Build a chicken coop in the country for 10 chickens. How to build a warm chicken coop with your own hands - step by step instructions

Buying an egg in a store is both expensive and unsafe. Large farms use antibiotics, carcinogenic additives. All of them are not conducive to health. Meanwhile, if you have time, you can do a small but useful thing - to start in a summer cottage.

A do-it-yourself chicken coop for 10 chickens and whose dimensions allow you to place it even in the smallest area will be a good home help. It can be used not only for laying hens, but also for fattening broiler chickens.

To build a summer chicken coop for 10 chickens with your own hands, the dimensions of which allow you to place it almost everywhere, is within the power of anyone who is at least a little familiar with construction. Feed costs will be small - chickens eat garden weeds, worms, kitchen waste, stale bread. They can buy grain feed as an additive in the summer.

To keep chickens, it is necessary that one has at least 0.25 square meters of floor space. In addition, it is necessary to provide for the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe enclosure, in which one chicken will have about one square meter. This is especially important for laying hens, because in order to lay eggs, they must feel good, get enough vitamins, minerals, and be in the fresh air.

On the contrary, for fattening broiler chickens, you can make the area smaller, and remove the aviary altogether. It is broilers that are profitable to buy and grow in the winter. The less they move, the faster they will gain weight.

Here, five chickens can be placed on one square meter of floor in the room, not taking into account the area of ​​passages, drinkers and feeders.

Broilers can also be kept in individual cages. This is very convenient when there is some kind of shed or garage. There will be cages in it, which are very easy to rearrange from place to place when some work is being done inside.

As a rule, it is not so important for chickens to have a large room height. They feel quite comfortable with a ceiling height of about a meter. Naturally, this is inconvenient for a person. Therefore, chicken coops are made with a height of two meters or more. To make more rational use of the area, the height of the passage is two meters, and the chickens are placed on two floors, above and below.

The passages in the chicken coop are made quite spacious, about one meter wide. Usually, drinkers and feeders are also located in the aisle so that they can only stick their heads in to drink water or peck at food. This prevents food from being dragged across the floor when the birds climb into the feeder with legs and wings. Spilled feed provokes the breeding of rats and mice - dangerous enemies of poultry.

The width of the drinkers and feeders protruding into the passage must also be taken into account to determine the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room. For a small yard, a two - three-story chicken coop with a free approach from the outside, without corridors, would be a good solution. To protect from rain while feeding chickens, you can make a canopy in front of him. The depth of the premises for the bird should allow you to remove the litter from there and pick up the eggs, that is, it should not be more than one and a half meters.

Foundation selection

It is not advisable to build an expensive capital foundation for a chicken coop. It would be best if the chicken coop is located on a solid base, which can be used for other purposes - on the site for parking a second car, storing firewood, a walking yard near the gazebo. Moreover, this basing allows you to effectively use collapsible chicken coops and aviaries. They can be dismantled for the winter and put in the summer.

However, for the construction of a permanent structure, such as a winter chicken coop, it is necessary to take care of a good foundation. Two types of foundations are used - foundation-slab and columnar foundation.

The easiest way to make a foundation slab is by laying a real road slab on the ground. If it is not planned to build on it from stone, aerated concrete, but only a wooden chicken coop, you can use a defective or chipped one. The main thing is that there should not be a vegetation layer under it, the soil should be removed to solid ground, and it is desirable to lay geotextiles under the bottom and fill in a gravel-sand cushion. If it is impossible to buy and lay a road slab with a crane, they make the foundation slab on their own. The formwork is installed, the reinforcing cage is knitted into the lower part of the slab, and then everything is poured with concrete with a thickness of at least 200 mm.

The columnar foundation is made of pipes that are installed in concreted holes in the ground. The pillars go down below the freezing depth and are welded from above with a solid corner. At the top, it is desirable to fill them with a reinforced concrete base - so they will be protected from corrosion.

Regardless of what kind of foundation is planned, you need to immediately take care of what is best to make floors in. The foundation slab is a cold reinforced concrete surface that needs to be insulated. The foundation in the form of pillars will also cause a lot of trouble, because the space under it can completely freeze through.

Floor and roof

The floors in the chicken coop must meet the following requirements:

• Be warm enough.
• Litter should be well removed from them.
• Laying hens, if desired, can carry eggs in a convenient place on the floor.
• Eggs can also be easily picked up from the floor.

Luckily, chickens have prehensile paws. Therefore, for them it is possible to make not solid, but mesh floors. They are easily removed - the litter simply falls down into the cells of the grid. Eggs do not roll off them and are clearly visible. A warm floor from a metal mesh will not work, but it is not solid and chicken legs touch it over a small area - they will not freeze if it is warm in the chicken coop itself. For mesh floors, a woven mesh with a mesh of 5-10 mm from 0.5 mm wire for adult chickens is suitable. Such a grid is installed on wooden slats and nailed to them.

On mesh floors, it is imperative to install foam polystyrene coasters with a fence or trays laid with straw - if the chickens get cold, they can climb on them and warm up. They also prefer to carry eggs and sleep on these scaffolds. The litter is removed from there either together with the straw, or removed from the surface of the foam with a scraper. Extruded foam for construction is an inexpensive and practical material.

For multi-storey poultry houses, mesh floors are just a godsend. There is no need to be afraid that the litter will fall down and the chickens will be dirty - they clean themselves and shake themselves off. At the bottom, you can place a metal litter tray, from where it can then be removed and used for watering greenhouses.

They have the right to life and ordinary floors. They do not have a heavy load - if a person does not walk on such floors, then they can be made from extruded foam, laying it on wooden logs in increments of 30-50 cm. It will provide thermal insulation, and is convenient for cleaning, and is inexpensive. If walking on the floors cannot be avoided, then it is better to make wooden ones from moisture-resistant plywood with separate thermal insulation. When placed on bare concrete, the area where the chickens live should also be lined with extruded styrofoam. Even if chickens peck at it, it's inexpensive to replace.

For the convenience of cleaning on the floor, you can lay the old linoleum. It is hygienic, chickens will not peck it, it does not absorb moisture. It is good to remove litter from it and collect eggs. However, it is quite cold on its own, and it is better not to put it in a cold chicken coop.

If it is nevertheless laid, it is worth scattering a layer of sawdust or straw on top.

Given the size of the chicken coop, its roof can be made lean-to. A shed roof is also convenient when the chicken coop is made as an extension to the house, garage or bathhouse. There is no need to make an expensive roof with large slope angles, as with all structures with a short service life.

A practical material for the roof is slate sheets. Ondulin can also be used, but it is less durable and absolutely not suitable for reuse. A large sheet metal tile is well suited. It costs more than slate, but it is more convenient to install. Other materials, such as tin, roofing felt, roofing felt, are not used, they are too short-lived or inconvenient to install. Often, second-hand materials are used for roofing. The main thing is that the roof does not leak anywhere. This is constantly monitored and the roof is periodically repaired.

Roof insulation must be mandatory, even in the warm season. A lot of heat escapes through the roof of the chicken coop. In addition, the sun-hot roof creates a great heat in the house, the chickens do not feel very comfortable, although they are quite thermophilic. Roof insulation will solve the problem of both cold and heat.

