural coops. At the very least, the chickens should have a predator-proof shelter at night, when they’re most vulnerable.
Temperature control. Chickens are most comfortable when temperatures range between 40 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Extremes — cold or hot — can be dire. Make sure to choose chickens that are well-suited to your climate, and take advantage of natural resources (shade, time of year). In hotter climates, provide higher ceilings, extra space, and good ventilation.
Lighting. Light — either natural or artificial — is necessary for chickens to eat, drink, and even lay eggs. An artificial light source makes evening chores possible, keeps hens more active in winter, and help defend from predators.
Clean surroundings. Good drainage in the outside areas prevents moisture (and odor) build-up. Many chicken-keepers install hard-surfaced floors that can be hosed (especially in hot, dry climates) or sand or gravel that keeps the birds’ feet clean. Avoid slippery flooring such as tile, paper, or metal, especially for meat birds.
Wire floors are sometimes used for meat birds for cleanliness, but they can cause breast sores in broiler-type birds. A deep litter should be used to cushion these birds, and it should be kept clean and dry.
Raising Chickens Glossary
broiler; broiler bird
Any chicken of a breed known or developed for meat; usually with deeper, larger breasts, a larger frame, and fast growth.
Raising Chickens Glossary
brooder
An enclosed area for chicks in the first few weeks of life; provides warmth and safety in the absence of a mother hen.
Raising Chickens Glossary
chiggers
A common external parasite of chickens (and humans) that feed on blood while injecting an irritant into the skin.
Raising Chickens Glossary
Coccidia
An internal parasite of chickens that lines the digestive tract and may cause serious problems.
Raising Chickens Glossary
coccidiosis
An infection by Coccidia.
Raising Chickens Glossary
coccidiostats
A medicine that controls the disease coccidiosis; often added to commercial chicken feed.
Raising Chickens Glossary
cockerel
A young male chicken.
Raising Chickens Glossary
County Extension agent
A county employee, sometimes called an educator, who is associated with a land-grant university in the same state and whose job is to take research-based knowledge and bring it to the general public.
Raising Chickens Glossary
crumbles
Medium-sized pieces of feed, actually broken-up pellets.
Raising Chickens Glossary
egg binding
The condition that occurs when a hen has an egg that she can’t pass from the oviduct for some reason.
Raising Chickens Glossary
fowl tick
An external parasite of chickens, common in the U.S. South, that feed on the chicken’s blood but do not stay attached.
Raising Chickens Glossary
gapeworm
A common internal parasite of free-range or pastured chickens, usually found in the trachea; may cause serious breathing problems.
Raising Chickens Glossary
grit
1. Small rocks or gravel; aids digestion for chickens. 2. Chicken feed supplement, made of crushed limestone and granite, available for purchase in feed stores for chickens requiring extra grit.
Raising Chickens Glossary
hybrid
A cross between two chicken breeds, usually created to take advantage of specific qualities such as increased breast meat.
Raising Chickens Glossary
layer; laying hen
Any chicken of a breed known or developed for laying eggs; will not sit on their own eggs.
Raising Chickens Glossary
lice
A common external parasite of chickens that feeds on feathers or shedding skin cells.
Raising Chickens Glossary
Raising Chickens Glossary
mite
A common external parasite of chickens that burrows into the chicken’s skin and feeds on chicken blood.
Raising Chickens Glossary
oocysts
Immature Coccidia that are passed in fecal matter. Coccidia is an internal parasite of chickens that lines the digestive tract.
Raising Chickens Glossary
parasite
Things that feed on a chicken’s blood, other body secretions, or its feathers; may be internal or external.
Raising Chickens Glossary
pellets
Long, narrow, cylinder-shaped pieces of compressed feed.
Raising Chickens Glossary
pullet
A young female chicken who has not started laying eggs.
Raising Chickens Glossary
roost
1. (noun) Any above-floor structure provided for a bird to perch on. 2. (verb) The act of perching on such a structure.
Raising Chickens Glossary
roundworm
A common internal parasite of chickens, usually found in the intestines but occasionally in the oviduct or even an egg
Raising Chickens Glossary
shelter-and-run unit
A form of chicken housing that combines an indoor, protected area with an outside enclosure.
Raising Chickens Glossary
Raising Chickens Glossary
tapeworm
A common internal parasite of chickens, usually found in the intestines and usually considered harmless.
Raising Chickens Glossary
vent; vent area
The common opening for feces in chickens.
Raising Chickens Glossary
vet wrap
A bandage, often used with animals, that sticks to itself.
Raising Chickens Glossary
zoning variance
A formal agreement with the governing body of an area to allow one individual or entity to deviate from the restrictions of a zoning area.
Raising Chickens Glossary
zoning; zoning area
1. (noun) An area or district with specific restrictions or rules about the types of buildings and activities that can take place there. 2. (adjective) Of or about the restrictions required due to the zoning area.
