Here at the Simple Suburban Homestead we like to keep things simple! This coop and all of the additions (auto water/feeder/cleanout) are designed for the suburban family with limited time. The coop can comfortably house up to eight laying hens to provide your family with plenty of fresh eggs daily. The design takes into account standard lumber measurements which reduces waste and cost. The easy cleanout tray makes cleaning the coop as simple as possible with one person cleanups taking under 20 minutes. For the full video series on building the coop please check out our YouTube Playlist here. We hope that this coop brings your family years of quality enjoyment, fresh eggs, and healthy chickens.
Download & Print Chicken Coop Plans
Step One: The Base
The first step is to level an area greater than 4’X4’ to accommodate the base of the main coop. The base consists of 4 posts with a 2X4 frame to make it rigid. The outside diameter is no greater than 4’ as to maximize use of 8’ 2X4’s. Each post is resting on its own pad made from cheap patio stones on level ground.
Step Two: Coop Walls
Each wall is constructed of 2X4 pine (most of which came from the 70% off bin at Home Depot). No wall is longer or higher than 4’ to make efficient use of 8’ 2X4’s and sheeting. The front wall contains the entryway and cleanout tray access. The left side wall contains the chicken door entryway. The right side is where the nesting boxes will be attached. Below are the details on all four walls.