Chicken Pens

While there are many different types of chicken pens, they are all actually the same thing. When considering what type of living environment is best for your chickens there are a few things to think about.

• Number of chickens
• Location of your home (Country or Urban setting)
• Local natural predators

Number of Chickens

The number of chickens you intend to house is important because this will determine how much space you need to set aside for both your chicken pen, and your run. Recommended dimensions for chicken pens per chicken: 2 sq ft per chicken in the actual coop, but around twice that is the preferred dimension, as well as around 10 sq ft per chicken of outdoor or ‘run’ space.

Location of Home and Coop

If you live in the country, and are willing to completely fence in your backyard to protect your chickens from predators, then the size and materials needed to complete your chicken pen is self explanatory. However, it is important to add here that you should be sure your chicks have at least two solid walls or corners to run to in order to protect themselves from natural predators such as raccoons.

Click Here for How to Build A Chicken Coop Blueprints!

That being said raising chickens in an Urban (or city) environment can be quite a bit trickier. Firstly you have your neighbors to consider. Because of this most city folk build chicken pens that are completely closed in. This is referred to as a chicken tractor and the preferred type of chicken pen for urban chicken keepers. These can be made from nearly any material, woods scraps from construction sites, vinyl siding remnants, even old dog kennels can be converted into chicken tractors. As with raising chickens in your backyard you want to ensure that at least two of the three sides are hard stable surfaces. This is to keep predators as well as dogs from reaching in and getting your baby chicks.

Local Natural Predators

When deciding how to construct chicken pens one of the most important factors to consider is the local predators. If your areas has a large raccoon population, or dogs that run freely through the neighborhood you will want to be sure to select a chicken wire or mesh that is small enough to prevent them from being able to reach in with paws or snout to grab your chicks.

The biggest predators to watch out for, and perhaps the hardest to protect against for backyard free range chickens are birds. Owls, Hawks, and Eagles are all dangerous for baby chicks, so it is wise to provide your chicks with a covered area to hide from these types of predators.

If you’re ready to build a chicken coop check out this complete guide and design plans.