How to build a chicken coop

Inspired by a popular UK DIY video. This guide is based on Craig Phillips' well-regarded video "How to build a chicken coop" on the Mr DIY Craig Phillips YouTube channel. Craig — one of the UK's best-known DIY presenters — shows how to build a solid coop from reclaimed timber, which is exactly the sort of approach that keeps costs down and produces a genuinely sturdy result.

1. Check what you are allowed to build

A domestic chicken coop in a back garden is normally permitted development — no planning permission required. That said, if you live in a conservation area, have a listed building, or want to keep more than a handful of birds, it is worth a quick check with your local authority before you start cutting timber.

Most councils are fine with a small backyard flock. Four to six hens is a very manageable number for most gardens, and you will not need anything bigger than a coop measuring roughly 1.8m × 1.2m for that many birds.

2. Choose your timber and design

Pressure-treated softwood is the standard choice — it handles the British weather without rotting away in two years. Reclaimed timber works well too, provided it is solid and dry. Avoid any wood that has been treated with creosote, as it is toxic to poultry.

Keep the design simple: a box-shaped main house with a sloped or apex roof, a ramp down into a small enclosed run, and a cleanout hatch at the back. The more complicated you make it, the harder it is to maintain. And cleaning it out regularly is non-negotiable.

3. Build the main frame

Start with the floor frame — two side rails and two end rails, joined at the corners with timber connectors or halving joints. Sit this on legs or a low plinth so air can circulate underneath. A raised floor keeps the interior drier and makes life harder for rodents.

Fix vertical corner posts, then add horizontal noggins at mid-height and at the top. The whole frame should feel solid before you put any cladding on it. Wonky at this stage means wonky at the end.

4. Clad the walls and fit the roof

Fix shiplap cladding, featheredge boards, or plywood panels to the outside of the frame, leaving a gap for ventilation near the top of each wall. Hens need fresh air, but they also need to be protected from draughts at roost height — getting this balance right matters more than many people realise.

For the roof, a simple lean-to pitch (slope from front to back) is the easiest option. Cover it with roofing felt, nailed or staple-gunned down properly. Overlap the felt by at least 75mm at each join, and tuck it neatly over the edges so rain cannot get underneath.

5. Fit the nesting boxes and perches

Hens like to lay in a dark, enclosed space. One nesting box per two or three birds is about right — roughly 300mm × 300mm each, accessible from outside via a hinged door so you can collect eggs without going inside the run.

Fix a perch or two inside the main house at a comfortable height. Hens roost at the highest point they can reach, so make sure the perch is above the nesting boxes. Smooth the edges of the perch so it does not cause foot problems.

6. Build a secure run

The run is where your hens spend most of their day, so it needs to be generous. Allow at least 1 square metre per bird as an absolute minimum, and more if you can. Clad the frame with welded wire mesh (not chicken wire — foxes will tear through it).

Bury the mesh at least 300mm into the ground and angle it outward at the base. Foxes dig, and they are patient. A buried skirt of mesh stops them getting in from below. Fit a proper latch on the run door — a simple hook-and-eye is not enough.

7. Treat and finish the timber

Treat any untreated timber with a water-based wood preservative that is safe for animals once dry. Avoid solvent-based products inside the coop itself. Paint the exterior with a fence or shed paint if you want to prolong the life of the timber and match your garden scheme.

Check all fixings are tight, all gaps are filled, and there are no sharp edges or exposed nail points inside. Before introducing any birds, leave any treatments to dry and off-gas for at least 48 hours.

8. Bed down and introduce your hens

Lay a thick bed of wood shavings or straw in the nesting boxes and on the coop floor. Put fresh bedding in the run — wood chip works well as it composts down. Then introduce your hens gently, ideally in the evening so they settle overnight.

Clean the coop weekly as a minimum. A well-maintained coop has far fewer disease and parasite problems, and happy hens produce better eggs. It sounds obvious, but the cleaning routine is what separates a successful backyard flock from a costly headache.

When to call a handyman

Call Richard if you want a purpose-built structure that goes up quickly and is made to last — or if the project has grown beyond a simple weekend build. A proper workshop build with the right jigs and fixings makes a significant difference to the finished quality.