Winter chicken coop in the country. How to inexpensively equip a shed for a chicken coop

For example, it is better to install perches in the darkest, quietest and warmest part of the barn, where the hens will be most comfortable to rest. This also applies to the installation of nests. They can be wooden boxes separated from each other by a dense opaque film.

As for feeders and drinkers, it is best to place them separately from resting places so that it is convenient to clean and change

Sheds for animals and birds are a must, because it is best to keep farm animals and birds in specially designated areas. Adapting existing buildings to the needs of pets, for example, former warehouses or industrial workshops, is not very convenient. Sometimes remodeling takes as much time as new construction. Therefore, it is advisable to immediately take up the construction of a separate poultry house or barn, which will initially meet all the necessary requirements. This is our article today.

The place for the poultry house or barn should be chosen in such a way that it is located on a small hill. Nearby there should be a flat area for walking. The outbuilding should be separated from the living quarters by at least 15 m. It is desirable that the windows of the future shed face south - this way more sunlight will enter them. The building for animals and birds should be removed from wells and wells with drinking water, because waste products can get into them. Also, there should not be cesspools and toilets nearby - pets will probably not like their smell, and such objects can also become sources of infectious diseases.

Sheds for animals and birds should be placed so that it is convenient to approach them and bring loads. And also, so that manure and debris can be quickly and easily removed from utility rooms. Above the main buildings, it is worth equipping a dry attic for storing hay and other feed - this is an excellent solution to save space.

Planning Nuances

For construction, you can use ready-made drawings, although their presence is not required. The design of any barn for domestic animals is not particularly difficult, the main thing is to choose the right dimensions and outline the location inside the necessary fixtures: livestock stalls, bird perches, feeders, drinkers, etc. You can draw a conditionally approximate plan by hand, but be sure mark on it the necessary requirements officially imposed on such buildings.

Table 1. Basic requirements for sheds for domestic animals

What materials and tools to use

For utility rooms, the remnants of building materials that have long been in stock and are waiting in the wings are suitable. The missing parts can be bought, it will be inexpensive. You will also need the most standard tools, which are usually already on any farm: saws, hammers, nail pullers, containers for stirring mortars, brushes and rollers for staining, tape measure and slopes for measurements, etc.

Most often, sheds for domestic animals are made of wood or brick / cinder blocks. Light frame-plank structures are an excellent option for the southern regions, where there are no severe frosts. You can use this type of buildings in the middle lane, but then you need to make insulation. For areas with a more severe climate, capital sheds made of brick and similar materials are optimal.

Wooden structures are built faster, but also do not last as long as stone-brick ones. A wooden shed must be well strengthened, the walls must be primed and painted over. It can be insulated from the outside and from the inside using a hinged profile, shingles, etc. Capital buildings for animals are erected on a columnar foundation, for which it is most convenient to use gas-foam concrete blocks fastened not with concrete, but with special building glue.

How to build a poultry shed

The farm may contain chickens, quails, turkeys, geese and ducks. Premises for different types of birds by and large differ only in size. For turkeys and waterfowl, as well as for broilers, more spacious sheds will be needed. Although there are a number of other nuances. For example, turkeys are heat-loving, so they need to maintain a high temperature in the house. Chickens need perches, and ducks and geese do not need such an interior detail.

It is better to make a foundation for a poultry house of a tape type - made of concrete, so that mice, rats and small predators, such as ferrets, cannot penetrate under the floor. The depth of the base may not be too large - 25 cm is enough.

Important point! It is permissible to make the floor earthen or clay, but you can fill it with concrete and make a boardwalk on top.

Wooden beams are erected at the corners of the future structure, horizontal partitions are made of narrow boards between them. Then the building is sheathed with plywood. On the south side, two or three windows under the ceiling should be cut. The door is made not too wide and high. For the birds themselves, you can equip a separate hole. The roof is made in one slope, you can cover it with reeds or straw, and put roofing material or slate on top. Be sure to take out the ventilation pipes.

How to insulate a poultry house?

A barn for poultry is usually built without capital and does not provide for heating. But the temperature inside should be high enough even in winter cold. This is achieved through additional insulation. First of all, all cracks in the walls are carefully sealed: drafts are the most common cause of heat leakage.

Window frames for the winter are laid with a sealant or usually with a plastic film on a sealant. Carefully insulate and doorways. A layer of straw, hay or large wood shavings is laid on the floor (small sawdust will not work). Ceiling ceilings for the season can be insulated with foam or film.

But plank walls are best processed immediately during construction. They can be insulated with different materials. One of the most economical and simple is the "old-fashioned way" - clay shingles on the crate. This is an environmentally friendly material that does not harm the bird and creates an optimal microclimate in the room. It is easy to mount the shingle, it does not last very long, but it is easy to replace it with a new one without high costs.

Instructions for installing shingles on the walls

Step 1

For the frame, thin slats are used, which can be bought at any building materials store.

Step 2

Thin slats from the inside are nailed to the walls of the barn in a diagonal pattern.

Step 4

The solution is applied in a thick layer on the crate using a trowel. You need to start from the bottom of the wall, gradually moving up and carefully leveling the surface.

Step 5

After drying, the wall is rubbed and painted with diluted lime. Whitewashing is necessary because it serves as a sanitary measure.

Interior arrangement

To ensure normal comfort for the feathered residents, it is necessary to make perches and nests inside the barn, install drinkers and feeders. In this case, a number of rules must be observed:

How to build a rabbitry

A dwelling for eared pets can be created according to the type of frame-board construction. Such a barn is not large, but inside it should be divided into zones or separate cages for furry animals should be installed. Rabbits are best kept one at a time to control the breeding process. For females with cubs and unbred young animals, a more spacious corner with insulation and artificial light is allocated.

Video - Rabbit device

In general, the construction of a wooden rabbitry resembles the process of building a poultry house, described above. But in this case, the room should be bigger and taller. It is more convenient to arrange the cells inside in two rows to save space. Therefore, for 10 animals, a barn with dimensions of 3x5 m and a height of 2-2.5 m is needed. The building needs a stable foundation on a reinforcing cage filled with concrete. A structure made of timber, sheathed with an edged board, is installed on it.

Shred cages are mounted inside the rabbitry: adjacent cells with a front mesh wall. Most often they are installed in several tiers - in two or three. Feeders and drinkers are hung on the front.

How to build a barn for pigs, cattle and small cattle

For larger pets, a capital building made of brick, concrete or aerated concrete blocks is better suited. The barn should be made spacious so that it is comfortable for livestock and people caring for it. Cows, goats and sheep are regularly milked, so there should be enough space inside to carry out such a procedure. Six square meters are provided for one cow, two to four square meters for a goat and a sheep. m. The room should have wide passages and large doors, so that it is convenient to remove manure and bring in food every day.

