When winter winds howl and temperatures drop into the 20s Fahrenheit, it’s comforting to know that your chickens are snug and well-protected in their cozy coop.
I want to share ten cozy designs for all of you do-it-yourself people who prefer to know exactly what goes into the construction of your coop and want to ensure it’s built well.
There is so much to cover here that I won’t get into the advantages of a cozy coop or what should go into building a chicken coop. If you want to read about those items, I have some other articles for you here:
Choosing The Right Chicken Coop Design For Your Flock
What Makes A Good Chicken Coop?
Before we dive into the designs, I want you to know that there are two types of plans here: free PDF plans or premium plans, which you can purchase for a small fee. It’s up to you to decide which is right for you, and both are adequate to help you build the coop you desire.
We will look at six beginner-friendly builds and four intermediate designs. I hope you enjoy them.
Okay, let’s get right into cozy coop number one, an Amish-inspired coop that is intermediate in difficulty to build.
Amish-inspired Coop
This coop is tight. I love the simple lines, the “X” design on the door, and the outside-of-the-coop nesting box design. The windows allow a lot of light for the flock of up to 12 chickens. That’s a good number of hens to keep one rooster happy, or you can go with all hens if you prefer.
The windows allow a lot of light, which the girls need to lay regularly and a droppings tray is designed into this coop, so cleaning is a breeze.
Its design offers a secure living space with an overall footprint of 6 X 6. The raised design can offer some protection from overhead predators while offering shade from the sun.
This cute coop has two doors: one for you and one for your chickens. The chicken door has a ramp to facilitate easy exit and entrance.
Our next coop is the largest of the ten featured here, and it is called the…
Extra Large Chicken Coop With Run
This beauty requires a big backyard or a home in the countryside. It can accommodate up to 50 chickens. This shed-type coop has plenty of room plus an additional run, making the entire layout a robust 40 x 20 mansion for your large flock.
A side door with steps makes entry easy, and a chicken door with a ramp leads into the attached run, keeping your chickens safe from predators at all times. Outside access for egg gathering is always a winning feature. However, the design could be improved by adding a small roof over the egg boxes to keep the snow and rain off.
If you ever get tired of raising chickens, this building has many other possibilities.
The building difficulty rating is “intermediate.”
Country Living’s Chicken Coop
This compact half-horizontal, half-vertical 12 x 8 coop is beginner-friendly and fits almost anywhere you want to put it. 12 chickens can fit in this smaller coop mainly because the nesting boxes are outside of the main floor area. A small roof keeps some of the weather off of the nesting boxes, making your morning chores a little easier.
Double doors on the back of the coop make cleaning easy and call for less bending for those with back issues. Just roll a wheelbarrow up to the coop and rake right into it.
The 12 x 8 structure is fully protected by predator-resistant chicken wire. Substitute hardware cloth for greater protection.
Greenhouse Chicken Coop
This ‘greenhouse’ design is actually a chicken tractor with handles on one end and wheels on the other. It allows you to move your potential flock of eight to various locations for fresh grass and new scratching ground. It’s a 4 x 12 beginner-friendly home on wheels.
External egg gathering and a sliding droppings tray round out the attractive features of this small coop. I can imagine Bilbo Baggins having such a coop as this down in The Shire.
Upright Chicken Coop
Okay, I know what it looks like, but it is a lovely little coop that can house up to 10 chickens (8 is more like it, in my opinion). It is 4 x 8 and has outside access to the ample nesting box, a side door for easy entry, and a chicken door leading directly into a safe run.
One wall of the run is actually a door that allows you easy access to the inside and to the outside, so your small flock can free-range a bit. This is another beginner-friendly design brought to you by Easy Coops.
Victorian Chicken Coop
This Victorian-style Chicken Coop takes up a space of 5 x 10, so it can house a dozen chickens. It is rock-solid, raised, and has outside access to egg collection. The plans call for two doors and no windows.
The people door lets you in for easy access for cleaning, while the chicken door lets the kids out to play during daylight hours. The lack of natural light will probably encourage you to either put in a window or install lights if you want the girls to lay better during the short daylight months.