You can protect the roof from the cold with the help of a heater. It is most reasonable to use the same extruded polystyrene foam of the desired thickness. The main thing is that there should be an air gap between it and the roof itself. So it will be ventilated and will not experience contact with the roof heated by the sun. It is not necessary to use mineral wool for a chicken coop for the following reasons:

• Mineral wool is much more expensive than polystyrene foam.
• It absorbs moisture well, including from a room in which there are a large number of birds.
• For mineral wool, it is imperative to make vapor barrier and windproofing.
• In the event of a roof leak, polystyrene foam will protect the chicken coop from water drops, mineral wool will not.
• Mineral wool requires additional coverage from the side of the room so that fibers dangerous to chickens do not get there.
• Expanded polystyrene is easier to install.
• The mineral wool is quite heavy, and under it it is worth making a strong supporting frame. Extruded polystyrene foam is a self-supporting material.

This material cannot be reused - when redevelopment or disassembly of the house, you will have to throw it away and put in a new one.

All this is applicable also for thermal insulation of walls.

Collapsible structures

It makes sense to make all rooms for keeping poultry and small livestock such as rabbits collapsible. This is due to the benefits of poultry farming in the summer, when chickens peck pasture almost for free, and the disadvantage in winter, when they need to buy grain feed, spend money on lighting and heating. It is much more profitable to buy or pullets in the spring, and in the fall - to sell them or eat them. Especially when it comes to a small chicken coop for a dozen or two chickens in the country, where they hardly go in winter.

Regardless of whether the bird is kept in winter or only in summer, a collapsible aviary will be needed for chickens. It is necessary in order to ensure the walking of the bird in the sun, but so that they do not scatter throughout the fenced area and do not spoil the landing. The best material for a collapsible aviary is a chain-link. It is placed at a height of about two meters - usually chickens are not able to fly over such a fence. At the corners of the enclosure, strong pillars of pipes are installed, to which hinges are welded. A mesh is attached to the loops on the stretch marks. The enclosure itself will be well sprinkled with sand.

For the winter, you can remove the grid - it will not rust and the vacated space can be used for storing firewood, winter boat parking, etc.

A collapsible canopy is also needed for poultry. In the northern regions, it often rains cold, which the chickens do not like. In the aviary, there must be a section with a canopy, under which birds hide when it rains. Unfortunately, making a collapsible canopy is more difficult than an aviary. The hardest part is the collapsible roof. If it is possible to get an old advertising banner, you can make a canopy roof out of it by building a frame on poles and stretching the banner on the frame at a slope. However, such a roof is not very durable and wears out quickly.

Most often, a canopy is made by knocking together from old slate and boards, from roofing felt, an old film from a greenhouse. It does not matter if it leaks a little - it will still give the main protection. Most often, the service life of such a canopy is not too long. The main thing is that the roof should not be torn off by the wind, so it must be fixed firmly enough.

A collapsible chicken coop in the country is the dream of any poultry farmer. The most accessible material for it is wooden boards. So far, this is a fairly cheap and common material, and this should be used. For any collapsible chicken coop, a wooden frame is made. A collapsible chicken coop can be made in the form of boxes for 3-4 chickens with a door that can be stacked one on top of the other, rearranged and moved at will, or in the form of a panel structure with hinged door frames. Usually, for a collapsible chicken coop, they make a small height - no more than 1 meter.

Both boxes and shields are made on a wooden frame, provided with handles for mounting. Temporary fastening - self-tapping screws. This is a fairly convenient mount if you have a screwdriver at home. They are quick enough to sort and assemble everything. The frame is filled according to the requirements for thermal insulation - either made open with a mesh, or clogged with boards and plywood, or foam sheets are placed there. Any home master, with a little thought, can easily make such a chicken coop that can be disassembled and folded under a canopy, in the attic or in the garage for the winter.

A very practical solution is a collapsible chicken coop, which is placed at some distance from the ground on posts. In this case, the canopy problem is solved - the chickens will hide from the rain under the floor of the chicken coop. At night, they prefer to climb into the chicken coop itself, for which they make a small ladder for the bird. Chickens also prefer to carry eggs in the room where they sleep.

Portable enclosures and chicken coops are very convenient in the spring, when chickens are released to graze on freshly dug ground. They pluck out hatched weeds, eat larvae of insect pests, worms. Thus, you can do without compound feed and mineral additives - the chickens will get everything they need themselves, and I will also bring benefits to the garden. On the contrary, when the garden is planted, it is advisable to drive the chickens out of there.

Arrangement of a chicken coop inside for laying hens - the main aspects

For laying hens, it is important that the chicken coop is sufficiently dry and warm, clean. It is also desirable that there be some kind of bedding in the form of straw or sawdust - chickens usually lay eggs in them, avoiding rushing in an open area. After they have been laid, it is advisable to immediately find and collect the eggs so that other chickens do not peck at them, so you do not need to fill in large piles of straw or mountains of sawdust there - everything should be a thin layer.

The sawdust in the chicken coop is good because the chickens also bathe in it. They need this in order to scratch the skin bitten by feather mites. Also, sawdust can be obtained almost free of charge, they are easier to remove than straw, and it is easier to remove litter from them.

For chickens, lighting and warmth are of great importance. This bird is quite thermophilic, and with a short daylight and in the cold it rushes extremely reluctantly. Fortunately, the area of ​​​​the chicken coop is not very large, and it will not be difficult to heat or light it. In a small chicken coop for a bird, the temperature will be quite comfortable around + 8 ... 10 degrees. The birds themselves, due to their warmth, are able to maintain such a temperature in the room even in a slight frost, if the walls, floor and ceiling are warm. In severe frosts, they must be removed to a heated room.

An incandescent lamp perfectly solves the problem of lighting and heating. If there is electricity on the site, then with the help of a pair of lamps with a power of about 300 watts, you can both heat and illuminate the poultry house with an area of ​​\u200b\u200babout 4 square meters and a ceiling height of about two meters, and during severe frosts, additionally turn on the stove at least for the night. However, chickens will not sleep in the light - if there is no way to turn off the light manually, it is worth setting a turn-off timer, otherwise they will feel uncomfortable.

For chickens, the most comfortable light day is about 14 hours.

Drinkers and feeders are also important for laying hens. It is important that the water in the drinker is always fresh. Everyone can come up with the design of the drinker himself, fortunately, there are a lot of them. Or buy ready-made in the store. It is not recommended for chickens to leave a large container of water open - dirt will get there, they can climb in and turn it over.

It is convenient to equip the feeders so that the chickens cannot climb there. Usually a trough is placed in an area inaccessible to chickens, a fence is made near it with a hole where chickens can stick their heads through. So they will not interfere with each other while eating, they will not push. It is imperative that the number of feeding places be equal to or greater than the number of chickens - so they can all eat up and will not experience discomfort and competition! Also, laying hens need to be provided with chalk, which they will peck so that their egg shells are strong.

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Breeding chickens has recently been very common not only in large and medium-sized households, but also among owners of small country houses and summer cottages. This is a profitable event that allows you to provide yourself with meat and eggs for at least two or three seasons. For a small suburban area, it is enough to have ten heads of chickens, but at the same time, they need to provide conditions for them to grow well and rush. To build a chicken coop for 10 chickens with your own hands, you need to carefully plan the amount of materials needed, the construction scheme, dimensions, while taking into account the needs of the bird and the optimal conditions for its maintenance.

