Since you came across this article, there’s a high likelihood you’re a newbie to chicken rearing and looking for a design to start constructing your own 4×8 chicken coop rather than purchasing a premade one. For the majority of individuals with basic carpentry and woodworking skills, constructing a chicken coop is not that complicated.
To make one, all you need is a thorough plan. Building your chicken coop is critical, particularly if you don’t have any experience building anything like this previously. You can go through every plan listed below and see the links for detailed instructions of the plans.
How to Build the Right Chicken Coop
Before you dive into the plans and designs, it’s critical to understand what makes an excellent 4×8 chicken coop. A coop is more than a shelter; it is a home to live for your fowls. The coop has a significant impact on the life and health of your poultry. That is why it is critical to understand these concepts prior to constructing one.
Think About the Size of Your Coop
If the area is insufficient, your fowls will be stressed. The coop will quickly get stinky; your fowl will become stressed and agitated, they will begin scratching and pecking at one another, they will become unwell and ultimately die. While you can possibly give less than three sq. ft. per hen, they should spend most of their time outdoors. For smaller breeds like a bantam, you will need two sq. ft. only rather than four.
Decide the Location for the Coop
Evaluate these factors while deciding on a site for your chicken coop:
Sunlight, Cover, and Wind – your chickens need sunlight too, but not throughout the day. Although a pleasant breeze is desirable, try to prevent areas prone to heavy winds. Usually, underneath a tree is an excellent location for your coop.
Accessibility – you’ll have to inspect the coop twice daily or more; ensure that it’s readily accessible to you.
Odor and noise – do not build your coop too close to either your house or your neighbor’s.
Before deciding on a site, watch the location surroundings for days to ensure there will be no significant issues. And that is all there is to it. You are now prepared to construct your 4×8 chicken coop. Here are the 19 designs and provided with detailed plans you might want to build.
1# DIY 4×8 Chicken Coop Plan
This charming backyard 4×8 chicken coop plan has shingled roofing, a window, and a side nest box. This plan recommends using weather-resistant timber for your coop and precise calculations and measurements before cutting the wood.
You may modify the design to fit your backyard; however, you must carefully follow the included directions. Additionally, you may check out designs on how to make a chicken coop nest. Check out this plan.
2# 4×8 Backyard Chicken Coop
The maker of this excellent 4×8 chicken coop designed this coop so you can enjoy your fresh meat and eggs from your backyard coop build. It is made entirely from 4’x8′ plywood sheets and is very easy to construct.
This chicken coop has a wide front entrance for simple maintenance and two side windows. The coop has a sloping shingle roofing and an outside nesting box, making egg collecting simple.
3# 4×8 Backyard Chicken Tractor Plan
The concept is that you transfer your chicken coop around your field or yard daily or every other day to ensure that your flock has access to fresh and new vegetation.
The advantage of a mobile chicken coop is that chickens like eating the delicate tops of the grass, and they are particularly fond of bugs, snails, and other small creatures on the ground – which helps control the population of pests on your land. Check out this plan.
4# Chicken Coop with Run Plans
This simple 4×8 chicken coop with a wide run is a design that fits your spacious backyard. It features a lean-to cover, allowing you to collect fresh eggs straight from the nest, as well as meat at your convenience. The nest box is situated in the front of this coop, making it easy to collect the eggs.
5# 4×8 Barn-style coop 2.0
This 4×8 chicken coop is another Barn-style coop; but, with the addition of the Run enclosed by a chicken wire. It offers protection, shelter, and a pleasant laying position for hens.
This chicken coop has a big run area connected to the house and is accessible by a ramp. It has a shingled roof, wide and easy-to-access entrances, private laying and brooding boxes, and, of course, is capable of protecting the flock from predators. Check out this plan.
6# Free 4×8 Chicken Coop
Your search for a simple, affordable, and long-lasting 4×8 chicken coop is finally here. This coop can house 8 to 12 chickens (depending on breed); it is built out of wood and your choice of roofing material.
This coop is ideal for beginners. It has chicken doors with a ramp, laying and brooding boxes, a large door for humans, and a large window, which you can leave open during the summer for good ventilation of the coop.
7# 4×8 Chicken Coop Plan – Free PDF
This elevated 4×8 chicken coop with an under cage is ideal if you don’t have a lot of space or don’t keep a large flock of hens. As you can see from the picture, it’s adorable and seems quite simple to construct. It has wood cladding walls, with a large door, wire mesh window, and of course, a nest box on the side. Check out the plan.
8# 4×8 Cozy Coop
This urban cozy 4×8 chicken coop is perfect for you if you don’t have that much area and a few chickens. It has single sheet roofing, and most of the walls and the door are made of wire mesh with wood framing. It has lifted rooms with a nest and brooding box for your chicken with a medium-sized glass window you can open or close. Check out the plan 1 and 2
9. Free 4×8 Chicken Coop in the City
This 4×8 chicken coop is the exact design for you if you are living in the city and have an extra limited space in your backyard, you can also enjoy fresh hand-picked eggs for breakfast.
