Things You'll Need
- 2-by-4-inch boards
- ½ to ¾-inch plywood
- Nails
- Waterproof material
- Hammer
- Electric saw
- Electric drill
- Chicken-wire fencing
- Screen
- Shovel
- Plastic zip strips
Instructions
Cut the 2-by-4 inch wooden boards into appropriate lengths to build a rectangular frame for whatever size chook house you wish to build. This will depend on the number and variety of chickens you have. It can be full height to make cleaning easier, or as little as 3 feet tall.
Nail the 2-by-4s together to form a rectangular frame that has at least 18 square inches for each chicken you own. There should be boards across the sides for extra support. Build it so that the back wall section is about 1 foot higher than the front. Cut these boards at an angle so the roof can be firmly attached.
Nail another 2-by-4 across the inside of the chook house about 1 foot off the ground. This board should be about 1 foot from one of the chook house walls. It can be nailed to one of the cross-bars that support the sides of the structure. If you have many chickens, make an additional board another foot above that one. Nail plywood across these beams and the boards that form the sides of the structure to create shelves.
Cut plywood sheets to cover the chook house frame. Leave a rectangular opening in the front for a door for the chickens to come in and out. Also cut at least one opening in a side for a window. Cover the window with screen and the door with a drop cloth or partial door. Drill large holes in the plywood walls up near where the roof will be. Make sure they are not large enough for wildlife to get inside.
Nail a sheet of plywood on the angled tops of the boards to form a roof. Angle it away from the chook house fenced area to prevent rain running down and causing a mud puddle. Cover this with waterproof material such as tarpaper, shingles or plastic or metal sheets.
Place the chook house structure where you want it in your yard and measure out an appropriately sized outdoor area. This should include about 4 square feet for each chicken you own. Dig a 1-foot trench around the outside of this chicken run space.
Plant 2-by-4 boards into the ground at about 4-foot intervals around the chook house run. Attach cross bars at the base, halfway up and at the top of the structure. Make cross bars for the roof of the chicken run as well. Nail this all together securely.
Stretch chicken wire around all the 2-by-4 posts in the run structure. Bury the end of the chicken wire in the 1-foot trench you dug. This will help prevent wild animals from getting at the chickens. Use plastic zip strips or fence wire to attach the chicken wire to the posts.
Put two large pans or bowls into the chook house for food and water. Cut the fronts off a few plastic dish pans and put them on the shelves inside the chook house as nesting boxes. Add clean straw, food, water and chickens to complete.