It's not hard to build a chicken pen, especially if you're not fussy about what it looks like. However, if you're a person who likes to do DIY jobs the right way, you'll be happy to know that a high quality, attractive chicken pen can be built rather easily without expensive materials. This article gives you some options, and guides you to the next step.
Chicken Pen Plans
There are hundreds of DIY books on the market that provide basic chicken pen plans. Still, if you know where to look on the internet you won't even have to make a trip outside your office. There are plenty of digital schematics available at the click of a mouse.
Some popular, inexpensive, simple to build designs are:
1) The Chicken Run - This minimalistic design is made up of 4 poles and some chicken wire. Definitely not the most secure of structures, but it's a start!
2) The Chicken Ark - Yes, you guessed it - an ark-shaped coop that will keep your flock safe from the elements, and will also boost your egg yields by providing an enclosed nesting area. Great when used in conjunction with the Chicken Run.
3) The Chicken Barn - This is the biggest of the big. A complete hen house style coop that is enclosed in a Chicken Run. If you're thinking about breeding a large flock, this one is for you. Easier to construct than you may think.
Cheap Building Materials
There are 2 ways of obtaining good quality lumber:
1) Buy wood from your local lumber yard.
2) Recycle old wood.
Chances are you've got some old furniture stored somewhere on your property. Sofas, chairs, desks, and any other kinds of woodwork will come in really handy. Also, ask your neighbors, friends, and family about any "junk" they may have. Chicken wire is another quite common material people seem to have laying around.
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