Last post I focused on some of the key design features of my chicken coop. In this post, I’m going to briefly outline the materials used and basic construction. A list of materials is at the bottom of the post. The actual amount of materials you need depends on the size of the coop you are building.
From my perspective, the most innovative aspect of this coop is the floor pan. This allows me to easily “keep the poop out of the coop”. The floor pan is made using corrugated plastic roofing material. (This is available in 8 foot long 24 inch wide sheets from most building supply centers like Home Depot.) Just slide the sheets through the door opening at the bottom of the coop, being mindful to overlap the sheets.
When I need to clean the coop, I open the door, slide out the sheets and dispose of the straw that I place over the pan to provide absorbency. I then wash off the corrugated plastic material with a garden hose, place it back in the coop and re-cover with straw.
As for the roof itself… I used metal corrugated roofing material because I liked the look of this material. But be aware that metal roofing is razor sharp along the edges. If you don’t want to take steps to dull the edges, use plastic corrugated material instead. If you decide to use metal, file down the edges after installation. I then painted the edges with Plasti-Dip as an extra precaution. (Plasti-Dip is a plastic material that is used to put a coating on tool handles like pliers)Below is a basic construction outline:
- Build the frame for your coop using 2x4’s. The frame for each wall consists of four 2x4’s that are connected to form a rectangle. The 2x4’s are held together using nails and metal hangers (if you don’t know what these are, ask at the hardware store). Since I built my coop above the ground, the vertical sides of some of frames extend an extra foot. I cut the top the 2x4” to match the intended angle of the roof.
- Do this for each side of the coop and attach the sides to form the skeleton of the coop and connect all the sides together with nails and hangers.
- Nail plywood sheets to the bottom to form the floor.
- Install a perch.
- Nail fence boards to the sides to form the walls. (Leave openings in the sides for the doors to the coop and nest boxes, window areas and floor pan.
- Install nest boxes
- Nail plywood sheets to top to form roof.
- Create door and hang on coop with hinges and safety hook closures.
- Nail corrugated roofing material to roof using roofing nails. Allow for a few inches of overhang to allow rain to drip away from the side of the coop.
- Staple wire fence material to windows with staple gun.
- Slide plastic roofing material through front floor pan door, overlapping the sheets.
- Done
All materials can be purchased at Home Depot or similar store:
- 2x4's for frame
- ¾” plywood sheets for sub-roofing & floor
- Solid wood board (used to make fences)
- Plastic corrugated roofing
- Metal corrugated roofing (optional)
- Nails
- Hinges
- Metal hangers – used to connect 2x4 lumber
- Safety hooks and eyes to close doors
- Plasti-Dip
- Staples and staple gun
If you are new to construction projects, seek help from your local home center or buy a book on the subject. You should also wear gloves and safety glasses and read the manufacturers manuals for any power tools you use.