Well, my friends, the weather is getting colder, and we are wrapping up all our summer and fall projects. This year we have been so busy building and adding to our property. We have spent our efforts outside, creating new exciting spaces on our land. We have built a goat house, which now houses 2 goats, created a gorgeous tree house for the kids, and our last project of the summer was our farmhouse chicken coop with a functional yet pretty chicken coop design.
If you are new here, welcome! If you have been here before, you will know I just don’t tolerate functional. There has to be a marriage of function and appearance. This definitely hold true with our chicken coop design. Before I start showing all the pictures and gushing over my love for this chicken coop and the chickens in it…lets talk about what our thought process was and why we built it the way we did.
Want to build a chicken coop like mine? We are now selling digital plans complete with full instructions!
First and foremost…we wanted to focus on reusing, repurposing, and recycling old wood and products for this chicken coop. We also wanted to be very budget minded, spending as little to build this giant chicken coop. Can we do it? Keep scrolling to see!
I spent a good amount of time on Pinterest getting some chicken coop ideas for our chicken coop DIY. There is so much information there, I was able to get a good idea of things I did and didn’t want.
We created this chicken coop design on a piece of paper, as we sat in our backyard figuring out what would work best for the area we had chosen to build it. As of now there are no chicken coop floor plans but we could create them if there is enough interest.
There were so many concerns we needed to address and I think we have crossed all of them off our list.
The bottom line is that chickens are messy and dirty, but I wanted to create a space where they could be happy, and I could enjoy the chores of cleaning and maintaining the area while getting those yummy eggs.
We started by ordering our baby chicks online at Meyer Hatchery. I knew once they were on their way, we needed to begin our project. They spent 6 weeks in our garage in their brood box, and that was just the right amount of time for us to finish their chicken coop.
Are you getting chickens? Check this post out, and find out everything you need to take care of chicks!
Wonder what kind of chickens to get? Read this about what chickens are right for you!
Why we are not free ranging our chickens:
We decided long ago, that our chickens would not be free roaming, and completely free range. We had many reasons for this, the biggest one being predators in the area. We have mountain lions, foxes, raccoons, skunks, bobcats, ferrel cats, eagles, hawks, and neighborhood dogs. All of which I really did not want to worry about. So, the first thing we needed to address was creating a chicken coop and chicken run that would be as predator proof as we could get it. Obviously I don’t think it would ever contend with a bear, but if that ever happened we would be shocked entirely. So we focused on the things we knew we could prevent.
So, since we are keeping our chickens in their coop and run, it needed to be a bit larger, granted I think ours is a bit larger than it needed to be, but the chickens are so happy, and we never do anything half way! They have tons of space and I think it worked out well.
How we created a coop and run perfect for our chickens:
The chicken run needed a roof to protect our little chickens from all the predators and I liked the idea of having a large place that they could run, and play while being protected from the sun and rain. This chicken coop DIY needed to check off all those important concerns.
The chicken coop design:
The coop also needed to be large enough for the 11 chickens we have. As we were building our coop people commented on how large it was and that it must be my husbands new quarters….haha! Well, there is a good reason for that. The coop is actually half storage for our chicken and goat feed and supplies. I was in desperate need of a place to put their things that were near them, instead of in our garage which is quite a ways away.
So, we addressed this by cutting the coop in half, using half as the coop and half as storage. It just looks like a glorious large mansion for the chickens! We added a tongue and groove wood floor to the storage half of the coop. This makes it easy for me to sweep up the dust and feathers that seem to show up everyday. The coop side was left as dirt so that they could scratch and enjoy their dust baths(which are hilarious by the way).
We store their feed in a large metal trash can. Its cute and keeps all the critters out!
We also needed to address how were were going to access our eggs without having to tromp around in the coop. We originally were going to build nesting boxes that were accessible to the outside but we decided we had plenty of room inside the coop and built the nesting boxes into the wall that divided the coop from the storage.
This way, we can go in, fill their feed and check for eggs all at the same time. I am really excited to start finding eggs in them! As it is, our chickens are only 3 months old, so it will be a couple more months before we start getting them.
