How to Set Up a Chicken Coop: What to Consider Before You Build

A good chicken coop is about more than giving your hens somewhere to sleep. It needs to keep your flock safe, comfortable and protected from the weather, while making the everyday jobs of chicken keeping as straightforward as possible.

Every coop we build starts long before anyone picks up a drill. We're licensed builders as well as poultry breeders, and we build our customers' coops, pens and runs to the same standard as the housing our own birds live in. After building plenty of them, we've learnt that the decisions you make on paper matter just as much as the ones you make on site.

Get the planning right and your coop will keep your flock safe, dry and comfortable for years. Get it wrong and you'll spend every week working around it.

Whether you’re setting up for your first backyard flock or making room for a bigger one, here’s what we’d think through before building a chicken coop.

Check your local council requirements

Before you choose a design or break ground, find out what rules apply to your property.

Councils set their own requirements for keeping poultry, and they vary a lot from one area to the next. Depending on where you live, the rules may cover how many birds you can keep, whether roosters are allowed, how far the coop must sit from boundaries and houses and whether the structure needs approval. In our local area of Wollondilly, for example, the council's general guidance is a limit of five poultry birds, no roosters in urban areas, and a coop at least 3m from the property boundary and 4.5m from a dwelling. Your council's requirements may look quite different, so don't use ours as a guide for your own property.

Don’t assume a small coop won’t require approval, either. Contact your local council or check its website and confirm the requirements for your property before you commit to a design.

Get the positioning right first

Where you put your coop affects almost everything that follows: drainage, weather protection, ventilation and how comfortable your chickens will be through the year.

Living on the outskirts of the Southern Highlands, we see just about every kind of weather, so we plan each coop around local conditions. Where possible, choose higher ground with good natural drainage. A low-lying spot that collects water turns to mud in wet weather and can leave the inside of the coop damp.

Think about the prevailing winds and how the sun moves across your property during the day. We recommend positioning the coop to provide protection from strong prevailing winds, with the south and western side enclosed where practical to help block southerly winds and harsh afternoon weather. An opening towards the north and east can help capture morning light.

A decent roof overhang also makes a difference, keeping rain off the walls, entrances and nesting areas.

Finally, think about how the coop sits within your property. How easily can you reach it on a cold wet morning? Can a vehicle get close enough to drop off feed, bedding or building materials?

Work out your coop and run size

One of the most common mistakes we see is building for the flock you have now rather than the flock you’ll have in a few years.

Chickens are easy to add to, and a small flock can outgrow the coop before you realise. Overcrowding can lead to stress, aggression, feather damage and a higher risk of disease.

RSPC Australia’s housing guidance is the best-practice reference here. It recommends a minimum floor and run area of 3m2 for up to six bantams or three large birds, plus at least 0.4m2 for each additional large bird and 0.3m2 for each additional bantam. The RSPCA also notes that a coop on its own only suits birds that roam open land for most of the day. You can read the full RSPCA guidance on housing chickens.

As a practical starting point for our own planning, we’d allow around 0.3–0.4m² of enclosed coop floor space per standard-size chicken and at least 1m² of outdoor run space per bird. Six standard-size chickens, for example, would need roughly 1.8–2.4m² of coop floor and at least 6m² of run.

These figures assume your birds free-range every day, which we always encourage. Chickens that spend long stretches confined to the coop and run need more room, and so do larger breeds and active flocks.

The run has to give your flock space to move, scratch, dust bathe and get away from one another, with room left over for feeders, drinkers, perches and shelter.

Wherever you can, go bigger. It’s better for the birds, and it leaves room to grow your flock later without rebuilding. If there’s one thing we’ve learnt about keeping chickens, it’s that nobody regrets a bigger coop. The same can’t always be said for the decision to add just a few more chooks!

Plan the layout around everyday access

You’ll be in and out of your coop every day to feed and water the flock, collect eggs, check on the birds, look over the nest boxes and refresh the bedding. You’ll also need to get in to catch a bird, treat an injury or carry out repairs.