Before you build a chicken coop for 10 chickens, you must take into account all the requirements for this building:

• The chicken coop should protect the bird from rain, birds of prey and animals, rodents. This means that the house must have a roof, and must be fenced off from outside penetration.
• It should be warm and have enough lighting. The temperature inside the chicken coop should not be less than 2 degrees below zero, and it should be equipped with windows and electric lamps.
• The dimensions of the building are selected based on the number of heads: for broilers, 1 square meter per 3 individuals is enough, for laying hens - 1 square. m. for 4 birds, for chickens - 1 sq.m. for 14 birds. In winter, the number of heads per square meter increases to 6-7 pieces.
• It is necessary to provide places for nests and perches. The floor of the chicken coop should be of sufficient height to make it convenient to remove the droppings.
• In addition to building with a canopy, it is necessary to equip an area for walking chickens. It must meet the standards of 1 chicken per 1 sq.m. Together with the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe house, the total size of the chicken coop for 10 chickens should be at least 15 sq.m.
• With year-round operation of the chicken coop, it is necessary to provide for the presence of a warm vestibule, where cold street air will not penetrate.
• The size of the perch must be at least 1 linear meter. meters. Their number is not important, the main thing is that the birds should be free.

In addition, it is important to choose the right place to place the building. It should be an elevated, level area with a slope so that rainwater does not pool around or inside the coop, but rather runs off. It is better if a low but dense shrub grows next to the house, protecting the chickens from the wind and direct sunlight. But, at the same time, the place should not be completely shaded throughout the day: chickens love the light, and the soil should dry out quickly from precipitation. The outdoor enclosure should be located so that the house does not block the walking area throughout the day. To avoid conflicts with neighbors about an unpleasant smell, it is not recommended to place the chicken coop next to the fence. The chicken coop must be located at least 4 meters from the boundaries of the site and at least 40 meters from the nearest well.

• Doors should only open inward.
• The floor inside the house should be at a slight slope with respect to the exit.
• With too much occupied area of ​​​​the chicken coop, you should reduce the size of the house, but leave the aviary for walking spacious enough.
• It is undesirable to make less than two nests.
• Feeders should be located opposite the perch along the wall.
• It is necessary to provide a door for cleaning the chicken coop from the outside and loading food inside.
• Feeders and drinkers should be at a level of 10 cm from the floor, and perch - 40-60 cm from the floor.
• A ladder must be installed from the chicken coop to the vygua platform.

How to build a chicken coop for 10 chickens: video

Before starting construction, it is necessary to think over a plan and draw up a drawing of a chicken coop in accordance with the above features and requirements. The drawing should contain the dimensions and contours of the building, the layout of the internal elements, the height of the chicken coop.

Chicken coop for 10 chickens, building scheme

Wood is used as the material, as it has the highest thermal insulation qualities. In this case, boards or OSB are used. Mineral wool or ordinary straw is used as a heater.

Foundation preparation

Small chicken coop for 10 hens, frame

If you plan to build a seasonal chicken coop, you can do without arranging the foundation. It is enough to level the site for construction, removing all the turf from the site in order to prevent weeds from growing, and then fill it with rubble, creating a pillow 15 cm high.

For a capital building, a foundation should be made. To do this, you need to dig a trench around the perimeter of the chicken coop with a depth of 30 cm, lay out the walls of the pit with a metal mesh - this is necessary in order to prevent the penetration of predatory animals and rodents that like to dig. Then the edges are laid out with boards, thus, the outer formwork is constructed, and the inner formwork is laid out at a distance of 20 cm from it. The bottom of the trench is covered with sand and gravel, on which the concrete mixture is laid. After the concrete surface has dried, it is covered with a layer of waterproofing, after which the walls of the chicken coop can be erected.

A simpler way to build a foundation is the pile method. Its advantages are that there is no need to carry out large-scale earthworks, it is simpler and less costly both in terms of time and money. To build a pile foundation, you need to dig four holes 70 cm deep. For pillars, you can use shaped pipes or timber, pre-impregnated with an antiseptic and bituminous mastic. When the posts are installed in the pits, the space around them should be concreted. After that, the columns along the perimeter are connected with a bar, and the space under them can be covered with stones, rubble, or sewn up with boards so that drafts are not created that cool the chicken coop floor inside. The frame from the timber is assembled as follows: metal rods are cut along the axis of the pillars, which are inserted into the holes of the support and fixed with washers.

Floor arrangement

The floor of the chicken coop can be built in two ways:

1. Earthen or adobe floor.

A layer of soil about 50 cm deep is removed along the perimeter of the future house, then sand is poured into it with a layer of at least 10 cm, carefully tamped. Then a layer of crushed stone is laid, which is also well compacted. After that, a thick, dryish mixture is prepared from clay and sand in a ratio of 2 to 1, spread on gravel and leveled with a spatula. The final compaction of the surface occurs using sand, which is driven into the clay. The surface is completely ready if no traces remain on it. At the end, a metal mesh is laid on it, and boards on it.

1. Double flooring is carried out with boards on the foundation, or on logs with the laying of heat-insulating material between them. But first, a waterproofing layer, for example, roofing material, must be laid on a concrete foundation. Instead of insulation, a layer of sand, sawdust or straw at least 3 cm thick can be poured on top of it, then covered with boards.

On top of the floor it is necessary to lay out a bedding of peat, straw, a mixture of straw with peat or sand, etc., and periodically replace it as it gets dirty.

poultry house walls

Usually the walls of the poultry house are built from a wooden base with a 10 cm beam, which is sheathed with lumber (boards or plywood). Inside the walls are insulated with special materials, as well as the space between the skins. A door is cut out at the bottom of the wall, a window opening is cut out on one or two walls.

Roof device

DIY chicken coop

The built chicken coop must have a high-quality roof, as it will be the basis of the thermal insulation of the building. Therefore, it should not have any cracks and cracks. The best option for a roof is a gable or single-pitched structure, which will allow water not to linger on the surface. A gable design is preferable because it will increase the internal volume of the roof. To build a roof, it is necessary to install rafters, attach a frame to them, attaching heat-insulating material to it. From the inside, the heat insulator is covered with plywood, and from the outside, the roof is covered with sheet iron, or any other roofing material.

In order for the air in the house to be constantly updated, a pipe with a diameter of 20 cm must be taken out of it. The total length of the pipe should be about two meters, and it should go down into the chicken coop by about 60-70 cm. In winter, the ventilation pipe must be clogged to prevent cold air from entering.

Aviary

To organize a walking area around the chicken coop, poles are dug in the required area, and the space between them is closed with a metal mesh. The optimal size of the aviary for 10 chickens will be a plot of 2x2 meters.