This coop has straight lines and is easy to maintain. Dressing it up will be a breeze.
Garden Shed Henhouse
Walking up to this building, you would expect to pull out a pushmower and get to work, but SURPRISE!! This garden shed is an awesome chicken coop, with roosts, pull-out droppings trays, nesting boxes, and enough room for up to 20 chickens.
This 6 x 8 no-frills design is beginner-friendly and awaits you at Easy Coops.
Like the Victorian coop, this design doesn’t call for a run, so free-ranging is what the chickens that live here will be doing.
While repurposing a new or old garden shed is an easy way to provide your chickens with a safe and cozy abode, DIYing a new structure means a solid dwelling for your birds for years.
There is plenty of space for installing roosting bars and nesting boxes. Proper ventilation also helps ensure proper heat regulation.
Small And Accoutred Henhouse
This is a small coop built for a small flock, but 15 square feet is enough room, thanks to the nesting boxes hanging outside the main living space.
When built, this 3 x 5 coop can accommodate up to 6 chickens. Its super-efficient design ensures both functionality and style.
The size of this coop allows for placement anywhere on your lot. And talk about accessories:
- Windows for excellent lighting
- Double doors for the ultimate in access
- A pull-out dropping tray for easy cleaning
- Attached run for safety
This little coop packs a big punch with a beginner-friendly design.
All-in-One City-Worth Chicken Coop Plans
Now, for urban dwellers, this 2 x 4 horizontal/vertical small coop can house up to six chickens in almost any urban backyard. Heavy fencing keeps the most determined predators at bay while allowing your chickens to stretch their legs.
A large side door provides easy cleaning, while outside access lets you gather eggs without disturbing the coop.
Your chickens can feel safe in this beginner-friendly All-in-One City-Worth Chicken Coop.
Charming Dutch-Style Chicken Barn
Last but not least, we have the Dutch-style chicken barn. An intermediate difficulty build will yield this charming dwelling for ten chickens. The 5 x 6 footprint and good height provide plenty of room for roosts and space for the girls to move around.
Outside access for egg gathering and a large side door make this beauty the picture of convenience. Windows provide plenty of light to tell the hens when to lay. I particularly like how the windows are placed to shine light toward the back of the coop and not into the nesting boxes.
How Do I Find Plans For These Coops?
No worries. Click on any of the coops, and you will be whisked away to Easy Coops, where you will find these plans and many, many more.
We’ve covered a lot here, so I won’t bother you with any more information. Just click on any of the coops to find the coop you desire, and I hope you’ll let me know which one you got in the comments below.
Take care.
Dave
Chickenmethod.com
Hi Dave,
Your article on “10 Cozy Chicken Coop Designs For All Seasons” was a joy to read! As someone who’s been pondering the idea of setting up a coop for a small flock in my backyard, your breakdown of designs from beginner to intermediate has been incredibly helpful. The Amish-inspired coop caught my eye with its simplicity and functionality. It’s great that you’ve included options for different skill levels and flock sizes. It’s clear a lot of thought went into each recommendation. I’m curious, for those of us with limited space but eager to provide the best for our chickens, which design would you say offers the most in terms of efficiency and comfort within a compact footprint?
Thank you for your work and for sharing!
Makhsud.
Hi, Makhsud.
Thank you for your very kind words. It took a little while to assemble the article, so I’m glad you think it was worthwhile.
I love the Amish Style Coop, too. The plans don’t include a run, but there are run plans at Easy Coops, so building one would be a breeze compared to building the coop.
My all-around favorite is the Country Living’s Chicken Coop for many reasons. There is an overhang over the nesting boxes to keep some of the “weather” off them. The roof covers the entirety of the coop and the run. You can keep more chickens than you need in an urban or suburban environment. There is a door to access the run and double doors to access the coop separately for cleaning. It simply is a great design.
If 12 x 8 is too large, my second pick would be the Small And Accoutred Henhouse because of its simplicity of design and small 3 x 5 footprint.
Regardless of choice, the colors you choose to paint a coop make a huge difference in aesthetic appeal.
I appreciate your input and question, Makhsud. Stop back anytime.
Dave