Video - Shed for keeping animals

First, a foundation is made of bricks or blocks, facing it with concrete. The base is laid in a previously dug trench with a depth of about 0.6 m. Next, corners are made from the blocks, they are aligned using a level and a plumb line. After that, guides are installed - vertical bars, which are attached to the blocks with brackets. A cord is stretched between them in order to see how to make even masonry. Now you need to build walls - about 2-2.5 m high. Then it is recommended to putty the seams from the inside to avoid drafts.

The roof is double pitched. The floor is poured with concrete, be sure to make grooves for the drainage of urine and liquid waste. A boardwalk is laid on top of individual shields that can be changed. The internal space is delimited by separate stalls, each with a personal feeder and drinker. It is worth running electricity to the barn, and plumbing to the large cowshed and pigsty. Running water helps a lot with daily cleaning.

Conclusion

For the proper maintenance of farm animals and poultry, separate rooms are required. Building a barn with your own hands is not so difficult, you can use the remains of building materials and the most common tools for it. The main thing is to choose the right place for the building, determine the type and size of the structure.

For feathered pets and small animals, in particular rabbits, a small wooden frame shed is suitable, which will need to be well insulated. For larger cattle, it is worth building a spacious capital brick or block building with separate stalls inside.

Many summer residents and people living in private homes are engaged in keeping chickens. Like other living creatures, chickens need a special place where they will walk and spend most of their time. If in summer you can equip an old barn and an aviary next to it for this, then in winter you will need to build a full-fledged chicken coop to keep the bird.

Do I need to build a warm chicken coop

The health and egg production of poultry is directly dependent on their comfort, good nutrition and general physical activity. Not the last role is played by the temperature regime and the duration of daylight hours.

Old barn converted into a chicken coop with paddock

The period from November to March is the most difficult for both poultry and poultry farmers who keep laying hens all year round. If in spring and summer the bird leads an active lifestyle, freely walks around the aviary or alley, bathes in sand and specially designed water containers, then in winter, for obvious reasons, its activity is very limited.

If the temperature is too low and there is no light, the egg production of laying hens is greatly reduced, and in some cases completely stops. Based on this, for the period of cold weather for chickens, a chicken coop should be built that provides conditions such as:

• temperature above 10–12 o C and low air humidity;
• artificial lighting, which increases the length of daylight hours;
• natural or artificial ventilation for constant air exchange;
• a place for nests and a free perch at a low altitude;
• free space at the rate of 1 m 2 per chicken.

Compliance with the conditions described above ensures that laying hens not only remain completely healthy and endure the winter well, but also maintain egg production and overall body weight.

Types of insulated chicken coops

An ordinary chicken coop is a barn, near which there is a platform for walking birds in the fresh air. The walking area is fenced with a fine-mesh net, which will reliably protect the bird's habitat from unwanted penetration of predators.

Winter chicken coop made of timber and boards for 30–35 chickens

In fact, this option can be taken as the basis for the construction of a warm chicken coop. Especially if you need a room for keeping no more than 10-15 chickens. If desired, you can consider a more comfortable chicken coop with both external and internal walking areas. But in this case, its size will be noticeably larger, which is not suitable for suburban areas of a small area.

Depending on the number of birds, the following types of chicken coops can be used:

In many ways, all three types of chicken coops are similar and differ only in size, but with enough materials and free space on the site, an insulated chicken coop can have a completely different look.

For example, you can build a completely enclosed structure, which will already have a place for walking. This will avoid hypothermia of chickens during walks, and will also enable the bird to walk freely, even when it is -15–20 ° C outside.

The choice of material for DIY construction

A variety of building materials can be used to build a chicken coop - from edged boards to masonry bricks. Any material has both positive and negative qualities, which should also be considered when choosing.

base material

The construction of a chicken coop, like any structure, begins with the laying of a supporting foundation. The foundation is necessary for reliable protection of load-bearing walls and roofs. In the absence of a base, the walls of the chicken coop will be under the constant influence of moisture, which will come from damp earth. As a result, this will lead to decay and damage to the structurally important components of the structure.

For the manufacture of foundation supports, concrete, brick or foam blocks are used.

For the construction of an insulated chicken coop, you can use such types of foundations as:

• columnar - suitable for building chicken coops using frame technology, when the walls are made of thick boards and OSB. For the manufacture of the foundation, foam blocks or concrete mix are \u200b\u200bused. Supports are erected along the perimeter of the future structure;
• pile - used for the construction of buildings on heaving and moving types of soil. The base in the form of metal piles sunk into the ground along the perimeter of the building is suitable for building wooden chicken coops. If a pile-grillage foundation acts as a foundation, then its bearing capacity is sufficient to build a chicken coop from foam blocks;
• tape - the most reliable type of foundation. It can be used to build a chicken coop of any size and design. For the manufacture of the strip foundation, a concrete mixture of the M500 brand, steel reinforcement Ø18 mm and an edged board are used.

For the manufacture of the grillage, you can use both a wooden beam 20 × 20 cm, and a concrete mix of the M500 brand. The first option is cheaper and easier to implement. The use of a concrete mixture requires the ability to set up formwork and knit a reinforcing cage, but in general, the use of these materials allows you to build a more reliable and durable foundation.

The choice of materials for making the floor in the chicken coop depends on what type of foundation is used. For pile and column foundations, it is more rational to use a wooden beam, edged board and DSP sheets. In the case of a strip foundation - concrete and reinforcing materials.

Wall materials

The choice of material for the construction of the walls of the chicken coop depends on the size of the structure and the technology by which it will be built. The simplest and most quickly implemented option is a chicken coop made of wooden beams and OSB. A beam or a thick board (from 22 mm) is used to build a frame, which is later sheathed with OSB sheets inside and out.

The foam block is perfect for building the main walls of a winter chicken coop.

For the construction of the main walls of the chicken coop, you can use the following materials:

• shell rock is a natural material with low thermal conductivity. Perfect for building chicken coops for 25-30 chickens. The shell rock is a rectangular block 180x180x380 mm. The technology of work is in many ways reminiscent of the process of laying foam or cinder blocks;
• foam concrete is a popular environmentally friendly building material. Suitable for building chicken coops of any size. For the construction of walls, it is better to use foam blocks of the D400 brand with a size of 200x300x600 mm. The thickness of the walls being built depends on the temperature regime in the region;
• brick - a traditional material for the construction of load-bearing walls. It has low thermal conductivity and long service life. It is best used for the construction of capital chicken coops for 50 or more chickens. For the construction of chicken coops, both solid and hollow bricks are suitable.