Interior arrangement

The most comfortable conditions for birds are created by the internal arrangement, which includes:

1. Feeders and drinkers. The number of feeders should correspond to the number of birds, the length of each of them should be 15 cm. They are usually installed opposite the perch.
2. Perches are made from a rounded bar. Their length depends on the number of chickens, they are usually installed at a distance of 50 cm from the floor and 35 cm from the walls.
3. Lighting. For sufficient lighting, electric lamps with a power of 5 W are installed per square meter of poultry house area. The installation of the lamps should be such that the light falls on the feeders, and not perches.
4. Nests can be made from wooden or plastic crates. For 10 hens, two or three nests will be enough. Their dimensions should be: 40 cm high, 30 cm wide and deep. They are placed in any shaded place, and the bottom is laid out with bedding, for example, straw.

Recently, more and more people are breeding chickens in their summer cottage. Even a small number of heads, about ten hens, can provide a small family with eight or nine eggs a day. In summer, laying hens can rush under any conditions, but in winter they need to equip a special warm room. Building a chicken coop with your own hands for 10 winter chickens is a simple task, even a beginner can handle it.

Winter chicken care

The chicken coop is where the chickens spend their time during the winter. Considering that egg production depends on comfortable living conditions, you need to properly equip it. If the chickens are cold, they lose a lot of energy to keep warm.

In the chicken coop, it is necessary to create optimal conditions:

1. Stabilize the thermal regime, which should be in the range from twelve to eighteen degrees. If you sharply reduce the temperature, then egg production, respectively, falls. In the southern regions, chickens are able to endure winter cold without additional heating. In the north - be sure to install special heating lamps.
2. Lighting in the chicken coop should be at least fourteen hours. In winter, daylight hours are significantly reduced, so it must be extended piece by piece. For this, fluorescent lamps are used.
3. Humidity in the room must be kept between sixty and eighty percent. This is only possible if the chicken coop is ventilated. Especially if special valves are arranged in it. It is necessary to ensure that there is always fresh air in the house, but in no case should drafts be allowed.
4. Be sure to take care of the safety of birds from all sorts of rodents and predators that feast on chicken.
5. It is important where exactly on the site the room will be located. The place must be quiet, where nothing will disturb the birds.

All chicken coop walls should be inspected for cracks or other openings through which cold wind can pass. Windows for the winter also need to be closed tightly and firmly. Lamps that serve as a heater for chickens must be installed in such a way that the chickens cannot burn themselves and at the same time do not break them. If there are frequent power outages in the village, then in this case you need to purchase a generator. Thanks to him, the layers will be throughout the winter in a warm and comfortable room.

Winter chicken care

When preparing a summer chicken coop for wintering, you need to take care of indoor hygiene. To do this, you need to putty, as well as disinfect the walls of the house. Then whiten them and change the litter in the nests.

Do-it-yourself warm winter chicken coop for 10 chickens

It is very important to choose the right place where the chicken coop will be located:

1. The poultry house is located in a place where the smell of chicken manure cannot reach the house.
2. Chickens should be comfortable indoors, no one and nothing should scare them, since this factor affects their egg production.
3. It is best to place the chicken coop in the farthest corner of the site.
4. The location of the premises must be chosen in such a way that it is possible to build an aviary as a continuation of the structure. Thus, the chicken coop and the aviary are a separate area.
5. To avoid flooding the chicken coop in the spring, you need to place it on an elevated area where water does not accumulate.
6. In order for a large amount of sunlight to enter the chicken coop, it is recommended to place its windows to the south.
7. It is best to build a poultry house not far from the fence, a maximum of four meters, so it will be protected from the cold wind.

Important! It is necessary to locate the chicken coop from the water source no less than forty meters.

After the site has been chosen, it is necessary to prepare the site itself. To do this, you need to calculate the required dimensions. To accommodate ten hens, the most optimal would be a chicken coop with parameters of 100X200X150 centimeters. Thus, inside the room you get an area of ​​\u200b\u200bfifteen square meters.

After the calculations are carried out, the preparation of the site for the foundation is carried out. To do this, the top layer of soil is removed, thirty, thirty-five centimeters high. This is done so that grass does not grow near the building. Instead of soil, the site is covered with gravel, a ball of ten centimeters.

Winter warm chicken coop

Then you need to create a detailed drawing, according to which the farmer will see how the house will look like in the end result, what material is needed for construction and its quantity. Thus, the construction cost budget will be set.

It is important to make a drawing of both the internal and external sides of the structure. There are many ready-made drawings, but it is best to create your own unique version that will best meet the owner's needs in terms of comfort for birds.

Advice. When developing drawings for a chicken coop, you need to remember to create a hole for chickens in an aviary for walking.

The best material for building a chicken coop is oriented strand board (OSB) because it has a number of advantages:

• low cost;
• ease of use.

If the farm has a brick, then it is also suitable for building a poultry house. At the same time, the brick house will be much stronger and more stable. You can also use expanded clay concrete blocks. The choice of material in most cases depends on the budget and capabilities of the owner. The most inexpensive option would still be wood.

Important! Under no circumstances should iron be used to build a chicken coop. Since this material does not hold heat at all, condensation collects on the walls from temperature changes. Accordingly, indoors will be cold and humid.

In addition, to build a chicken coop for 10 chickens, you will also need the following materials:

• sand;
• cement;
• nails;
• self-tapping screws;
• boards;
• bars;
• material for insulation;
• ruberoid;
• slate;
• electric cable;
• switch;
• light bulbs;
• glass or glass blocks;
• door hinges;
• Rabitz;
• expanded clay for floor insulation;
• pipe for ventilation.

Step-by-step instruction

The phased construction plan consists of the following steps:

• First you need to build a foundation for the poultry house. It is recommended to choose a columnar or pile option, because, thanks to it, additional ventilation of the floor covering will be created, so that the wood will not rot. Also, in the event of a flood, water will not enter the room. In addition, since the chicken house is very light, such a foundation will be much cheaper and will not require a large amount of materials, while it can stand for a long time.
• After the foundation is ready, it will be possible to proceed with further work. The second stage will be the construction of the flooring. A support frame is made from the beams and sheathed at the bottom with boards. Then, at a distance of half a meter from each other, logs are installed, the parameters of which are 100X150 cm. Then the base must be fixed on the pillars, on which roofing material is first placed.
• Then expanded clay is poured into the voids between the lags and boards are already laid on top of it. To prevent pests from entering the chicken coop, you can fill the floor with concrete.
• Then you can proceed directly to the construction. If bars are chosen as the material, then they are placed one on top of the other, but linen-jute material must be placed between them. Thanks to him, the gaps will be sealed. If an OSB board is used, then it is imperative to make a frame of beams, which is sheathed on the outside with a plate, then mineral wool is placed, then sheathing is done again. Thus, the walls will be a reliable shelter for birds from frost.
• On the south side, a ventilation pipe is inserted into the wall, but a damper must be installed in it. Windows and doors are also made. At the same time, hinges must be installed in the window frames so that the room can be ventilated. Doors are made of beams and sheathed with slabs.
• The roof can be made both single-pitched and gable, with a small attic. The beams must be attached to the strapping of the structure. Then flooring is made on the beams and after that the beams are covered first with roofing material, and then with roofing material.

poultry house insulation

For this you can use:

• mineral wool,
• Styrofoam,
• expanded polystyrene.

Insulation can be mounted both outside and inside the room. It is attached directly to the wall with a metal mesh. For internal insulation, it is necessary to upholster the insulation layer with plywood. Otherwise, the chickens will peck at the foam, and this will negatively affect their health.

