Free Chicken Coop PlansCan you actually build a chicken coop from free chicken coop plans? We decided to check out some free plans to see if they were practical for backyard chicken raising or the small farm flock.
In other words, the coop has to keep your chickens warm, dry, safe, and where you want them! Analysis of the Free Chicken Coop PlansWe've chose two free chicken coop plans to examine; one is a plan for a small portable backyard chicken coop, suitable for raising a few laying hens. The other is a larger, portable 'chicken tractor' type that can raise a couple dozen layers or 50 or so meat birds. Here's the first:Plan 1: Portable Backyard Chicken Coop Plan from Mother Earth. This plan is quite simple, and will produce a small portable coop suitable for a 3 or 4 backyard hens. The plan itself itself is quite clear and the instructions are sufficient to allow fairly quick construction. One possible problem area, the diagrams included are not terribly detailed, and this may prove a challenge for the novice builder. This design has a sheltered coop area about 4' x 4' and an attached chicken yard about 4' x 5'. The structure is solid and provides protection against the elements and predators. The finished product looks pretty good too. The only point of complexity in the plan is the requirement to 'notch' rafters and floor panels to accommodate structural members. This will require some effort and precision to produce a good finished product, but I could probably build this coop in an afternoon. Regarding portability, this design has an axle and wheels on one end, allowing it to be moved. One minor quibble, the overall length of this coop is about 9 feet, somewhat of an awkward size when buying lumber. I would probably reduce that to 8 feet (make the sheltered coop area a little smaller, but leave the yard the same) or expand the whole thing to 10 feet long and raise another bird or two. The bigger coop will still be easily portable. As free chicken coop plans go, this is a pretty good design, attractive looking and portable. If you have some experience as a builder, this one will be only a minor challenge to construct. Here's the link: Got a question to ask, or a comment to make, or even a story to tell about your own experience raising meat chickens? Add your question or comment here New Terra Farm books for the (maybe very) small farmer. Specifically for the property owner with one to five acres . . . Bootstrap Market Gardening How to Raise Meat Chickens Special Offer - Save Over 30% on New Terra Farm books
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