When choosing the material for the walls, you should also consider how long the structure will be built. If you are just trying yourself as a poultry farmer, then wooden beams and OSB will be the best choice for wall material. In the future, such a chicken coop can be disassembled or expanded due to a small extension.

If you already breed chickens in large numbers and plan to build a permanent chicken coop, then it is better to build a capital structure from foam blocks or bricks. Such a chicken coop will cost more, but its service life is much longer.

material for insulation

To insulate the floor, walls and ceilings of the chicken coop, you can use various heat-insulating materials. The cheapest option is the use of sawdust, expanded clay and dry hay. Expanded clay is used to insulate the floor or ceiling, and sawdust and hay are used to insulate walls.

Styrofoam has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity, which makes it one of the best materials for wall insulation.

The only disadvantage of this method compared to modern heat insulators is that the materials have a high thermal conductivity. In turn, this requires the arrangement of a large layer of insulation, which is not always possible when building a chicken coop.

Modern materials for insulation that can be used to insulate walls and floors in a chicken coop include:

When choosing a heat-insulating material, one should take into account its cost and the surface area that is planned to be insulated. For small chicken coops, Stizol and other polyethylene foam materials can be used. Steizol has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity (0.3 W / m * K) - this ensures that the material reliably retains heat indoors.

For coops with 50 hens or more, a combined approach is recommended. For example, insulate the floor with expanded clay, and the walls with extruded polystyrene foam. If you want to save money, then it is better to use polystyrene or mineral wool in conjunction with stizol.

Preparatory work

In order to build a chicken coop quickly and without problems, you should carefully prepare for the construction work. To do this, you need to decide on the location of the chicken coop, draw up a drawing of the future structure, calculate the material and prepare a construction tool.

The diagram should show the location of nests, perches and feeding places.

When choosing a site on the site, it is advisable to adhere to the following:

• it is not recommended to build a chicken coop in a lowland or on a slope. It is optimal if it is a free platform located on a hill;
• chickens and other poultry are afraid of noise. Therefore, it is better to build a chicken coop away from the road and other sources of noise;
• The health of chickens is directly dependent on the amount of sunlight. To ensure the free flow of light, the structure should be located on the south side.

If the soil on the site is represented by clay, loamy, swampy and other soil that does not absorb moisture well, then it is recommended to drain the site before building a chicken coop. If this is not done, then the supporting base of the structure will quickly become unusable, and this will reduce the life of the chicken coop as a whole.

After you managed to find a suitable place for the construction of a chicken coop, you can proceed to drawing up a drawing. This can be done using plain paper and pencil, as well as using special computer programs for design.

Opposite each structural element, you need to indicate the size - this will help to avoid mistakes during construction

The drawing should depict the structure on a reduced scale. This takes into account that the size of the structure depends on the number of chickens that are planned to be kept.

In front of each structural element, its size should be applied. This will help you quickly navigate the project without wasting time on miscalculating one or another part of the structure. Additionally, you should depict the chicken coop in the projection from above. On this part of the scheme, you need to place the entrance to the room, perches, nests, a feeding place, etc.

As an example, consider the two diagrams above. Both options are designed to keep 10-12 chickens. The first diagram shows a chicken coop on a columnar foundation 200 × 400 cm with a pitched roof. For the manufacture of the chicken coop, a cut board with a thickness of 10 to 20 mm is used. If desired, this scheme can be taken as a model, on the basis of which the chicken coop you need will be built.

The second diagram shows a chicken coop with an aviary for walking. The dimensions of the structure, taking into account the vestibule, are 425 × 525 cm. For the construction of the chicken coop, as in the previous version, a wooden board and timber are used.

Materials for building a chicken coop

The materials for building an insulated chicken coop are selected based on personal preferences and the funds that you are willing to spend on the construction of the structure. For example, to build the chicken coop from the first example above, you need the following material:

As fasteners, it is desirable to use galvanized wood screws or galvanized nails. To ensure the reinforcement of the frame, you can use a steel corner of a suitable size.

Work tool

To build a chicken coop, you need the following tools:

Manufacturing technology of a chicken coop with perches

The technology for manufacturing chicken coops of various sizes is similar in many respects. The main thing is to follow the sequence of actions and adhere to the drawing that was drawn up earlier. The construction of an insulated chicken coop begins with marking, preparing the site and pouring the supporting base.

Making the foundation and floor

The size of the chicken coop directly affects the total weight of the structure, so when choosing the type of foundation, consider the size of the structure being built. For a chicken coop for 15–20 chickens, it is recommended to build a pile or column foundation. The second option is the most popular, since the supports can be poured on their own using a concrete mixture.

To fill the foundation and build the floor of the chicken coop, you will need to do the following:

1. According to the drawing, it is necessary to mark the place where the chicken coop is planned to be built. To do this, you need to level a piece of land with a shovel. After that, wooden pegs are driven into the ground, between which a rope is pulled.

   Marking the foundation with pegs and rope is the easiest and fastest option.

2. At the corners of the marked area, it is necessary to dig wells for concrete supports 50–60 cm deep. For this, a hand drill and a shovel are used. Well sizes - 30 × 30 cm. Wells similar in size and depth are equipped along the perimeter of the future structure with a step of 2 m.
3. For chicken coops longer than 6 m, the construction of a concrete grillage is desirable. To do this, you will need to dig a trench 20 cm deep around the perimeter of the marked area. At the bottom of the trench, it is necessary to fill up 10 cm of sand and 10 cm of gravel with a fraction of 20–40. Each layer is carefully leveled and compacted.

   To assemble the formwork box for support, it is best to use plywood or flat slate.

4. Formwork for supports and grillage is made and installed from edged boards. To do this, the boards are knocked together into shields up to 70 cm high. For installation, supports made of bars and bricks are used. For reinforcement, reinforcement is used, which is knitted into a frame consisting of two lower and two upper rods.
5. For pouring the foundation, a concrete mix based on M500 cement and fine-grained sand, taken in a ratio of 1: 3, is used, respectively. For mixing, a concrete mixer or an electric drill with a mixer attachment is used. Pouring supports and grillage starts from any convenient angle.
6. After pouring the foundation, you will need to wait for a set of minimum strength. To do this, the foundation is covered with plastic wrap and left to dry for 7-10 days.