1. On the floor you need to make additional insulation. To do this, peat, sawdust or straw are laid, with a ball of ten centimeters.
2. Poles are made on which the chickens will spend the night. The distance between them should be at least thirty centimeters. The length of the poles must be at least two meters. For each you need to install a ladder. Thus, it will be convenient for the chickens to climb for the night.
3. Nests are installed at a height of sixty centimeters from the floor. You can make them yourself from improvised materials. The bottom is lined with straw or sawdust.
4. Bird feeders need to be made elongated. This way all the hens can eat at the same time. Drinking bowls are arranged in such a way that water does not spill out of them while drinking.
5. To extend the daylight hours, lighting is installed. The wiring must be mounted outside, while it is hidden in special boxes. Metal lampshades are put on the lamps.

Making a house yourself will be much cheaper than buying a ready-made building. In this case, all the arrangement is done to the taste of the owner. The project is planned in such a way that it fits into the interior of the cottage. Even a novice poultry farmer can do all the work.

Breeding poultry in private backyards for the sake of eggs and dietary meat is ubiquitous. It is grown on natural feed, without additives and growth stimulants. The result is tasty and safe products.

For personal consumption for one small family, 10 chickens is enough. Without a warm room device, productive cultivation is impossible.

Building a winter chicken coop for 10 hens with your own hands is the first step towards realizing a dream. It is necessary to build a warm house and equip it inside.

Choosing a place for a chicken coop

Building a chicken coop in the country is an important step for a beginner poultry farmer. The choice of location for the chicken coop is of great importance.

According to the regulations, the premises for keeping animals cannot be located closer than four meters from the boundaries of the site.

Do not place it near a well or well. It is better to put a winter chicken coop in a secluded place, remote from a busy road and noisy neighbors. So it will be possible to save the bird from unnecessary noise, create a calm environment, avoid increased anxiety and stress.

The slight slope facilitates natural drainage during spring floods and heavy rains. Pits and lowlands are not suitable for a chicken coop, as there is a high probability of flooding.

Chickens wake up early, so it is better to place the windows to the east. So there is no need to turn on the light early in winter and you can save a little.

DIY construction

For raising chickens, different types of chicken coops are used. Winter chicken coops are built in the form of open and closed structures.

The open option involves the construction of a chicken coop for 10 chickens with a comfortable house for living and free access to the walking area. In closed structures, the bird walks in aviaries.

In private farmsteads, open-type chicken coops are most often used for keeping chickens. In the capital premises, the bird feels comfortable at any time of the year. Comfortable perches and nests are placed here, drinkers and feeders are installed.

If desired, the bird goes to the walking area, where it basks in the sun and breathes fresh air. To protect the bird from snow and rain, a small canopy is equipped on the walking area. It is good to hide from the bad weather and the scorching sun here.

If there is not enough space on the site for equipping a full-fledged winter chicken coop with a range, the installation of a two-story structure will solve the problem. Its upper part is a full-fledged chicken coop with solid walls, perches and nests. There is a comfortable aviary on the lower floor.

Necessary materials and tools

Periodic disinfection of walls, floors, ceilings and utensils helps to avoid the spread of infectious diseases and grow healthy livestock. During construction, it is necessary to use materials resistant to antiseptics.

Birds can live all year round only in capital buildings with windproof walls, tight windows and doors. If a shed or a polycarbonate greenhouse was used as a summer chicken coop, they must be well insulated before the onset of cold weather.

Capital walls are built of brick, wood, stone, or foam blocks. For the construction of a wooden frame, you will need a dry beam, racks, a board for forming a truss system, building corners and anchor bolts.

For the outer skin of the frame, siding, plywood, OSB, edged boards are used. The interior decoration is made of durable moisture-resistant materials that the bird cannot peck and get damaged. These are edged boards, OSB boards, lining, plywood, chipboard.

Expanded polystyrene, mineral wool, polystyrene foam, foil materials are used as a heat-insulating material, or they simply plaster the room. When building a capital chicken coop with your own hands, you can’t do without a jigsaw, a screwdriver, a hammer, a grinder, a level and a shovel.

Calculations and drawings

Large and small construction, including a do-it-yourself chicken coop for 10 chickens, start with drawings.

At this stage it is necessary to think over the details. Make a detailed plan. Write a list of necessary building materials. Calculate the final cost of construction.

When drawing up a chicken coop scheme, not only materials for walls and roofs are taken into account - they also detail the interior. Think over the convenient placement of feeders, drinkers, nests and perches.

Temporary chicken coops are relevant when breeding broiler breeds, which are purchased in the spring and grown during the warm period. Summer structures can be installed without a capital foundation and assembled from any materials at hand.

Drawings of a portable chicken coop for 10 chickens are easy to do on your own, even if you don’t have engineering skills. When the need for a portable chicken coop disappears, the structure is dismantled.

The construction of a winter chicken coop is economically justified with year-round poultry keeping. Low winter temperatures force chickens to stay indoors and go out for short walks only when the weather is good.

When drawing up a plan for a winter chicken coop, it is necessary to provide a heating and ventilation system. Capital buildings are installed on a solid foundation that protects the structure from distortions and heels.

To determine the allowable dimensions of the premises, it is necessary to take into account the maximum load during the year, taking into account the arriving young animals. The normative load for sedentary broilers and laying hens with floor maintenance is no more than 5 heads per 1 m².

For 10 chickens, a 2x2 chicken coop is enough. When keeping birds in cages, a much smaller room will be required.

To calculate its size, you need a livestock, the dimensions of one cage and a plan for their placement. When installing cages in two rows, the occupancy of the chicken coop doubles, which is very convenient in conditions of limited territories and growing poultry in the country.

Building foundations and walls

A capital chicken coop for all-season raising chickens needs a foundation and high-quality wall insulation. The strip foundation is perfect for such buildings. Unlike a columnar structure or piles, the distance between the ground and the floor will be filled with a thick layer of concrete and will become a reliable protection against the penetration of cold air.

For the construction of a strip foundation, they dig a trench, the depth of which is at least 50 cm. Its width depends on the thickness of the future walls with a margin of 15-20 cm. A sand cushion about 15 cm high is laid at the bottom of the trench.

Each layer of sand is carefully moistened and rammed with a beam or vibrating plate. Install the formwork protruding 30 cm above ground level. For a stronger adhesion of concrete, a reinforcing frame is used.

The formwork is poured with a ready-made mixture of cement, crushed stone and sand, taken in proportions of 3: 5: 1. The foundation is covered with a film until completely dry.

wooden frame

A chicken coop made using frame technology is the most economical and prefabricated option. Thanks to the multi-layer construction, the room is warm in winter and cool in hot weather. To protect the tree from fungus, before starting work, it is treated with antiseptics and impregnations.

The frame is assembled from timber. To do this, install corner vertical racks and fix them with steel corners with self-tapping screws. For reliable fastening of the elements to each other, slopes made of the same material are mounted.

Then install additional racks. The distance between them depends on the size of the insulation. With large sizes of the chicken coop, horizontal jumpers can be fixed at the bottom, top and in the middle of the structure.

When constructing the frame, they leave a hole for chickens, a doorway and windows of the optimal size. For the future floor and ceiling, wooden logs are laid at a distance of 50 cm.

