Planning

• 1). Clear a space for the coop. Pick a site on a slight elevation so that puddles will not affect it after heavy rain.
  
  
• 2). Calculate the size of the coop. On average, one hen will need at least 2 square feet.
  
  
• 3). Design your own coop or download a free blueprint from the Internet. The chicken coop should have a large door allowing for easy collection of eggs. While there are multilevel coops, a single-level coop is the best option.
  
  
• 4). Purchase the materials you will need.
  
  

Building the Chicken Coop

• 1). Cut all of the wood to the proper size. Place four pieces of wood on the ground in a rectangle. Screw them together to create the base of the coop. At each corner, lean a post at a 45-degree angle to create an A-frame. The posts should be about 6 feet in length.
  
  
• 2). Connect the end posts of the A-frame with a length of wood. This will leave you with a tent-like structure with a triangle at either end. Select one of the triangles as the end where the door will be. Using wood and nails, build a simple square door frame and attach it inside one of the triangles using nails or screws.
  
  
• 3). Add chicken wire. Cover the exterior of the coop with chicken wire and secure it with fencing staples.
  
  
• 4). Make the door. Cut a piece of plywood so that it is 1/4 inch smaller than the space left for the door. Attach the door using a hinge and secure a bolt latch on the other side.