   The binding of the columnar foundation is made of a bar 20 × 20 cm

7. After 10 days, the surface of the foundation is covered with roofing felt, on which a wooden strapping made of a 20 × 20 cm beam is laid. The strapping is a box of 4 blanks that are connected at the corners with self-tapping screws and a steel corner. Before laying, the strapping is treated with a wood preservative. The harness is attached directly to the grillage with anchor bolts.
8. Logs from a board 20 × 200 mm are mounted to the laid strapping. To do this, you need to prepare several blanks from the board. The number of lags depends on the length of the chicken coop. The installation step is 1 m. After that, the board is placed on the edge and attached to the harness using self-tapping screws and a corner.

   The logs are attached directly to the strapping of the timber in 1 m increments.

9. The resulting floor structure is hemmed with a draft board, which is fixed to the logs and strapping. After sheathing, the entire floor structure is treated with a wood preservative.

Floor insulation is best done after the assembly of the load-bearing walls (see below). To do this, the floor is covered with a vapor barrier membrane, which is fixed with a construction stapler. Then the space between the lags is filled with expanded clay fraction 20–40. At the end, floorboards from edged boards are laid on the logs.

The construction of the walls of the chicken coop and the insulation of the structure

The walls of wooden chicken coops are best built using frame technology. This will allow laying the insulation in the space between the outer and inner skin, which will prevent its damage during the operation of the house.

The technology of insulation and wall construction consists of the following:

1. An edged board is mounted at the corners of the strapping, which is fixed using a 50x50x35 mm mounting bracket and 50 mm self-tapping screws. The front pillars should be 30-50 cm higher than the rear ones. This will provide the necessary slope of the roof. After that, all corner posts are connected by means of an upper strapping from a board of the same section.

   To fasten the racks to the harness, galvanized nails or self-tapping screws are used.

2. Next, you need to specify the width of the insulation that will be used for thermal insulation of the walls. Taking into account its width, intermediate supports of the crate are installed. They are also attached to the harness using mounting brackets and self-tapping screws.
3. To strengthen the structure in places where the front door, the window for the exit of the bird to the outside and the windows will be located, horizontal guides are mounted according to a similar principle. To frame the window opening, guides are installed at the top and bottom.

   Intermediate racks of the frame are mounted in increments equal to the width of the insulation used

4. Having finished with the installation of the frame, you can immediately proceed to the roof. To do this, you need to measure the distance from the front drain to the back. To the value obtained, add 25–30 cm, which will go to the roof overhang. After that, according to the calculated size, the rafters are prepared from the edged board.
5. Prepared blanks are treated with a wood preservative. After drying, the rafters are placed on the edge and attached to the upper trim of the frame. The step between the rafters should be equal to the width of the insulation. After that, a polyethylene film 200 microns thick is laid on the rafters, a crate made of a 10X10 mm board with a gap and roofing material.

   Sheathing the walls of the chicken coop with OSB sheets from the outside

6. The frame of the chicken coop is treated with an antiseptic for 2 times. Further, 20 × 20 mm bars are mounted from the outside, onto which OSB sheets are attached using self-tapping screws 50 mm long. Step between screws - 20 cm.
7. A vapor barrier membrane is laid in the space between the frame posts without tension. A stapler is used for fastening. After that, mineral wool is laid between the racks in slabs or a roll. It is important that the material lies tightly and does not fall off.

   Insulation in slabs or rolls is laid in the space between the racks of the frame

8. When insulating walls with polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam or styzol, it is not necessary to lay a vapor barrier. After laying the insulation, the walls are sheathed on the inside of the chicken coop. The place where the ventilation will be located is not sheathed.

The roofing process is similar. For this, heat-insulating material is laid in the space between the rafters. If desired, roof insulation can be performed in two layers of insulation. In the process of sheathing the frame, it should be remembered that there should be a small ventilation gap between the OSB sheets and the insulation.

When insulating the roof from the outside, insulation in the form of a polyethylene film should be laid. Roof sheathing is performed using a similar technology. When installing windows, the gaps between the frame and the window frame are filled with mounting foam.

Installation of ventilation and lighting

Ventilation in the chicken coop can be represented as a conventional exhaust vent with a damper, or a full-fledged ventilation duct, which will be located under the roof.

The best option for a chicken coop built using frame technology is two ventilation holes located on opposite walls of the building. In order to install ventilation, you will need to cut a square hole in the wall of the chicken coop. This can be done with an electric jigsaw by first drilling a small hole in the casing to insert the cutting blade.

The second hole is cut in a similar pattern 40 cm below the first. Supply ventilation fans of any convenient size are mounted in the openings. The average cost for such products without additional functions does not exceed 800-1000 rubles.

Lighting in the chicken coop can be done using LED strips of various brightness

As lighting, it is better to use 1-2 fluorescent lamps or an LED strip with a white luminous flux. For laying electrical wiring, a plastic corrugation and a copper cable of the appropriate section are used.

If you plan to install heating equipment, it is recommended to use fan heaters with automatic temperature control. They can be turned on when the temperature inside the coop at night falls below 12 ° C.

Making perches and nests

For the manufacture of perches, you can use a wooden block 20 × 20 cm or a round profile 28 × 2200 mm, which can be purchased at various hardware stores.

When making nests, remember that one chicken requires 30–35 cm of free space.

To install perches, you will need to do the following:

1. Perches are installed at a height of 50-70 cm from the floor level. The installation location is selected based on the free area in the room. It is best to use a place near the window for this.
2. To make perches, you will need to measure the width of the chicken coop. According to this value, it is necessary to prepare 4–6 blanks from a round wooden profile or bar.
3. As supports, boards 50 cm long will be used, which are mounted on opposite walls. Preliminarily, 3 × 3 cm recesses are sawn in the boards for installing poles.
4. For more reliable fixation, the pole is attached to the support using self-tapping screws or nails. The step between adjacent perches is 25–30 cm. The distance in height is at least 20 cm.

To make it more convenient for chickens to climb onto the perch, you will need to make a small ladder from the board. To do this, measure the distance from the floor to the lower perch. Next, the workpiece is sawn off, to which short bars of 20 × 20 mm are attached. After that, the ladder is attached to the lower perch with self-tapping screws.

As nests, it is better to use a semi-open box made of a wooden block and sheathed with OSB. Dimensions and manufacturing scheme can be seen in the photo above. First of all, a frame is assembled from a 20 × 20 mm bar. To fasten the workpieces, self-tapping screws 30 mm long and mounting angles are used. After that, the frame is sheathed with OSB or edged board. If it is required to install nests at a height, then legs are attached to the bottom of the box.

