How to build a do-it-yourself chicken coop for 50 chickens: step by step instructions

Many poultry farmers are interested in how you can build a chicken coop with your own hands for 50 chickens. This is a complex process that requires compliance with a number of recommendations. At the same time, it is worth not only building a structure, but also ensuring proper lighting and ventilation. It is important to warm the chicken coop for the winter. It is also worth taking care of the interior space of the room.

Technical design features

To achieve success in breeding chickens, it is worth following a lot of recommendations.

Calculation of sizes

The size of the house is selected according to the breed:

1. Large - there should be 2-3 birds per 1 square meter. For 30 chickens they make a room with an area of 10 square meters.
2. Small and medium - 4-5 chickens per square meter.
3. Chicks - there are 14 birds per square meter.

Drafting

First of all, it is worth making a positional plan of the chicken coop. After choosing a place, they develop a design project, measure its area, determine the location of doors and windows.

The choice of localization of perches and nests is of no small importance.

Drawing

It is recommended to reflect the general plan of the chicken coop on the drawing. It should contain information about the localization of lighting sources, ventilation, heating devices.

Materials and tools

For the construction of a poultry house, it is worth preparing the following:

• cement, stones - this will be required for the foundation;
• wood or brick - for walls;
• galvanized mesh;
• clay;
• sand;
• lime;
• slate;
• boards;
• doors and windows.

Choosing a location on the site

When choosing the location of the chicken coop, you should focus on the features of the landscape. Do not place the poultry house in low places. This will negatively affect the he alth of chickens. It is better to place the building on the southern slope.

How to make a chicken coop for 50 chickens with your own hands

To make a quality chicken coop, it is worth considering its design to the smallest detail.

Construction equipment

Before starting construction, it is worth preparing everything you need. It is recommended to use building materials and tools.

Building the foundation

To make a foundation, it is worth marking the territory and driving in bars at the corners. Then it is recommended to dig a hole. Pour sand on the bottom. Then make a mortar based on cement, sand, gravel. Pour the recess with the resulting product. After 2-3 days, the solution will dry out. At this stage, it is allowed to move on to the following works.

Building walls

If a tiled foundation has been made, it is acceptable to use bricks or blocks for the walls. A wooden frame is suitable for a columnar foundation.

Walls are recommended to be treated with lime.

Installation of doors and windows

Windows are best placed on the south side. There may be several doors. It is permissible to use the entrance sash, the manhole for access to the paddock, the ventilation door.

Roof assembly

Gable roof is best for chicken coop. It helps to increase the height of the ceiling. It is recommended to cover the roof with slate or metal tiles.

Organization of a paddock

The size of this zone should be 1.5-1.8 meters. It should be protected with a metal mesh. From above it is worth making a canopy to protect the chickens from the rain.

Insulation

In cold weather, it is worth insulating all parts of the chicken coop. For this, foam blocks are used. It is also permissible to beat the walls with shingles, and apply plaster on top.

Ventilation

Ventilation system provides fresh air and removes harmful gases. It is made natural or shaped with pipes.

Lighting

For normal productivity, birds need 14 hours of daylight. Light intensity should be 5-15 lux in the area of the nests and 50-60 lux in the area of the feeder.

Arrangement of the poultry house

When organizing a chicken coop, you should worry about its contents. The house must contain perches, nests, feeders and drinkers.

Perches

Depending on the installation area, use the following types of perches:

• perches - most common and placed at an angle along the wall;
• bars - allow you to place the birds at the same height and thereby make them calmer;
• hygienic perch - is a moving structure that includes a table and perches.

Nests

There should be 2 nests for 10 hens. They can have different types:

• simple - reminiscent of regular grocery boxes;
• with a collection of eggs - in this case, the nests are equipped with a cell with a slope of 10 degrees;
• booth - in appearance they resemble an ordinary booth.

Feeders and drinkers

Feeders can look like this:

• bunker - suitable for dry food;
• tray - used for feeding chickens and hens;
• gutter - suitable for all types of feed.

Drinkers can have the following varieties:

• vacuum;
• automatic;
• simple.

Litter

The use of bedding helps to avoid infections, joint damage, high mortality. It has the following types:

• deep - made from straw or grass;
• shallow - includes sawdust, shavings, small straw.

The thickness of the litter should be 10-15 centimeters. With the onset of winter, it is worth loosening and mixing the filler with litter.

In this case, the bedding layer is raised up to 25 centimeters.

Rules for maintaining a chicken coop for 50 individuals

Before settling chickens, the room needs preparation:

1. First of all, it should be cleaned. To do this, all surfaces are swept with a broom, dust and debris are removed.
2. Wet clean with a solution of potassium permanganate.
3. Treat with disinfectants - Vercon, Virocid.

Prophylactic treatment of the chicken coop is carried out annually. Every week it is worth cleaning out the manure from the house, as it is the cause of many diseases.

Possible errors

Common chicken coop mistakes include:

• lack of good ventilation;
• poultry house location in lowland;
• lack of a walking yard;
• wrong placement of nests and perches;
• wrong bedding composition.

Building a chicken coop for 50 chickens is difficult. In order for the birds to develop normally and not get sick, it is worth following a number of recommendations.

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