Roof reinforcement and flooring

Wood is an excellent flooring material. It cleans well and easily tolerates chemical treatment. For the floor, it is better to use an edged board. It fits tightly and leaves almost no gaps.

Boards are laid on logs tightly to each other and fastened with nails. In order for the bird to feel comfortable in any weather and not freeze its paws in severe frosts, they practice a double floor device. To do this, a crate is laid on the rough flooring, then a layer of insulation and a finishing floor.

The chicken coop also needs a roof. The single-sided design is the simplest to implement. For its manufacture, a rafter system is installed from a bar with an emphasis on the upper trim of the frame.

The front struts are made much larger than the rear ones. They are attached to the frame with metal corners and securely fixed with jibs. Then waterproofing is laid and sewn up with slate or profiled sheet.

Interior arrangement

A comfortable room for living contributes to the productive cultivation of livestock, prevents the development of colds and deaths. When building a winter chicken coop with your own hands, you will need:

• high-quality insulation walls, windows and doors;
• chicken coop device reliable ventilation system;
• heating the room in winter time;
• adequate lighting;
• comfortable perches and nests, capacious feeders and drinkers.

The importance of insulation

Insulation of the chicken coop will relieve drafts, block free access to cold air, create an optimal microclimate, and prevent the development of colds. As a result of the work carried out, heating costs are reduced, and the cost of production is reduced.

If a chicken coop for keeping 10 chickens is made of thin material, it needs to be insulated. Warming is conveniently carried out using frame technology. To do this, a wooden beam frame is mounted on the outer or inner side of the load-bearing walls.

The inner part is filled with insulation, laid in several layers. For finishing use safe materials with a dense structure. Outside, the frame is sheathed with a moisture-resistant material.

Doors and windows require special attention in the chicken coop. They often become a source of cold. As a result of drafts and hypothermia, the bird suffers from colds, egg production drops.

Meat breeds when grown in such conditions stop gaining weight. Eliminating gaps helps keep the heat inside the room. As a result of high-quality insulation, a warm house for chickens is obtained, which can be used in any weather.

Ventilation

High-quality insulation does not let air into the chicken coop. During the winter, it is in a clogged state. In a closed room, there is increased humidity, condensation forms on the walls. As a result of prolonged waterlogging, the litter breaks down, and mold forms on the corners.

Normal ventilation with the help of window vents is possible only in warm and calm weather. On frosty days, such ventilation launches large volumes of cold air and provokes colds. High-quality ventilation system will help to avoid negative consequences.

It is a necessary element of the winter version of the chicken coop: it optimizes the temperature and humidity of the air, and removes an unpleasant odor to the outside. Poultry breeders equip a forced-air supply system with a fan installation in winter chicken coops.

To do this, use fans with low power. The presence of a power regulator allows you to control the humidity of the air, taking into account weather conditions. Installation of protective grilles will provide the necessary security.

The temperature in the chicken coop in winter

The average standard temperature for the well-being of chickens in winter is 15 ° C. In such conditions, the level of egg production drops slightly.

The complete absence of heating leads to negative consequences. In chickens, the level of egg production drops sharply.

With a long stay in a cold room, eggs freeze. There is hypothermia and inflammation of the paws. Colds and infectious diseases progress. On cold days, heating the chicken coop is indispensable.

The chicken coop is heated by one of the available options:

• electric heating ;
• gas;
• steam;
• furnace;
• air convection oven ;
• infrared lamps .

Installation of automated heating will facilitate temperature control and reduce costs. The built-in sensor is triggered when the temperature drops to a critical level and turns on the heating. When the room warms up to standard values, the system automatically turns off.

winter lighting

To maintain egg production at a high level, it is necessary to illuminate the chicken coop for at least 12 hours. Poultry farmers prefer infrared lamps. They give diffused light and heat the room.

With high-quality insulation in regions with a mild climate, one infrared lamp is enough to heat 10 m². The lamps are installed at a height of at least 50 cm. When placing the lamps on the floor, protective metal nets are used.

Automation of lighting contributes to significant energy savings. To control the level of lighting in the winter chicken coop, a photo sensor is installed. It reacts to minimal changes and turns on the light at dusk.

Drinkers and feeders

Feeding chickens will require comfortable and functional feeders. Effective in the use of bunker type feeders. The bird easily takes out food, scatters it in a minimum amount on the sides and does not trample it under its feet.

As a result, there is a great saving of feed, and the chicken coop is always clean and dry. Feeders are placed at a height of 10-15 cm from the floor level. It is better to use a separate container for each type of feed.

This eliminates the mixing of dry food, mineral supplements and mash. Separate placement will facilitate cleaning in the chicken coop and cleaning dishes.

Conventional bowl and vacuum drinkers require constant attention and often become clogged. As a result, the bird drinks dirty water and walks with wet paws.

Automatic watering of chickens save poultry farmers from constant visits to the chicken coop. Convenient to use nipple-type drinkers with a drop catcher connected to a large container with clean water. The distance between drinkers depends on the breed and is at least 20 cm.

There should be no more than four heads per drinker. With this placement, the bird will be provided with fresh water in the required volume.

Perches and nests

Growing a healthy livestock is impossible without proper rest. For convenient placement, the bird needs perches. Usually they are made from thin bars and give a rounded shape. Instead of bars, you can use ready-made cuttings.

Perches must comply with regulatory requirements. They cannot be too thin, as they will easily break under the weight of the chickens. A diameter of about 7 cm will be enough.

If the length of the perch is too short, the bird will feel some discomfort. If the floor in the chicken coop is not heated, the perches are placed at least 50 cm.

Perches are installed along the perimeter of the chicken coop in one row or use multi-level structures. Thus, a large number of chickens can be freely placed on a small area. When installing multi-level perches, the size of chickens is taken into account.

For a comfortable sleep, one chicken needs a perch with a length of at least 25 cm. The height between the crossbars should be 60 cm. When installing perches, it is necessary to consider a reliable fastening that guarantees the safety of chickens.

When raising laying hens in a chicken coop, nests will be required. The lack of a convenient nest forces the bird to look for a secluded place for eggs on the walking area. For 2-3 hens, one nest will be enough.

Nests are made of board or plywood. The bottom is covered with a thick layer of straw. The equipment of the through hole and the installation of the tray automate the process of collecting eggs, guarantee cleanliness and protect them from pecking.

Important hygiene details in winter

Effective keeping of chickens in winter is possible under certain conditions:

1. To maintain egg production at a high level, the bird needs balanced diet, access to fresh water and vitamins.
2. She needs daily walking. The duration of the walks depends on the weather conditions.
3. Growing healthy livestock is impossible without whitewashing the walls, disinfecting dishes, drinkers, perches and nests.
4. Chickens need ash. It will help prevent the mass spread of insects living in the feather.
5. Sand placed in the chicken coop will improve the processing of solid feed.
6. To hatch high-quality eggs, chickens need mineral supplements, so they are given crushed eggshells.

How to protect chickens in winter

To prevent the development of colds and frostbite of the paws, the creation of optimal living conditions will help. The temperature in the chicken coop is unacceptable below 10 ° C. In cold weather, space heating is required.

