A good poultry house protects the birds from the elements (weather), predators, injury and theft.
General tips
- Many owners recommend not using felt roofing on coops, preferring all wood construction or a corrugated product like Onduline. The danger of felt, it is argued, is that it can allow Red mites to breed. However, the main issue is actually hygeine throughout the coop, because Red mites can hide and breed in wood joints too! Whatever roof type is chosen, keep it and the whole coop clean! Poultry Shield is an excellent poultry friendly disinfectant which kills adults and their eggs.
- Inside it should have a perch - 2" square with rounded edges
- Provide a nestbox, ideally attached externally with a hinged roof. However I use a cardboard box inside the coop! Size for large fowl is up to 12" (30cm) square or 8" (20cm) square for bantams with one nest box per four hens. Litter in the nestboxes can be shavings or straw (not hay due to moulds).
Minimum Space Requirements
| Type of Bird | Sq ft/bird inside | Sq ft/bird outside runs |
| Bantam Chickens | 1 | 4 |
| Laying Hens | 1.5 | 8 |
| Large Chickens | 2 | 10 |
There are three basic types -ark, coop or eglu
An a frame is a very simple to make or assemble coop for a few chickens - the main disadvantage is that the triangular shape limits the interior space
Advantages: Cheap, easy to build and move around. All-in-one with run. Ideal for 1-2 chickens in a small garden
Disadvantages: Difficult for the chooks to move around in. Very ineffecient on floor space.
A standard coop and run is a great way to start out. The one pictured would need two people to move to fresh ground every few weeks.
Advantages:Bigger, still easy and cheap to build or buy. Gives the chooks somewhere to perch
Disadvantages: Heavy to move around if you want to move it and the run around the garden
An eglu is a popular way to start keeping chickens.
Advantages:Cool and trendy
Disadvantages:Expensive. But cool. Will only take two chickens - you will get addicted and want more than 2!
©2004-2010 Andy Moyle
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