Features of chicken coops in the cellar

When converting the basement into a chicken coop, the foundation walls should be insulated with mineral wool or foam

• litter - a layer of dry sawdust 4–5 cm thick. The litter is changed as it gets dirty, but at least once a week. Sometimes you can use hay, but it will have to be changed more often;
• lighting - LED lamp power from 5 watts. With the help of artificial lighting, the length of daylight hours should be regulated. This will help increase the egg production of laying hens;
• insulation - mineral wool, stizol or other rolled heat insulator. To protect the insulation, it is better to use a vapor barrier membrane or dense polyethylene. The thickness of the insulation layer - from 5 cm;
• ventilation - vents in which you can install a supply and exhaust valve. Periodically, the cellar or basement should be well ventilated. For example, at the time of cleaning the litter.

Nests, as in the case of a full-fledged chicken coop, can be put together from edged boards on the basis that 30–40 cm of space is required per chicken. The perch is set at 50–70 cm from the floor level. If desired, the perch can be connected to the nests using planks.

Chicken coop care after winter

Disinfection of the chicken coop is carried out for preventive purposes at least once a year. This avoids the outbreak of infection and the spread of harmful microorganisms. It is best to disinfect in the spring or summer, when the chickens can safely walk in the fresh air, and you clean the chicken coop.

Complex of means for disinfection of chicken coops and other objects where animals and birds can be kept

To disinfect the chicken coop, you will need to do the following:

• cleaning - the floor, walls, ceiling, perches and nests must be completely cleaned of dirt and dust. To do this, use a convenient broom and brushes with a hard bristle. After that, the surfaces are washed with hot water with the addition of soda ash;
• processing - special means are used to disinfect the internal space in the chicken coop. For example, sodium hydroxide in the form of a 2% solution or a 4% xylonaft emulsion. The solution is prepared strictly according to the recipe without exceeding the norm. When processing, personal protective equipment is used: glasses, gown, respirator.

After processing, you should wait until the product has completely evaporated. The minimum exposure time is 2 hours, but it is advisable to wait at least 5–6 hours and only then release the birds. And they also disinfect feeders, drinkers and other accessories that were in the house.

Video: review of a winter chicken coop with a range

The construction of a chicken coop is not particularly difficult - you can do the work yourself, without resorting to the help of auxiliary workers and specialists. To do this, carefully study our instructions and read the advice of other chicken breeders, which can always be found on the Internet.

For many, it is no secret that the comfort of keeping affects the health of chickens, especially in winter. Comfort in the chicken coop is created by proper lighting, ventilation, sufficient space for walking, convenient location of nests, feeders and drinkers. All this together allows the birds to lay eggs in greater numbers. Therefore, for the cold period, it is necessary to build a warm room for chickens, the independent construction of which is not difficult.

Is it necessary to build a warm chicken coop?

From the end of autumn to the first month of spring, unfavorable conditions for chickens set in, which creates difficulties for poultry owners.
If in the spring and summer the chicken is active: it moves, digs in the ground, bathes in water, then in winter, for many reasons, its activity decreases.

Summer chicken coop does not need additional insulation and lighting

When the temperature drops and daylight hours shorten, the ability to lay eggs in birds decreases, if not completely stops. Therefore, it is so important to make a chicken coop, which in the winter will provide:

• temperature level of at least 12 degrees and low humidity;
• artificial lighting - to increase daylight hours;
• the presence of low perches and places for laying eggs;
• the internal area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room is 1 m 2 for 1–7 individuals (depending on the breed).

Ensuring these requirements will allow poultry to winter comfortably without losing weight and laying eggs daily.

A properly built chicken coop can significantly increase the egg production of birds.

Options for warm chicken coops for the winter

A standard chicken coop is a utility room, next to which there is a place for walking birds.

The site has a fence made of small mesh netting to protect chickens from predators. If the farm has no more than a dozen birds, then this is ideal. It is possible to arrange a chicken coop with a high level of comfort, with an external and internal walking platform, but then it will take up a large area. This option is not suitable for small plots of land.

The winter chicken coop is built on a foundation, along which a thick wooden floor is laid, and the walking area is covered with a roof.

Given the number of individuals, the following types of chicken coops are used:

1. From 10 to 15 individuals - a mini-hen house up to 10 m 2 with a walking area of ​​4 m 2. Such an area will provide free movement of both adult birds and young birds, in case of breeding chicks. It is also required to be equipped with a window and a ventilation grill.

   A mini-chicken coop is equipped with a covered range and a box for collecting eggs

2. From 20 to 30 individuals - a full-fledged room up to 20 m 2, a height of 1.8 m and a walking area of ​​6 m 2. These dimensions allow you to build a perch in several tiers and install up to 7 nests. If there is enough space in the backyard, then it is better to build a chicken coop with a vestibule: it will provide the desired temperature in the main room in winter.

   It is advisable to build a winter chicken coop with a vestibule to protect chickens from drafts

3. More than 50 individuals - a room of about 40 2, up to 2 meters high and a walking area of ​​12 m 2. Such a chicken coop requires additional thermal insulation, ventilation and installation of heating equipment. It is better to place perches opposite the windows, and nests (up to 10 pieces) - in the back of the room.

   Large chicken coops are erected on high piles, and the walking area is made under the premises.

If the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe personal plot allows, then the chicken coop is equipped in a completely closed room, inside which there will be a walking area, which will prevent the bird from hypothermia and ensure its free movement even at low air temperatures in winter.

The winter house can be completely closed, providing the chickens with a warm place to run.

When a chicken coop is required at minimal cost, there is an option to build a dugout. The height of the walls in it does not exceed 0.5 m, and for insulation they are covered with earth. The roof is also insulated. The south wall is equipped with windows with multi-layer double-glazed windows. And the fallen snow additionally provides thermal insulation.

Another low-cost option is a poultry house made using frame technology: from a small-section timber sheathed with a plywood sheet, OSB, planed board. Thermal insulation material is laid between them, its thickness depends on the climate. To protect against rodents, the insulation is sheathed with a metal mesh. This increases costs, but it is even more expensive to remove rodents later. During construction, it is better to be guided by the rules for the construction of frame houses.

In winter, it is mandatory to regulate the level of humidity in the chicken coop, which is ensured by installing ventilation.

Video: fully autonomous warm poultry house on stilts (with lower range)

Material selection

The best option for a warm house is a tree. During frame construction, the timber is sheathed with dense rows of OSB sheets, hiding the gaps. When construction is carried out using brick or cinder block, good thermal insulation is necessary, since the brick has a high level of thermal conductivity. What material will be used for the chicken coop depends on preferences and financial capabilities.

