Chicken House Plans – Your Climate is Key

Although you may opt to find a used chicken house or to buy a new one, if you are a do-it-your-self enthusiast you will probably want to build your own. Building your own chicken coop can be more economical, will allow you to have exactly what you want and need, and can be fun! If you plan to build your own chicken housing, however, be sure to get a good set of designs and to plan well. Remember– if it is worth doing, it is worth doing right!

The design you choose for your chicken coop, however, will vary depending upon many factors. The most important factor, however, is climate. A chicken coop designed for a home in Vermont, for example, will be very different from one designed for Oklahoma.

Very Hot Climates

In extreme Southern climates such as South Texas, chicken housing will normally have wire walls that can be covered with tarp curtains in case of stormy or cool weather. The coop should also be built or placed under a good shade tree.

Moderate Southern Climates

In more moderate Southern climates and on the West coast, chicken houses are typically uninsulated and have a screen door, screened windows, as well as screened openings in ceilings for extra ventilation in hot weather.

Northern Climates

Eastern, Midwestern, and Rocky Mountain area chicken houses must be well insulated, tightly constructed, and protected from the wind. Double walls with a one and a half inch think insulation layer between them is optimal.

Very Cold Climates

In even colder climates, such as Montana, the Dakotas, the Great Lakes Area, and Northern New England, your chicken house should have even thicker insulation as well as electrical heating, or at least a light bulb left on at night, during severe winter weather.

Also, in very cold climates, it is better to use a smaller chicken coop with a lower roof to keep the warm air near the chickens, as they generate a great deal of heat themselves.

Climate is just one factor to consider when choosing a chicken coop design. Other factors include size, convenience to electricity, water and feed, proximity to the house, and ease of cleaning.