At the heart of any good DIY project is the opportunity to repurpose what you already have. That’s exactly what we did when we decided to convert an old, unused dog house into a cozy, budget-friendly chicken coop. If you’re considering keeping chickens, but you don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on a pre-built coop, this project is a perfect solution.
Materials and Tools Needed
Here’s a quick rundown of the materials and tools we used:
Materials:
- Old dog house (the main structure)
- Plywood (for the coop door)
- Hinges and a lock (to secure the door)
- 2x4s (to create the frame for the elevated platform)
- 4×4 (used for the legs of the frame)
- Wood screws (to assemble the frame)
- A jigsaw (for cutting the plywood door)
- A table saw (for cutting the 2x4s and 4x4s)
- A tape measure (for accurate measurements)
Tools:
- Driver (for driving wood screws)
- Jigsaw (for cutting the door)
- Table saw (for cutting wood pieces)
- Tape measure (for precise measurements)
Step 1: Cleaning Out the Dog House
The first task was to clean out the dog house. There was a lot of debris inside—spiders, pine needles, and dust—but the structure itself was in surprisingly good shape. The roof simply lifted off, which made it easy to access the inside. We gave it a good scrub and removed all the old debris.
To our delight, the dog house had sturdy laminate flooring, which made for a solid foundation. All in all, it wasn’t as “trashed” as we initially thought.
Step 2: Building the Coop Door
Next, we needed to create a door for the chicken coop. For this, we took a thin piece of plywood and measured the opening of the dog house. My girlfriend held the plywood in place while I traced the outline from the inside. Once the outline was drawn, I cut it out using a jigsaw.
We then installed the hinges on the dog house and aligned them with the door. After attaching the hinges to both the house and the door, we added a barrel lock to keep the chickens safe inside. The door was now secure, and the coop was starting to take shape.
Step 3: Creating the Platform for the Coop
We wanted the coop to be elevated, so the next step was building a sturdy platform. We decided on a simple frame design using 2x4s for the sides and 4x4s for the legs. After measuring the bottom dimensions of the dog house, we cut the 2x4s to a slightly larger size (about ½ inch bigger than the base of the house). We used a table saw for the cuts and a driver with wood screws to assemble the frame.
The last step was to add the legs. We didn’t want the coop to be too high, so we kept the legs at a manageable length, just high enough to provide some elevation while still allowing us to easily access the top of the coop if needed.
Step 4: Assembling the Coop on the Platform
Once the frame was ready, it was time to put everything together. We lifted the dog house onto the frame and secured it in place. Afterward, we placed the roof back on the coop, making sure it was securely attached.
The result was a solid, raised chicken coop that was stable and ready to house our future chickens. We couldn’t believe how simple it was to put everything together. Plus, the project was incredibly affordable—most of the materials were things we already had or picked up for under $20.
Future Upgrades and Improvements
While the coop is functional and sturdy as is, we do have a few plans for future upgrades:
- Chicken ramp: We’d like to add a small ramp to make it easier for the chickens to get in and out of the coop.
- Metal roof: We’re considering upgrading to a metal roof to provide better durability and weather resistance.
- Insulation: Adding insulation is also something we’re thinking about to ensure the chickens stay comfortable year-round.
Conclusion: The Rewards of Repurposing
Repurposing an old dog house into a chicken coop was an incredibly satisfying project. Not only did we save a significant amount of money, but we also got to create something useful and environmentally friendly. If you’re on a budget and looking for a DIY project to house a few chickens, we highly recommend giving this a try.
Project Via Instructables – Get the PDF Instructions here.
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.