Light day cannot be less than 12 hours. Excessive humidity and drafts contribute to the spread of colds. With prolonged exposure to drafts and cold, a massive loss of birds occurs.

Building a capital chicken coop for 10 chickens with your own hands is not at all difficult. This requires an elementary tool and a little experience in repair work.

When building a cozy chicken house on your own, there is no need to hire specialists. A high-quality winter mini chicken coop, built according to your own project, will become the real pride of a zealous owner.

Breeding poultry is a common and affordable type of subsidiary farming. Fresh, organic products are always in demand. In addition, it is not difficult to build a chicken coop with your own hands. Only some theoretical knowledge and construction skills are needed.

Domestic chicken is quite unpretentious. It has been observed that the productivity of a bird grows in conditions where it feels safe. In order for the herd to be able to wait out the bad weather, keep warm in winter and lay eggs, chicken coops of various types are built.

portable

Mobile chicken coops are used in warm weather. They can be transferred from one place to another as the birds eat green grass. Designed for keeping 10-20 individuals. The design combines a house for chickens and a paddock covered with a net.

Stationary

Do-it-yourself capital chicken coop is built from different materials - wood, cinder blocks, aerated concrete and even earth. In such buildings, birds are grown all year round. In a stationary room, favorable conditions exist both in winter cold and in summer heat.

Multi-tiered

It is convenient to breed a bird in structures consisting of several tiers. At the same time, crowding of the herd in a small area is avoided. Chickens or chickens of the same age are placed in each level. In addition to saving space, this makes maintenance easier.

Features of chicken coops

walking

The ability to move, be in the sun and dig in the ground favorably affects the health and fertility of the chicken. Eggs contain the highest amount of vitamins and nutrients. It is especially important to have a range for breeding breeds and getting chickens.

seasonality

An uninsulated seasonal chicken coop is the best option if it is not possible to raise a bird all year round. During the summer, it is realistic to grow 1-2 broilers, which are characterized by rapid weight gain. They are often kept in cages without walking.

Capacity

Overconsolidation negatively affects the productivity of the herd. Veterinary standards recommend allocating at least 0.2 m² of area per chicken when kept on a deep litter, 0.08 m² - in a cage or on a mesh floor.

Location of the chicken coop

Chickens develop active life activity only during daylight hours. The most favorable orientation of the chicken coop is with windows to the south or southeast.

The site should have a slope for the runoff of rain or melt water, not blown by strong winds. In the aviary, you need to organize a shady area where the birds could hide in the heat. These are trees, shrubs or canopies.

Important. At high air temperatures, laying hens stop laying, and broilers are reluctant to eat food. To protect the house from excessive heating by the sun, it is placed in a light shade.

The facility must be easily accessible to fetch food and water.

House dimensions

The dimensions of the chicken coop are chosen taking into account the optimal placement of livestock and ease of maintenance. Based on the minimum standards, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe poultry house for 10-20 chickens, when kept on deep litter, is at least 2-4 m².

Chickens like to sleep on a perch - a horizontal bar raised and fixed above the floor. An adult bird will need 20-25 cm, a chicken - 15 cm. If the perch is too long, it is divided into parts and placed parallel to each other at a distance of at least 30-35 cm.

In the barn, a bath is sometimes arranged for bathing in the ashes. Each "swimmer" will need 0.12 m² of pool area.

For laying eggs, laying hens are provided with nests at the rate of 2-3 pieces per 10 hens 2-3. The size of one "seat" is 35x35 cm.

Ready-made drawings and diagrams

For the construction of a do-it-yourself chicken coop for 10-20 chickens, ready-made projects are offered. They are designed according to the norms and facilitate the independent construction of the house.

For 10 laying hens kept on a deep litter in a chicken coop with a range, the following parameters are optimal:

• warm room - 1.2x1.7 = 2.04 m²;
• along one long wall perch 1.7 m long;
• nests are placed along any other side - 3 pieces 0.3x0.3 m in size;
• open range - 1.2x3 m = 3.6 m².

Important. When breeding different breeds, it is recommended to arrange a separate room and walking for each species. Birds have different diets and wakefulness, so it is desirable that the chickens do not interfere with each other.

Broilers don't need nests or perches. Birds are too heavy, sleep on a horizontal surface. As a rule, they are not kept longer than 3 months, so the question of obtaining eggs is not worth it. Often meat breeds are grown without walking. When movement is restricted, they gain weight faster.

Sometimes cages with chickens or broilers are placed on the upper tier of the chicken coop, and the free space below is used for laying hens. This option is used if the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room is limited. Of the pluses - profitability, of the minuses - infections are transmitted at lightning speed, more frequent sanitization is required.

Drawings and photos of chicken coops for 10-20 chickens

Norms SNIP 30-02-97 room parameters

When building a stationary chicken coop with their own hands, they are guided by the norms of SNiP 30-02-97, which limit the location of livestock sheds relative to neighboring objects:

• retreat at least 4 m from the fence or boundary;
• from a residential building (own and neighbor's) - 12 m;
• from a water well or well - 20 m;
• in case of blocking, arrange a separate entrance no closer than 7 m from the entrance to the residential building.

If the rules are not respected, the neighbors have the right to go to court. As a rule, a decision is made to demolish the building. There are no clear regulations for portable structures.

Do-it-yourself chicken coop general instructions

The simplest and most affordable poultry house is a frame one. It is built from a board or timber, insulated, sheathed from the outside and from the inside. This design provides reliable protection from the cold, does not require a massive foundation, and the materials are inexpensive.

Construction is carried out according to the scheme:

1. Excavation.
2. Building a foundation.
3. Installation of the frame of walls, floors and roofs.
4. Wall insulation, roofing.
5. Installation of windows, doors.
6. Internal arrangement, laying of communications.
7. Finishing.

For walking content, an aviary is additionally arranged.

The nuances of building a foundation

The best option for a frame winter chicken coop for 10-20 chickens is a columnar prefabricated or monolithic foundation. In the first case, concrete blocks or clay bricks will be needed, in the second - reinforcement and concrete. Asbestos-cement pipes, boards and even car tires are used for formwork.

At the corners of the structure and every 1.5-2 meters along the perimeter, pits are dug 0.5-0.7 m deep. A mixture of crushed stone and sand is poured onto the bottom. They lay out supports from blocks or install formwork and pour concrete.

In advance, an anchor or a stud is placed in the base for attaching the strapping beam. The surface of the foundation is coated with liquid waterproofing in 2 layers.

Arrangement of the walls of the chicken coop

A beam of the lower trim with a section of 100x100 mm is laid on the supports (it is possible from 2 boards per edge), treated from rotting by mining or another antiseptic. Fasten it in the corners "in the paw" or with metal plates.

Install racks from a board of 100x50 mm in increments of 1-1.2 m. Mount the upper harness on top. The corners are reinforced with jibs.

The walls are sheathed on both sides of the OSB, foam or expanded polystyrene plates 100 mm thick are laid inside (preferably in 2 layers of 50 mm with dressing of the joints). To protect against rodents, the insulation is covered with a mesh with a small cell.

Roof, ceiling and floor of the coop

The floor beams are attached to the upper trim with overlays, the rafters are cut in. The connection in the ridge is reinforced with a metal plate.