So, let’s talk about our chicken coop DIY project. We started by building a simple semi rectangular shed. We added two windows that are west facing, and they get wonderful afternoon sun that keeps the coop cozy through the night. They are also functional and open like an awning window. They have wire covering them, to protect the chickens from predators.
We built a wall cutting the coop in half. We kept this as a half wall, so that we could hopefully keep some of the dust down, and allow the chickens the appearance that the space is more open. I like being able to see them when I come in. They are often chilling on the roosts we have built.
Under the roosts, I built a wood platform that allows them to poop all over, but I can easily sweep it off, making it so much easier to clean. I know they poop everywhere, but I find they poop the most when they are roosting, so this helps to maintain this and make it easier to clean.
We built a small door that they can use to go in and out, with a door we can slide down at night to keep the warm and cozy and out of the wind. I know, it sounds like I am spoiling my chickens…and I suppose I am…but thats okay! They are happy chickens and so very sweet! They are sweet with the kids and the kids love them too.
I want to talk about the roof for a minute. We decided to use a corrugated tin roof for many reasons. We really wanted to use shakes as we have on our goat house and tree house, but we ran out and they are so pricey and time consuming, so we opted for something a bit more economical option. Plus, I have wanted to use the tin roof in some of my designs so this seemed the perfect time.
We decided to break up the roof lines by running the run opposite of the coop, giving us that T shaped roof. I love how it is broken up and gives it dimension.
Last, my husband built the dutch door on the front of the coop to compliment the ones on the goat shed and tree house.
I love, love this door and right now, we are leaving it stained…but one day I may paint it….we shall see. It’s great being able to shut the bottom door and leave the top open to allow fresh air for the chickens on warm days. This prevents dogs from getting in as well.
The chicken run design:
More chicken coop ideas…..
The roof and door wall of this chicken run is that star in my opinion. My husband created a gorgeous look.
We installed beams and cross beams on the roof, and used 2 by 4’s on the walls of the run. We installed one set of studs building out the entire run, and then we stapled our chicken wire to the studs and then we sandwiched it by adding another 2 by 4 on top of the chicken wire.
This will hopefully prevent any predators from being able to tear or pry the chicken wire off. It’s as predator proof as we could get it.
My husband built all the doors on the chicken coop and run. I am obsessed with the door on the chicken run as well as the dutch door on the front of the coop. I could not stress enough how important it was that I did not have to duck down to get into the coop or the run, and my tall husband can do it too! I wanted it to be functional and still beautiful. I wanted to have some ease to the design that made our life just a bit easier.
All the doors lock from the outside but have a mechanism that allows us to pull a wire to open from the inside which will prevent me from being locked in with my chickens:)
Lighting for our chicken coop design:
With so many chicken coop ideas swarming around in my brain, I knew I wanted some kind of lighting.
I was really unsure whether or not I wanted to add electricity to our chicken coop design. I opted to not have any, just for safety sake. But, I also wanted to have some lighting on the outside that was decorative and functional. I searched high and low and finally came across these gorgeous solar farmhouse barn style lights. They are the perfect addition!
These solar lights light up when the sun goes down, and recharge during the day. They give the perfect amount of light in the evenings when we are out locking up and making sure all is well. I love them!!! The only thing I don’t love about them is their solar panels, which you can see in some of our images. But, it has made all the difference, so I will choose to ignore them.
One more thing that we did to ensure the safety of our chickens was to bury some chicken wire along the entire exterior of the coop. We stapled it to the foundation and covered it with gravel. I hope this deters any naughty critters exploring our backyard in the night.
Overall, I am so thrilled with how our chicken coop turned out. All my chicken coop ideas were finally coming to fruition.
The exterior finish of our chicken coop:
I chose to paint the entire coop and run white. I used my Wagner Control Pro 130 Power Tank Sprayer. This sprayer is so wonderful. It took me no time to paint the exterior and interior of the chicken coop.
This paint sprayer is perfect for big interior or exterior jobs. It can be used with a large range of paints and stains. It is gravity fed for fast priming and cleaning. The spray gun features High efficiency Airless technology. It gives a great even finish. There is also way less overspray with this sprayer! It is my tried and true. I am a big fan.
Shop my favorite chicken coop accessories!
Why do I go overboard on projects like this?