Full-height doors and generous openings make all of this much easier. Think about what you’ll carry through the door, like shovels, rakes and buckets. For a larger walk-in coop, plan a doorway wide enough for a wheelbarrow.

You should be able to reach the nest boxes easily and check the roosting area and corners without squeezing awkwardly into the coop.

We also recommend planning a dedicated storage area for feed bins, spare feeders and drinkers, cleaning gear and other poultry supplies. Having everything close at hand makes daily jobs quicker and keeps your equipment organised.

If you’re building a larger or custom coop, consider a separate brooder or isolation area. A brooder space is useful for raising young chicks. An isolation area lets you house an unwell or injured bird away from the flock, or quarantine new birds before they join it. Both spaces need good ventilation, secure construction and the right temperature control for how you’ll use them. Our guide to setting up a breeding pen shows how we lay out our own pens.

Plan your water supply

Your flock needs clean, fresh water every day, and in summer they'll drink a lot of it. Before you build, work out where that water will come from.

Position the coop within easy reach of a tap or rainwater tank so you're not carrying heavy buckets across the yard. Some of our larger coops include a rainwater tank that collects run-off from the coop roof, which keeps a supply right where you need it. In our own pens we use automatic drinkers, which top themselves up and take one job off the daily list. Whatever setup you choose, keep the drinkers in the shade and make sure you can reach them easily for cleaning.

Choose durable materials and good flooring

Cheap materials cost more in the long run. A chicken coop faces rain, sun, dust and daily wear from the birds, so it has to be built to last.

We use treated timber, galvanised wire mesh sheets, new Colorbond and hardware made to stand up to Australian conditions. Pay close attention to hinges, screws, latches and fixings. Poor-quality hardware can rust or fail much sooner than you’d expect.

Plan your flooring and drainage before construction starts, too. In our own coops, we use washed river sand as a base with wheaten hay over the top. Washed river sand is comfortable underfoot and shifts when disturbed, which makes it harder for rodents to burrows into. The wheaten hay gives the chickens something to scratch through and encourages natural foraging. Other flooring options can work well. The best choice depends on your site, climate, coop design and cleaning routine. Whatever you choose, plan for drainage and make sure you can keep the surface clean and dry.

Plan for ventilation, heat and weather

Chickens produce heat and moisture, and both build up quickly in an enclosed coop. Good ventilation moves fresh air through the space and carries excess heat and moisture out, particularly in summer. The aim is plenty of airflow without cold draughts blowing directly across the birds while they roost. High-level ventilation openings let warm, moist air escape, while careful positioning and weather protection keep the rain out.

A well-designed coop balances airflow with shelter. Close every opening against the weather and you’ll end up with a damp, stuffy coop. Leave the roosting area open to strong winds and your birds will end up having uncomfortable nights.

Heat and shade

In much of Australia, heat is a bigger threat to backyard chickens than cold. Chickens don't sweat. They cool down by panting and holding their wings away from their bodies, and on a 40°C day that isn't always enough.

Plan your shade before you build. Trees on the western side of the run, shade cloth over part of it or a roofed section of run all give the flock somewhere to escape the afternoon sun. Under a metal roof, insulation or a lighter roof colour helps cut the heat radiating down into the coop. Keep feeders and drinkers in the shade so the water stays cool and add extra drinkers over summer so no bird goes without.

Don’t compromise on predator proofing

If there’s a gap, a predator will find it. Predator proofing is one of the most important parts of any chicken coop, especially in rural and semi-rural areas, and Australian keepers have plenty to plan for. 

Chicken wire keeps chickens in, but it won’t keep a determined fox out. We use galvanised wire mesh sheets on exposed faces and pay close attention to doors, corners, joins and the points where the structure meets the ground. Smaller mesh openings keep out smaller predators, so think about what you’re up against when you choose your mesh.

To stop foxes digging in, we run the mesh below ground level around the base of the coop. Depending on your site and the predators in your area, a buried barrier or ground apron gives you an extra line of defence. Make sure doors close firmly and that latches can’t be nudged open. Shut the birds in every night. The run is part of your flock’s security too, so build it to the same standard as the coop.