This chicken coop design is a creation for limited areas in consideration. It is one piece that includes the chicken run and a coop. It has a main and side entrance to facilitate feeding and cleaning and allow the hens outside. Check out the plan.
10# Barn Chicken Coop
This easy-to-follow DIY 4×8 chicken coop will assist you in quickly constructing an elegant and attractive chicken coop. You may choose from a variety of styles, including this amazing barn-style chicken coop that will leave your friends jealous.
The designer advises that you carefully study and apply the given instructions and cut the measurements precisely.
11# 4×8 Walk-in Chicken Coop
T This coop looks tall, but it’s just a 4×8 chicken coop ideal for a space-limited backyard. It has a door on the side for easy access to walk in and collect your eggs. It has a long nesting and brooding box that can accommodate several laying hens. It has medium-sized windows on the front and back for coop’s ventilation. Check out the plan.
12# Free 4×8 Mobile Chicken Coop Plan
This triangular-shaped 4×8 chicken coop is obviously one of the easiest to build. It requires lesser wood and work compared to others. It also serves as a chicken tractor coop which allows you to move the coop from one place to another to enable the chickens to consume edibles out from the fresh vegetation of your yard from time to time.
13# FREE 4×8 Chicken Coop For 10 Chickens
This coop is a simple but substantial 4×8 chicken coop. It is a design that can house up to ten chickens. It has a more compact form yet accommodates several hens; it is a walk-in design 4×8 coop. However, since it requires fewer materials, it is less expensive to construct. This coop can hold more hens if your flock is free-ranging. Check out the plan.
14# 4×8 Downeast Thunder Farm Chicken Coop
Another excellent 4×8 chicken coop alternative is best if space is restricted but not too so. It features a wide and high run, and the builders designed it with predators such as eagles, bears, foxes, snakes, and even owls in consideration, and it shows. This sturdy, lengthy, narrow, and high design will ensure that you and your flock can have a good night’s sleep. Check out the plan.
15# 6 Chicks’ Chicken Coop
This design is another great alternative for a tall frame coop. This 4×8 chicken coop is not only simple to maintain and clean, but it is also one of the few designs with excellent ventilation. Additionally, it is high and includes a wide entrance, allowing a person to easily enter to collect eggs, refill feed and water, and other needs of your flock. Check out the plan.
16# Shed Chicken Coop
This 4×8 chicken coop demonstrates reusing, recycling, and repurposing. This coop features a slanted roof design; the coop is not only simple, straightforward, and easy to construct; it is also built entirely out of affordable 2x3s. It is high and sturdy; match it with nice paint color, and it will serve as a lovely decorative element for your backyard. Check out the plan.
17# Free Downeast Thunder Farm Chicken Coop Plan
This 4×8 chicken coop may not be too simple, but neither is it complex. It has a run covered in mesh to prevent predators from preying your flock. Additionally, a broad rectangular coop over a square coop is more practical. In any case, the flock will spend significant amounts of their time outdoors anyway. Check out the plan.
18# Chick Coop Farmer Kittys Coop Page
If you’re looking for a 4×8 chicken coop that you can construct easily in a couple of hours, this is the perfect one for you. Suppose you keep fowls just for a few months of the year. Perhaps you could try constructing this very basic chicken coop instead of a complex and costly one. It is so simple, just like a plain box. Check out the plan.
19# Free 4×8 Chicken Coop Plan For Up To 16 Chickens
This 4×8 chicken coop is so plain to see but very thorough and elegant. It has a gable roof and is very sturdy. Additionally, it is shorter, standing just 4 feet tall at the ceiling.
But, if you want to make this coop transportable, which it can, its lower length will require fewer materials, resulting in a lighter structure. This coop’s design can accommodate up to 16 birds only if you want to let them free-range. Check out the plan.
Summary
Whichever 4×8 chicken coop plan you choose for your flock, it must be safe, pleasant, and comfortable for you and your chickens. Ascertain that the chicken coop plan is durable and functional for you and them, providing enough room for the hens and ease of cleaning for you.
Now you have learned about the tips, ideas, and basic knowledge above about rearing chickens and building coops; you are good to go. Make yourself and your flock satisfied and happy.
Just a suggestion, it would be better to build the coop somewhat more extensive than necessary; this approach may help you not to construct a new coop and save money if you ever decide to either add some to your flock or your hens will produce some chicks.
Some people are completely unable to read construction blueprints or plans, yet they have managed to construct a chicken coop by themselves; do not be discouraged.
Finally, keep in mind that you can accomplish this!
Joseph Hudson has been raising chickens for over 15 years. In 2018, he completed the Agriculture & Natural Resources program at Mt. San Antonio College. He currently raises over 1400 chickens on his 7.5-hectare farm. He keeps sharing his experience on raising healthy and happy chickens on Chicken Scratch The Foundry.