There are many reason why I push to create these types of projects. Honestly, I feel that if I can going to have to build a chicken coop, greenhouse, goat shed, or treehouse, why not push it to the limit and make it exactly what I want. I do not sit back and watch my husband do all the work. On the contrary, I am right there with him building, cutting, nailing and screwing. Granted, he has to do the heavy work, but if I feel that if I want something done, I should be in there doing the work. I am so grateful to my husband for all the hard work he puts into our home and outdoor projects.
I feel that I have certain standards of how I want things to look on my property and I am not afraid to work for them. I love having something that is functionally great but also visually appealing. It makes for one very happy girl.
Yes it is the harder way, and yes it is more work and effort, but I have found it all to be completely worth it in the end.
I have happy goats, and I have happy chickens. I cant ask for more than that. I have kids who take pride in their home and that is important to me. We have built the basics. We are creating the framework of a ‘homestead” that we can truly love..each and every inch.
Now, I do want to say…this chicken coop DIY isn’t entirely finished. We still have landscaping and a few little touches to take care of. But, I wanted to share it with you now, in hopes that you can gain some inspiration for projects you may be thinking about. I am hoping once summer hits, we will have grass, flowers, and hopefully a lot of lavender and rosemary planted along the exterior of the chicken coop. But, this will all have to wait until then.
I truly hope you enjoy seeing the progress we make daily here at Twelve On Main. Its not easy, nor is it always the most fun, but it is so worth it!
Want to learn how to take care of those sweet new baby chicks you have?
Check out my post with everything you need to know about baby chicks!
Want more chicken coop inspiration?
I have rounded up some of my favorites here!
Thanks for stopping by!
xx
Sara
Check out these projects too!
Super Easy Pallet Compost Bin DIY
How I Turned A Pallet into Planter Boxes
The Very Best Way to Take Apart Wooden Pallets
Create Thrift Store Basket Storage
Want some great chicken recipes?
Cozy and Comforting Crock Pot White Chicken Chili Recipe
The Crispiest Fried Chicken Recipe with Herb Infused Batter and Sriracha Honey Sauce
Our Favorite Grilled Chicken Recipe You Will Love Making
Instapot Chicken Tacos with Zesty Slaw
Grilled Chicken Souvlaki Skewers With Flatbread and Tzatziki Sauce
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Dina says
Truely amazing and I love the way it reflects your core values. You’re an inspiration!!
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
Thanks!
Marion says
This coop is amazing! I showed my husband and got the eye roll😂
Please let me know if you sell the plans to this coop. I would love to purchase them.
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
hahah yes thats usually the reaction from husbands!
Amanda Hamilton says
Me too!!! I have 30 that I am raising up 4
(10white leghorn bitties yesterday!) and I need a coop now that most of my birds are ready to sleep outside!! Thank you!!
Judy says
Your coop looks gorgeous. We built a chicken coop this spring as well. We had to go with hard cloth wire since we have weasels here. They get right through chicken wire. They get through the size of a quarter. My friend lost four of her hens to a weasel in one night. They just kill for the fun of it. I hope you enjoy your chickens as much as I do mine. Really enjoy your bbn blog
Kimberly says
Love the design. If you ever put together of offer blue print for the crop… would love to build for my girls.
Kate says
I also would LOVE to build this if you create a floor plan!
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
The plans will be available this week!
erika says
i luv luv luv you amazing chicken coop. a job WELL DONE!
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
Thanks!
Linda Kelly says
We had chickens years ago and also had hard cloth wire but something got in and got all of them in one night. Rat snakes also got two. Next spring you might want to check out adding an old tire on the ground and fill it with diatomateous earth (not sure on the spelling). The chickens will fluff in it and it kills mites and other pests. We saw this done in the chicken coops at Biltmore House. Read up on it. Good luck.
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
Oh! Thats terrible. Thank you for the tire idea, I love it and will definitely try it out!
Christina Woodcock says
Wow awesome Sara! Those are some lucky chicken ❤️❤️
Sue Ellen Fox says
Love your coop! Just wondering what you did to keep predators from digging under the fencing in the run.
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
We stapled chicken wire to the bottom of the foundation, which was wood and then covered it with gravel. We cut it about 18 inches wide so that they would run into it when they started to dig.
