How to Build a House for Game Chickens

Building a house for game chickens means protecting the animals from other animals and themselves. Raccoons, skunks, weasels and even dogs or cats, will pursue chickens if able. Chickens have an uncanny ability to kill themselves if they lack adequate shelter. You'll need to build strong, and build smart if you want your chickens to survive.

Things You'll Need

  • 3 corner posts, 4-foot-by-4-foot-by-8-foot
  • 10 cross braces, 2-foot-by-4-foot-by-8-foot
  • 2 door frames, 1-foot-by-4-foot-by 8-foot
  • 2 rolls chicken wire, 60-inches-by-150-inches
  • 2 pieces tin roofing, 4-foot-by-8-foot
  • 1 roll nylon netting, 8-foot-by-50-foot
  • 6 strong hinges
  • Hook-and-eye clasp
  • 1 bag concrete
  • Level or plumb bob
  • Hammer and nails
  • Wire cutters
  • Phillips head screwdriver
  • 24 wood screws
  • Saw
  • Staple gun
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Instructions

  1. Building your Coop

    • 1

      Determine the size of shelter you'll need. Generally, each grown chicken needs about four square feet of space. The materials listed here will provide room for 16 chickens. Start by digging a one-foot deep trench around the coop area. Dig a four-foot hole at each corner. Cut the 4-foot-by-4-foot-by-8-foot posts in half. Sink four of the posts into the corners, preferably using concrete. Put a fifth 4-foot-by-4-foot post into a 4-foot-by-4-foot deep hole in the trench where you want a door, about a foot from one of the corner posts.

    • 2

      Dry the concrete and allow the posts settle. Use a level or plumb bob to make sure they're at an even height. Reinforce the posts with the 2-foot-by-4-foot pieces, nailing them horizontally at the top of the post and about six inches from the ground. Use diagonal cross-braces if the structure wobbles.

    • 3

      Unroll the wire and staple it to the posts and braces, leaving a gap where the door will be located. Be sure the wire extends from the bottom of the trench to the top of the post. Also make sure the wire is taut.

    • 4

      Cut the 1-foot-by-4-foot board into sections to create a door frame and door. The door should be about a foot from the ground. This is especially important in areas where snow builds up. Secure the door to one of the corner posts using wood screws. It's important to get the stoutest hinges possible. Attach the hook-and-eye latch to the other side of the door. Take advantage of the open roof to slide three-foot sticks into the wire, about a foot above ground at each corner for roosts.

    • 5

      Staple nylon netting over the top of the structure. The nylon netting will generally discourage hawks and other predators from flying into the coop and eating the chickens. Place the tin roofing on top of it. Attach hinges at either side of the roof so you can remove the roof on warm, sunny days. Allow for a bit of overlap in the middle so rain and snow doesn't come down on the chickens, and make sure the roof will fold back to hang along the sides of the coop.