On the rafters, a crate of edged boards is mounted. Lay roofing material. In most cases, these are inexpensive asbestos-cement sheets.

Hemming the ceiling with a board. Above is a heater. You can pour a layer of expanded clay or sawdust treated with lime, lay mineral wool, wrapping it with a vapor barrier, or expanded polystyrene boards.

floors

The most inexpensive solution is insulated floors on the ground:

1. The top layer of soil with plant residues is removed, the surface is compacted.
2. Sprinkle sand and ram.
3. Styrofoam 50 mm thick is laid.
4. Spread waterproofing from a dense film.
5. Reinforcing mesh is mounted, concrete is laid, leveled.

Sawdust, straw, moss, sunflower husks, needles, dry leaves are poured onto the finished floors. For accelerated disposal of poultry waste products, the litter is treated with special bacterial preparations.

Concrete floors are easy to maintain. Twice a year, the bedding is removed and the surface is washed with disinfectant solutions.

Ventilation in the chicken coop in winter

To equip a do-it-yourself chicken coop for 10-20 chickens, the simplest ventilation system is enough. In summer, when the doors are open, air exchange takes place constantly. In winter, accumulated excess moisture and harmful gases must be removed in time.

Ventilation is arranged from two vertical pipes. The air supply is located at a height of 15-30 cm from the floor. The bottom of the exhaust is fixed near the ceiling.

Pipes are carried to different parts of the room to increase the volume of moving air. The holes are protected with nets from rodents, and rain caps are installed on top.

Arrangement of the chicken coop inside

You will need feeders to feed the birds. You can make them yourself or buy ready-made ones. Convenient bunker, devices dosing compound feed. Mounted or tray options are also popular.

A mandatory attribute of a poultry house is a drinking bowl. On sale are simple bowls, containers for an inverted jar or bottle, float, siphon and nipple drinkers.

Nests can be made from ordinary boxes or boxes. Straw and sawdust are placed inside. Place them in a quiet corner, away from the feeders.

The perch is made of a wooden bar with a section of 50x70 mm. For meat-and-egg breeds, it is fixed at a height of 60 cm from the litter, for laying hens - 90 cm. So that the perch does not bend under the weight of the bird, a support is installed in the middle.

Chicken coop lighting in winter

In winter, chickens lay worse due to short daylight hours. You can increase productivity with lighting during the dark hours.

For every 6 m² of space, 60 watts of power is required. The most favorable spectrum emit fluorescent lamps.

Important. According to the observations of poultry farmers, egg production of chickens increases with orange light, with green chickens grow faster. Blue has a calming effect, reduces aggression.

Heated chicken coop in winter with and without electricity

Warmth increases the productivity of birds in winter. For heating use:

• oil coolers;
• infrared emitters;
• air convectors.

The devices are economical, allow you to maintain the optimum temperature in the house.

Along with electric heating, other methods are common:

• heating with a wood-burning stove or potbelly stove;
• connection to the house heating network, if the chicken coop is connected to the house;
• use of heat generated by non-replaceable bedding.

These methods are used if there is no electricity nearby or heating with it is uneconomical.

Do-it-yourself heating of the chicken coop in winter with sawdust

The old method is still used in the villages. It is based on the increase in temperature in the litter during the decomposition of organic matter. The energy released as a result of the exothermic process is sufficient to heat a small chicken coop.

The technology is simple. The floors are first sprinkled with slaked lime to prevent the breeding of harmful insects. Above - bedding material with a thickness of at least 8-10 cm. As the bedding is compacted, fresh is added, loosening the previous layer with a rake.

Breeding poultry is a profitable and uncomplicated activity. With the right arrangement of the chicken coop, it will bring not only benefits, but also pleasure.

A winter chicken coop for 10-20 chickens is the work of our reader with step-by-step instructions for performing the work.

The construction of the building in total took 3 months by one person.

The chicken coop is designed for keeping birds in the summer and winter seasons.

The dimensions of the chicken coop for 10-20 hens with a paddock are 6 m long, 4 m wide, 3.5 m high.

Size: 1st floor - 2x2x0.8, 2nd floor - 2x3x1.7, 1st floor paddock - 2x2, 2nd floor paddock - 4x4.

Material used: gas silicate blocks, cement, iron pipes, waterproofing material, expanded clay, wooden beams 100x100 and 50x50, boards: 25x100 and 25x50, unedged board 25, sand, insulation: foam plastic and mineral wool, glassine, roofing material (bicrost 4.0), chipboard boards, chain-link mesh 50x50.

Tools used: screwdriver, chainsaw, square, hacksaw, hammer, axe, shovel, level, tape measure.

Additional material: old windows, curtains, latches, handles, screws, sewer pipes d110 (for ventilation), cable, lamps, nails, paint, antiseptic.

Beginning of work:

As soon as we have decided on the place to build the chicken coop, we mark out the area of ​​\u200b\u200bconstruction (6 x 4 m.)

In a circle of markings at a shallow depth, we set the blocks according to the level. Blocks and inside the markup, because We will have 2 outings. One paddock for laying hens, the second - for broilers. Iron pipes were placed at the joints (9 pieces came out), they were filled with cement (to prevent subsidence of the structure).

We lay waterproofing material on the blocks - bikrost the first layer, then wooden beams prepared in size (100x100). To prevent wood decay, we treat it with an antiseptic.

We level the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe chicken coop with sand.

Assembling the frame of the first floor. To do this, you need wooden bars (100x100).

We also see in the photo that the bars are longer than the chicken coop itself - this is a place for nests.

To insulate the floor of the first floor - we fall asleep expanded clay.

We cover the floor. Boards measuring 50x150. We lay linoleum on the boards. We also lay the floor of the second floor.

We install rafters.

We sheathe the walls of the first floor with a board 25x100.

We cut out a window in the wall in the size that is available. We had an old window, which was not particularly restored, the main thing is that it should not be broken.

The wall of the second floor, but they also prepared a place for a window on the second floor, and an exit for chickens. The window around was made with a beautiful finish, so that there would be fewer gaps.

View from the side of a large paddock for chickens.

Wall cladding.

Nest frame assembly.

Work on the roof: we lay the roof with an unedged board, we also make a visor.

We sew the visor.

We cover the roof with bicrost 4.0 with sprinkles.

Sheathe the walls inside with glassine.

We insulate the walls with mineral wool insulation. Then we sheathe boards with chipboard.

Since our mesh "Rabitz" is smaller than the height of the walls of the chicken coop, additional boards were nailed so that the mesh could be fixed. Of course, it was possible to immediately make the height less, but at the very beginning they somehow didn’t calculate it, and considering the fact that there are 2 other people’s gardens in the neighborhood, nimble chickens could run away.

Doors for the chicken coop were made in advance, from improvised means: they used chipboard material, plywood, small bars and insulation.

Next up is painting the chicken coop. Ventilation - they also made it themselves from sewer pipes. Doors for walking were made, as they came up with, nothing complicated. Lighting in the chicken coop - 2 lamps (night and day). Also, the ladder from the house to the street is the largest board with small bars, which they nailed themselves. 5 nests came out, which were separated from each other by chipboard plates.

The doors of the chicken coop open like in the fairy tale "Little Red Riding Hood" - pull the rope and the door will open.