Michelle says
What color stain and what type of wood did you use for your coop door? I love the wood and white look it has!
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
The wood is actually raw still. That is the natural color! The paint is pure white off the shelf at True Value.
Clavel Rotolo says
Love this so much, well done!! I want to purchase your plans if you have them yet. I have chickens already and predators are everywhere. I have made 2 coops from scraps but they need a better home.
Please let me know when you have plans I’m ready and prepping my land.
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
Plans will be available hopefully this week! Finalizing the instructions!
Emily says
I love the form and function! Beautiful! We are about to build a coop and I would love the plans! If not, would you mind sharing the dimensions of the coop and the dimensions of the run? I just found your site and I can’t wait to look around!
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
We do not have plans yet. The coops is approximately 8 by 8 ft and the run is 14 by 6.
Kelsey says
Hi! I’m just wondering if you ever decided to make these plans available?
Thanks!
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
I havent yet, but plan to.
Heather says
Beautiful coop! I would love to see or purchase the design if it’s ever available.
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
It is on our list!
Sarah H says
This is awesome! I feel like if chip and Joanna Gaines designed a coop for someone this would be it! Love the farmhouse feel it has! My husband and I are wanting to start raising chickens ourselves so of course I am looking for cute coop designs I like!💗 You don’t happen to have blueprints or measurements of any kind for it do you? I would definitely be interested if you do!
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
Awe thank you! I do not have plans at this time but it is something we are definitely looking at doing!
Jacquie says
Hello! I love your coop. It’s so beautiful. I am just wondering how do you clean the coop part? I love the entrance you have to the coop and that it has a nice flooring, but could you explain or show how you clean out the shavings or straw? We are planning for chickens this year and I just love reading about how everyone does things. Thanks for sharing your beautiful design!
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
I take a bucket in the coop and rake the poop and shavings into the bucket. There is a platform under the roosts, so when they do most their pooping at night it lands there. I can easily clean it up from there. Since it is winter I have not cleaned out the entire bottom of the coop yet. I add fresh pine shavings often so that they have a deep bedding to keep them warm. I will do a deep clean once the weather warms.
Julie says
This is stunning! Any luck on plans? I would love to build this.
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
Not yet. We are getting them together
Molly says
I absolutely love everything about your chicken coop! I would LOVE to get plans from you on this as we are about to build one of our own….
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
Hi there, the plans are in the works but will not be available for a while. Sorry!
Nicci says
I just came across your site today and absolutely love this coop! I told the hubby that we will be building this for our chickens, just need the plans. Any word on the plans for this amazing coop? I would definitely pay for them!
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
They will be available this week!
Kristin says
Did you paint the tin roof? It looks like a minty color, but it may just be the lighting of the picture. I love it! Such a cute coop!
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
No we did not, its probably the preset I used when editing them
August Rogers says
Im so inlove with this and have been reading this post over and over for over half a year now! Any chance yall will get around to those plans soon? Otherwise im about to wing it! (pun intended!)
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
They are being finalize and will be available this week. We are at the mercy of the professional drawing them.
Jessica says
One more vote asking for the plans for this beautiful coop! My husband and I have a checklist of must-haves for a new coop and can’t find any plans that meet our needs like yours does!
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
Ha! They will be available this week!
Danielle Higgins says
Hiiiiiii!!!
I am in the process of building a chicken coop inspired by yours and a few others! I’m curious if you would share where you found the hardware for your dutch door?
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
From Home Depot
Sue says
Hi, it’s been 3 months since anyone asked about plans, any chance they’re available? I love your coop! We’d be willing to be the guinea pigs and try out the in progress plans to see if they work!
Thanks!
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
Sorry for the delay! They will be available this week.
Carissa says
Any chance you will have plans available for this coop? I want one just like it!!! Beautiful!
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
They will be available this week!
elisa seely says
Hello:
What is the length of your chicken coop run and the width? It is just beautiful.
Thank you,
Elisa
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
Thanks! The coop is 9 by 8 and the run is 6 by 16
Angie says
Where did you find your door hinges?
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
Home Depot
Birdie says
Any idea in when the plans might be available?
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
Very soon! Just finalizing the instructions!
