Small Chicken Coop Plans - A DIY Guide

Not everyone needs a massive, traditional hen house, and if you're looking to keep just a couple of chickens in your backyard there is absolutely no need to build one. The internet can provide you with an assortment of small chicken coop plans. This article explains the 2 most popular types, and helps you get started with building right away.
The A-Frame Chicken Coop
This is the most basic, common type of small chicken coop. Plans can be found in your local hardware store, or downloaded from the internet. The design consists of around 12 lengths of treated pine or cedar. Chicken wire is "wrapped" around the frame, which makes for a safe, secure coop. Of course, it's not quite as simple as that, but hopefully you get the drift.
Advantages of building this kind of chicken coop are that it's portable, reasonable attractive, and kid-proof. You can even attach a few bits of plywood to enclose one end, effectively making a separate nesting area. This will boost your egg yields significantly, as the chickens will be more relaxed when nesting.
The Chicken Ark
This model of chicken coop is becoming a lot more popular in recent years. It's only slightly more complex than the a-frame coop, but provides your flock with a lot of extra space. It generally utilizes 2 floors - downstairs for grazing, and upstairs for laying.
As previously stated, this design isn't too complex, but will require more lumber, chicken wire, and plywood. You'll also want to give it a paint, as there is much more exposed wood, which may not look too pretty.
Inexpensive Construction Materials
You'll be happy to hear that there are plenty of ways to minimize construction costs. Most small chicken coop plans will include some kind of guide on this as well. Be sure to ask neighbors for any scrap wood or wire they may have. Also think about any old furniture that can be broken down into pieces. Be creative!
To download some great small chicken coop plans, check out this Chicken Coop Plans website now.