38 DIY Chicken Coop Plans and Ideas, from Weekend Projects to Dream Coops
Your fine-feathered flock will appreciate a safe, functional, and stylish coop.
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So, you’re thinking about taking up backyard chicken-keeping. Before you start choosing chicken breeds or shopping for cute chicken accessories, first things first: a coop to keep your flock happy, healthy, and safe. Whether you are building your own from a set of chicken coop plans, weighing store-bought options, or scouting ideas for DIY chicken coops, it’s homework time. So, we called on an expert.
Lisa Steele is a fifth-generation chicken-keeper, host of APT’s CreateTV series Welcome to My Farm, creator of the FreshEggsDaily blog, and author of Fresh Eggs Daily: Raising Happy, Healthy Chickens...Naturally. Our first question for Lisa: Is it really cheaper to build a chicken coop versus buying one?
“If you are the least bit handy, then absolutely, building your own is cheaper,” Lisa says. “And it’s going to be sturdier likely, because in between building your own and buying your own, there are those kits that tend to be priced in the middle, where you get all the pieces and put them together. But they’re so flimsy and, in the long run, it’s a waste of money because they’re not going to hold together. They’re not going to keep predators out.” (On that note, a cautionary tale.)
“Unless you want to lay out the money to buy a shed-style walk-in that will withstand heavy winds, bears, coyotes, and everything, building your own is the way to go. Then you can customize it. There are plenty of photos, tutorials, and videos out there, so you can look at the features that you like and build it exactly the size you want it.”
Scroll through these coops plans, including some free options and DIY inspo. Afterward, return here for these essential reads:
Terri Robertson is the Senior Editor, Digital, at Country Living, where she shares her lifelong love of homes, gardens, down-home cooking, and antiques.
Jennifer Kopf is the Executive Editor of Country Living. She also covers antiques and collecting.
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