An insufficiently insulated roof will become a source of heat loss and increased humidity in the room, and the cost of heating the chicken coop will increase. For insulation, it is recommended to sheathe it from the inside with foam or felt. A capital roof is being made over the area for winter walking - a continuation of the roof of the chicken coop itself.

For the winter period, a chicken coop with a gable roof is preferable so that snow does not accumulate on it.

Often, wood is used in the construction of the walls of the house because of its environmental friendliness and low thermal conductivity. Even if the frame is being built metal, then it is better to use plank sheathing.

The metal frame is always sheathed with wood so that the desired temperature balance is maintained indoors in winter.

To facilitate constant cleaning inside the chicken coop, its floor is made by pouring concrete. The service life of such a floor is long, but it needs good thermal insulation so that the birds do not freeze. The wooden floor in winter is additionally treated with special moisture-resistant compounds, and on top it is covered with a thick layer of straw and hay bedding.

The floor in the chicken coop can be made concrete, but be sure to cover it with a thick layer of straw

To give the entire structure of the chicken coop rigidity and strength, to avoid distortions of the walls and the appearance of gaps, as well as to raise the walls themselves above the ground, a light strip foundation is made. It also allows you to keep warm in winter.

For the construction of the main wall, the following materials are used:

1. Shell rock is a porous limestone of natural origin with a low level of thermal conductivity. Most suitable for building a chicken coop for 25-30 individuals. The standard block size is 18x18x38 cm. It is laid using the foam block or cinder block masonry technology.

   Shell rock walls are built quickly and perfectly retain heat

2. Foam concrete is a common material that is harmless to health. There are no restrictions on the size of the building. Optimal for the construction of walls is D400 foam concrete, the block size of which is 20x30x60 centimeters. The thickness of the masonry is determined by the climate of the area.

   You can build a foam concrete chicken coop very quickly, following the masonry technology

3. Brick is a building material with a low level of thermal conductivity, durable. It is optimal to build large chicken coops from bricks. Brick can be both solid and hollow.

   The brick walls of the chicken coop can be sheathed from the inside with a board

Taking into account the service life of the chicken coop, the material from which the walls will be built is determined. For a beginner poultry farmer, wood and plywood are the best choices. Over time, you can dismantle the structure or, conversely, add additional space. And if you are breeding a large number of birds and building a chicken coop for a long time, then it is better to choose a brick or foam concrete. You will also definitely need thermal insulation - foam sheets, mineral wool rolls or other modern material.

For the purpose of thermal insulation of the structure, natural insulating materials are also used: the walls are insulated with straw and hay, and the floor and ceiling are insulated with coarse expanded clay. There is only one negative side of the use of such heaters in comparison with modern materials - these heaters have high thermal conductivity, which requires their use in large volumes. And this is difficult when building a poultry house.

Detailed characteristics of modern building materials for thermal insulation:

1. Styrofoam is a material with good insulating properties. Has a cellular structure. The thermal conductivity is only 0.047 W / mK, which is lower than that of foam concrete, brick and wool. Sold in sheets of various sizes. Easy to attach. The main drawback is that it is susceptible to damage by rodents. To solve this problem, the foam is sheathed with sheets of plywood or OSB.

   Styrofoam has good thermal insulation characteristics and is often used as wall insulation.

2. Mineral wool - has heat and sound insulation properties. Has a fibrous structure. The thermal conductivity is slightly greater than that of polystyrene, but it is not subject to damage by rodents. It is recommended to apply together with a moisture-proof and windproof film.

   Mineral wool is resistant to rodent damage, but absorbs moisture from the environment

3. Expanded polystyrene extruded - a material having a closed cellular structure, manufactured by foaming polystyrene. It has a long service life and excellent insulating characteristics. It surpasses almost all existing heat-insulating materials in its properties.

   Expanded polystyrene has a long service life, but with prolonged use indoors, it is harmful to health through the respiratory system

4. Stizol - is a foamed polyethylene. It has high thermal and sound insulation properties, is not affected by moisture, durable. It is produced on the basis of a metallized film, foil or non-woven fabric. The optimum thickness during application is about 1 mm.

   Stizol is used in construction as a sheet insulation

When choosing a heater, it is important to consider what area it will cover. If the building is small, use Stizol or any polyethylene foam material. For structures that can accommodate 50 or more birds, it is advisable to combine materials: if the wall is insulated with polystyrene foam, then the floors are insulated with expanded clay. And when minimal construction costs are required, foam and mineral wool are used.

When creating a project for the construction of a chicken coop, it is required to determine where the insulation will be installed: if it is planned as an interior finish, then in the calculations it is necessary to increase the overall dimensions of the structure by the thickness of the material being laid.

Video: do-it-yourself warm chicken coop in 4 days

Preparatory work

The width of the foundation to be laid should slightly exceed the thickness of the future wall. In this case, the wall is installed exactly in the center of the foundation. The concrete foundation will additionally provide thermal insulation and provide protection from:

• exposure to moisture on structural elements made of wood, increasing the service life of the building;
• access to the chicken coop of predators and rodents, which is easy to dig a hole under the ground.

There are other ways to protect against the penetration of uninvited predators:

• make a foundation up to 30 cm high;
• put the structure on concrete pillars, raising the floor to a height of 25 cm from the ground;
• perform wall cladding with metal sheets, digging one edge of the sheet to a depth of 35 cm.

On a schematic image of the chicken coop, you need to indicate the location of all parts of the building and internal equipment

During construction, it is imperative to complete several windows on the south side of the chicken coop for natural light. But they should not be a source of draft.

Since in winter the chickens try to settle down to each other as densely as possible, their placement is organized based on the rule: 1 m 2 - for 4–7 individuals. If a meat breed is grown: 1 m 2 - for 3 individuals. For laying hens: 2.5 m 2 - for 10 individuals. The height of the room in this case is not more than 1.8 m.

The size of the chicken coop depends on the number of birds

For self-building a warm chicken coop, you will need the following:

• poultry house project with exact drawings and dimensions;
• building materials for the installation of formwork and pouring the foundation;
• locksmith and construction tools;
• building materials for the construction of a birdhouse.

Video: tricks in building and arranging a winter chicken coop

Self-made chicken coop: step by step instructions

At the very beginning of construction, markings are made for the foundation (base) of the chicken coop using wooden pegs and a rope stretched between them. The foundation of the fence for the walking area is carried out at the same time as the foundation of the chicken coop.

