Cost of building a small, 4 hen chicken coop [View all]

Been spending evenings watching chicken vids on YouTube and getting ideas for a chicken coop that could hold about 4 birds comfortably. 3-4 hens would be all my wife and I need.

There are also restrictions on having chickens in town limits. Some state that 4 hens, no roosters is the maximum and they need to be confined to a chicken coop and fenced in chicken run. My home town currently prohibits having chickens but I think I could get that changed if I do desired.

Generally, chickens need at a bare minimum 3 square feet per bird in a coop, more would be preferable, and about 10 square feet per bird in a chicken run. The 3 square foot minimum is assuming the birds will spend much of their lives outside and be using the coop to sleep and lay eggs . 4 or more square feet per bird is better if the birds will be spending days in the coop like during winter.

For an adequate egg supply, the rule of thumb seems to be about 3-4 hens for two people.

So I've been looking at plans for a 4x4 coop , 16 square feet, which would provide 5 square feet each for 3 hens. I expect the hens will be cooped up for stretches at a time during winter so I'd like fewer birds and have more space for them.

I found a design I liked and got a PDF for it by subscribing to a newsletter. I then priced the materials on the Lowe's site and it came to $324.94 which includes tax and a small military discount. That cost does not include primer, paint, window or shingles for the roof and roof of the attached nest. Nor does it include the cost for materials for a chicken run.

Not cheap but not too expensive either. I have shingles and ice and water shield left over from when the roof of the house was done a few years ago.

There are plans available for much cheaper coops, like making one out of pallets, assuming you get the pallets for free, but I would want something that could last for many years with proper care and upkeep.