Nichole Briceno says
Live this I would love to purchase plans for it. Are they available?
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
They will be available this week!
Jessica says
This is incredible! Have you created plans and yet?
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
They will be available by the end of this week! Sorry for the delay.
Jessica says
Your coop is the first I’ve seen that checks all the must-have boxes for the coop we’d like to build! Any chance you’ve made progress on plans?
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
They will be available this week! Sorry for the wait!
elena Savarese says
I am absolutely in love with this setup. Have you completed the floor plans I would love to purchase? We start building in 2 weeks. Thanks
Elena
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
Plans will be available this week!
Katie says
I love the style and just everything about your coop! I noticed in other comments you said that the plans aren’t available yet. Is that still the case? Or would you mind sharing a rough guess at the cost of supplies for building the coop? Thank you so much!!
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
Plans will be available this week!
Lauren says
I know everyone is asking but just some more incentive I’d buy the plans right away! We’re looking to build a cool and would love to build this one!
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
Awesome! The plans will be available by the end of this week! Just finalizing the instructions!
Kaitlyn says
Hello! Wondering if there is a cost approximation to try to talk my husband into a coop like this! Would love to purchase the plans once they become available. It’s beautiful!
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
Hi! I do not have a cost amount =, but the plans will be available this week! You could figure out a price through them. I was able to salvage some stuff so the pricing would not be the same.
Andrea Duarte says
Aloha from Maui,
Very much like your coop
It’s beauty and functionality are excellent!
I as well would like to purchase the coop plans. Do you have any timeline for availability?
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
They will be available very soon! hopefully this week.
Julia says
Beautiful coop!!! Did you first pour a foundation for the coop? Can’t wait for the plans!! Thanks
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
Hi! We did not pour a foundation but you definitely could! We did a raised floor to save money. Plans will be available soon!
Britta says
I’ve looked at an actual TON of chicken coops over the last month and this might be the best one yet! Please let us know when you have plans available. Gorgeous coop!
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
Very soon! This week hopefully!
Denise says
Hello! Your chicken coop is absolutely adorable!
I’ve searched and searched coop ideas and designs for some time now and I can’t find one the I love more than yours. I’ve read all the comments about plans/blueprints, and it’s been a little while since anyone asked if you have them available yet. Please say you do or soon please 😍
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
They will be available very soon! Hopefully this week!
Elena Savarese says
Hi. I absolutely love everything about this. Any chance you have completed the plans for purchase??
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
Yes very soon!
allison says
Hello!
This coop is so lovely!
Just wondering where you purchased the windows?
Thanks,
Allison
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
These windows are actually ones we salvaged. We took one window apart and made two!
Denise Ingram says
LOVE this SO much! Please say you are close to having plans for this! I think your goat barn is adorable too ❤️
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
Yes so close! Just finishing up the step by step instructions!
Holly says
My neighbor wants to hire my son to build a coop for her. She picked yours – duh – its gorgeous!!!! Any chance plans are coming soon??? He’s not advanced enough to make them himself. Pleeeeaaase let me know! Thanks
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
Yes they will be available very soon!
Amanda says
Good Evening. Are plans available or at least guide lines as far as the type and quantity’s of everything ? We are planning on building this weekend. Much Appreciated. PS. We absolutely love the plans !!
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
It will be available very soon!
Danielle says
Hi, love the coop we just started our flock, we picked out 10 ranch chicks and are so excited to build this..Do you have a rough draft of dimensions. Hope it’s available soon..
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
It will be available very soon!
Madeline says
Hi!! I absolutely love this coop. I see several people have asked about plans in past months, but is there any chance you have plans now? 🙂 Thank you!
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
They will be ready very soon!
Amy says
Hi! I love your coop! We’re actually building one right now & are looking at yours for design. Where did you get the hinges on the front door? Thanks!
twelveonmain@gmail.com says
We got them from The Home Depot
Kathy A says
What a great coop. I am so glad you buried wire to foil more predators! They are so sneaky! Hope your chickens lay lotsa eggs-I eggspect (sorry, had to do it!) lots of great egg recipes once they get going. My daughter had to get a rooster for one broody hen who wants to sit on her eggs! At east the coop is far enough away from the house that he doesn’t awaken them!