Base

Sequence of work:

1. A trench is dug under the foundation. The design of the chicken coop does not have a large mass, so the foundation is made tape or columnar to a depth of no more than 45 cm. However, the use of a columnar foundation will lead to high costs for thermal insulation of floors.
   

   The foundation for the chicken coop can be tape and columnar

2. At the bottom of the trench, rubble is poured and compacted first, and then sand, creating a so-called pillow (the thickness of the total layer should not exceed 5-10 cm).
3. Mounted formwork for pouring the foundation. The height of the formwork is equal to the height of the foundation. The upper edge of the formwork serves to level the poured concrete.

   It is necessary to make the foundation according to all the rules so that it does not warp and crack after drying

4. Reinforcement is laid inside the formwork and tied at the corners with steel wire.
5. Concrete is poured into the formwork, leveled over the surface until cement laitance is formed and covered with a film. During the week, it must be watered daily with water to prevent cracks from appearing.

After 20–28 days, when the foundation has gained the required strength, you can begin to build the chicken coop structure. A layer of waterproofing is laid on top of the foundation to protect the structure from moisture.

Floor

From the place above which the floor of the chicken coop will be located, the top layer of soil is removed, then sand is poured and compacted there, and a layer of expanded clay is laid as a heater. A mesh is rolled out over the expanded clay and a screed is made using cement mortar. The thickness of the floor screed should be from 2 cm. For several days, while the screed hardens, you need to water it with water. It is recommended to carry out the screed with a slope of several degrees, which will ensure free flow of water when cleaning inside the chicken coop.

For a comfortable stay of chickens, the floors in the chicken coop are covered with boards.

The arrangement of the walking area is carried out in different ways: either it is poured with concrete, or it is sheathed with a board.

Sawdust, straw, hay are used as bedding. Usually, during the cold period, the litter does not change, and each time a new dry layer is poured on top of it. This is how natural floor heating is obtained due to warm manure mixed with dry bedding.

Another option for arranging a walking area is to preserve the natural ground, which will allow the bird to search for insects, seeds and stones in the future.

It is necessary to think in advance what kind of floor will be in the bird walking area

frame

The sequence of work is as follows:

Roof

A crate of unedged boards or sheets of plywood is nailed to the rafters. A special vapor barrier film or polyethylene is laid and fastened along the crate. The film is laid in layers with an overlap, and the seams are sealed with adhesive tape. A heat-insulating material (mineral wool plate) is laid out on it, and on top it is covered with waterproofing.

Most often, the roof of the chicken coop is made single-pitched because of the simplicity of its device.

Further, through the waterproofing, transverse strips are nailed to the rafters with the necessary step, which depends on the type and size of the roofing material. If a soft roof is used, then plywood or OSB sheets are necessarily laid on top of the planks, along which roofing material spreads. If slate is used, then wood paneling is not needed.

After completion of roofing work, the frame is insulated with internal wall cladding.

Wall and floor insulation

Work is carried out in the following sequence:

Polyurethane foam is also sometimes used as a heat-insulating material. But for its installation, specialists with equipment are involved, with the help of which this insulation is applied to the surface of the walls. The use of polyurethane foam is expensive, but the application process is not labor intensive and provides maximum protection from the cold.

You can sheathe a winter chicken coop from the outside with an edged board or other facade material, except for plastic, as it does not tolerate severe frosts

A concrete floor, even with an expanded clay pillow, does not ensure the safety of heat inside the chicken coop in winter. For this, the floors are additionally insulated.

You can lay an infrared film on the floor and perform a cement mortar screed on it. Such a heating system works both periodically and regularly, providing the desired temperature in the chicken coop. Or you can use a less expensive option: cover the floor with wooden shields. These shields are boards tightly fitted to each other, attached to the logs. In winter, plant litter up to 15 cm thick is laid on them to increase floor insulation, and in summer they are removed from the chicken coop, cleaned and disinfected.

The arrangement of the chicken coop should be such that the birds are comfortable both in winter and in summer.

Sometimes electric heaters are placed on the walls inside the chicken coop, and the installation sites are protected with heat-resistant material. But more often, infrared lamps are suspended from the ceiling.

Lighting

Be sure to have windows in the design of the poultry house. Although they are a source of heat loss, they cannot be ruled out, as sunlight is required to keep the birds healthy. Therefore, triple-glazed windows are built into the windows, and for the safety of birds, a mesh is installed on the glass.

In winter, it is imperative to ensure that the daylight hours are at least 14 hours. This is done using artificial lighting. And when you install an automatic on / off system, you get rid of unnecessary care, although you will spend additional money on it.

Lighting devices can act as heating, but must be safe for birds

At first, some individuals will settle down for the night right on the floor. It is not dangerous if the floor is insulated and sprinkled with shavings or hay. Over time, the birds will get used to and with the onset of darkness they will begin to move to the perch. But you can do it differently: wake the birds early in the morning, turning on the lighting for this, and allow them to fall asleep at sunset.

Ventilation

In a warm chicken coop, a ventilation device is required to vent excess moisture. To do this, a piece of plastic pipeline is installed in the ceiling, which rises 1 meter above the roof. So ventilation will be carried out naturally due to the existing pressure drop. If the air flow is weak, then additionally at the floor level (away from the nests) another channel is made, which must be closed with a grate. A damper installed on it will allow you to adjust the ventilation rate. You can also install an electric fan in the wall.

The ideal humidity level is 65%. A decrease or increase in this indicator adversely affects the activity and health of the bird. To increase humidity, it is enough to install a container with water, and to reduce it, install an extractor hood and hang an infrared lamp: it dries the surfaces well.

The chicken coop must be equipped with ventilation so that the birds do not catch a cold from the increase in humidity.

Making perches

The perch is made of timber with a section of approximately 4x4 cm or 6x4 cm.

All corners are ground into a rounded shape, and the surface is cleaned to a smooth state so that the birds do not injure their paws. You can also use a branch from a tree as a perch.

If several perches are installed, then the distance between adjacent planks in width should be about 30 cm, and in height - 20 cm. For convenience, a small ladder is attached to the lower perch.

Perches are attached either between two walls, or in the form of a ladder installed across the room

To install perches, you must:

1. Determine the place and height of the perch installation - attach one or more planks near the window at a height of 0.5–0.7 m from the floor level.
2. Measure the width of the chicken coop and cut off the required amount of timber.
3. On opposite walls, nail pieces of board 0.5 m each with grooves cut out for perches.
4. Install perches in the grooves and secure with self-tapping screws.

Nests for laying eggs are made in the form of a half-open box, assembled from timber, boards or plywood. And sometimes ready-made plastic boxes are used as nests. If the nests rise to a certain height, then they are mounted on supports.

Ladder is brought to the nests for the ease of movement of birds

Video: do-it-yourself warm chicken coop

Tips for arranging a chicken coop in cellars or basements

There are some features of arranging a chicken coop in the basement:

1. Use of bedding - apply sawdust or hay. Bedding from sawdust is replaced once every 6–7 days, from hay - once every 3–4 days.
2. Lighting - an electric lamp is mounted on LEDs with a power of more than 5 watts. With the help of a lamp, the required length of daylight is provided: the longer it is, the more chickens will lay eggs.
3. Insulation - cotton wool or any rolled insulation with a thickness of at least 5 cm is used. The use of a waterproofing film is mandatory.
4. Ventilation - intake and exhaust ducts are installed. Periodically, direct ventilation of the premises is carried out.
5. Internal arrangement - nests are made of timber sheathed with plywood. One nest is used for several chickens and is approximately 40x40 cm. Perches are attached at a height of at least 50 centimeters. It is allowed to connect the perch and the nest by placing a board between them.

There are certain rules for arranging a winter chicken coop that must be observed.

Care after winter: how to handle walls

Sanitization of the poultry house is carried out annually with the onset of warm weather. This prevents the spread of infectious diseases among chickens.

During disinfection:

1. Cleaning - all surfaces of walls, ceiling, floor, perches and nests are cleaned of dirt with a stiff brush and broom, and then washed with a solution of soda ash in hot water.
2. Surface treatment - special products are used (a two percent solution of caustic soda or a four percent xylonaft emulsion). When preparing solutions, you should strictly adhere to the recipe and be sure to use personal protective equipment.

After processing, allow the chicken coop to dry completely for 5-6 hours, carefully ventilating the room.

There is always an opportunity to work on decorating the chicken coop.

The construction of a chicken coop is a simple task and can be completely solved independently, without involving the services of third-party specialists. It is only necessary to study this manual well, as well as read the advice of other people involved in poultry breeding.

Very many owners of country houses often have to solve, it would seem, such a simple task as creating a barn for chickens exclusively with their own hands. The solution to this problem allows you to regularly receive environmentally friendly poultry meat and fresh eggs. However, in order to achieve the desired result, you need to work hard, since such a barn has its own characteristics and differs from the usual household building.

First of all, you need to choose the right location for the future building. It should not be located near the main house, as unpleasant odors will create some discomfort. The dimensions of the room are selected based on the accommodation of four adults per 1 m 2. The real free area of ​​the suburban area should also be taken into account, based on which the length and width of the object that you decide to build will be finally determined. It is best to use a small hill so that in the future the shed does not get heated, and in warm weather it warms up faster. It is imperative to provide a walking area, attached in such a way that it is not visible from the main house.

Before you build a comfortable barn for chickens, based on photos of existing objects (they can be found on the pages of experienced farmers), you need to create your own project, which should take into account all the features for your object. Those who are well versed in this matter can compose it with their own hands. Owners who do not have such experience are advised to use ready-made options. It is necessary to calculate and purchase all the necessary building materials in advance. It all depends on how solid the structure will be.

How to build a barn for chickens with your own hands - stages of work

When building a chicken coop with your own hands, a certain technological sequence of work must be observed, which includes several main stages.

How to build a barn for chickens with your own hands - a step by step diagram

Step 1: Laying the foundation

The basis of the entire structure is the foundation, which takes on the load and protects the chickens from the penetration of predators. For example, the weasel, the main enemy of the bird, can easily dig a hole and get inside the barn. However, in the presence of a buried predator, this possibility is practically deprived. Moreover, it is not necessary to strive to build a base that is thick-walled and troublesome in terms of the amount of work, take as a goal a simpler option that you will overcome with your own hands, because its main function is protection from cunning animals.

Step 2: Putting up the walls

The walls of the barn can be built from various inexpensive materials, especially since then they will also need to be insulated, which can also cost a pretty penny. The most commonly used frame method, when the entire structure consists of corner posts and bars sheathed with boards. It is not difficult at all even for an inexperienced master, photographic materials will help you navigate the sequence of work. The space between the sheathing is usually covered with sawdust or a mixture of sawdust with other materials, then you will have to puzzle less about how to insulate your chicken shed later. With sufficient funds, the walls can be made of sand-lime bricks. From the inside, also be sure to insulate the resulting chicken shed so that in extreme cold the temperature in the room would be at least 12-15 degrees Celsius. In general, the more solid the chicken coop turns out, the better the conditions for keeping the bird will be.

If you love your birds so much that you went broke on foam blocks, then in the future you will not need wall insulation. In other cases, this will be necessary if you are going to keep chickens there all year round.

Step 3: Embed Small Windows

When solving the problem of how to make a comfortable shed for chickens exclusively with your own hands, it is necessary to provide for the arrangement of windows to provide maximum natural light, no matter how unusual it may be for you as a novice builder. In addition, windows serve to regularly ventilate the room, timely remove the smell of ammonia and excess accumulated moisture. It is best to make wooden frames, this is a guarantee of natural ventilation, and it turns out cheaper. Plastic windows are not only overkill for such a building, at least based on common sense, but they will also cause mustiness and mold in the chicken room.

Step 4: Laying the floor

The floor in the barn is best built with a slope and equipped with a drain. In this case, cleaning the premises is greatly simplified, just wash off the debris and accumulated dirt. The material for the floors are wooden boards laid on logs. It is necessary to provide for waterproofing the walls from the inside, because you will have to wash often.

Step 5: Roof

You should not be smart with this stage, a simple one with a slight slope will do, the photo once again demonstrates the simplicity of this approach. Ordinary construction slate is quite suitable as a roofing material, and it is also easy to do its installation with your own hands. The slope of the roof depends on the weather conditions in your area. If you have snowy winters, then the slope of the roof should be slightly raised to reduce the load from the snow cover and speed up its removal.

Separately, I would like to consider the issue of warming the barn. It all depends on what source material you used for the walls, sometimes it is not required at all. But as mentioned above, this measure is not needed if you have gone broke on foam blocks or decided to suffer and make your own blocks of cement and sawdust. True, the last version of insulation is very impractical and will not last long.

There is another option to make the house for chickens more comfortable, which requires improvised, even pasture materials - clay and sawdust. Plaster based on them, laid with a layer of about 5 cm, will make it possible to warm the room well. But if the temperature in your area drops very low in winter, then the above methods are not suitable. You will have to insulate the walls in a serious way, for example, with mineral wool or foam. But they need to be well protected from the encroachment of birds. After all, curious birds are not averse to tasting such warming.