Get your nest boxes and perches right

Nesting boxes need to be comfortable for your hens and practical for you when it comes to collecting eggs.

We allow one nest box for every two hens. You can sometimes push this to one box between three, but we try not to. Hens with their own space don’t compete for boxes and their less likely to start laying on the floor.

We also recommend external-access nesting boxes, which let you collect eggs from outside the coop while still reaching the boxes from inside when you need to. Position them on a wall protected from prevailing winds to keep the nesting area sheltered. Hens like a dark, quiet spot to lay, so keep the boxes away from the main door and the perches.

For sizing, bedding and positioning, read our guide on how to set up a nest box for chickens. If you'd rather not build your own, take a look at our nest boxes.

Perches matter just as much. We position perches around 500–600 mm off the ground and adjust the height to suit the breed and size of the birds. Heavier breeds generally do better on lower perches, which reduce the risk of injury when they jump on and off.

A relatively flat perch around 70 mm wide gives the birds a comfortable resting surface. Allow about 30 cm of perch space per bird as a starting point, with extra room for larger breeds.

Plan your feeders and drinkers

Where you put your feeders and drinkers makes a real difference to cleanliness, feed waste and rodent problems.

We hang our feeders and drinkers from chains attached to the coop roof. About 350 mm off the ground is a useful starting point for many breeds, but check that the equipment suits the size of your birds and that they can reach it comfortably. Hanging feeders also keep hay and scratched-up bedding out of the feed.

Avoid overfilling feeders. Leftover feed attracts rodents, and birds will flick out and waste the bits they don’t want. Give your flock an appropriate amount and keep an eye on how much they eat.

A complete, balanced feed suited to their life stage gives them less reason to pick through it. Our chicken feed range covers every stage, from chick to laying hen.

Make sure fresh, clean water is always available, and position everything so you can easily check, clean and refill it. You'll find feeders, drinkers and other gear in our poultry supplies.

Think about cleaning and mites before you build

A coop can look fantastic, but if it’s hard to clean, it will quickly become a chore.

Think about how you’ll remove soiled bedding, reach the corners, clean nesting boxes and get to the floor. Wide doors, a practical internal layout and accessible storage all make a difference.

Plan where you’ll store feed and how you’ll keep it safe from rodents. Sealed bins and fewer spills go a long way towards a cleaner coop.

Mites deserve a place in your planning too. Red mites hide in cracks, joins and the ends of perches during the day, then come out at night to feed on roosting birds. Design your perches to lift out of brackets rather than screwing them in place, so you can take them out to check and treat them. Keep gaps and rough joins around the roosting area and nest boxes to a minimum, and use smooth, sealed surfaces you can inspect easily. Then check regularly, especially in the warmer months.

These details might seem small at the planning stage, but you’ll appreciate them every week once your chickens move in.

DIY, custom or flatpack?

There's more than one way to get a good coop. The right choice depends on your skills, your budget and where you live.

Building it yourself

If you're handy and have the time, building your own coop can work well. Follow the same principles we've covered here: plan the size properly, use durable materials and galvanised wire mesh sheets, and don't cut corners on predator proofing. Our guides to nest boxes and breeding pens share the measurements we use on our own builds.

Cheap flatpack coops

We don't recommend the cheap flatpack coops sold at hardware stores. In our experience, they don't last. Thin timber, light fittings and flimsy wire break down quickly in Australian weather and won't stand up to a determined fox. We often find they're sold for more birds than they can comfortably hold, too.

A custom-built coop

We design a custom coop around your property, your flock and the way you want to keep them. As licensed builders, we build on-site, so we can sort out positioning, drainage and access on the day and build the structure to suit the ground it sits on. We build across the Southern Highlands and surrounding regions, from the Illawarra and Southern Sydney to the Blue Mountains and Canberra.

If you're outside our build area, we also offer a flatpack version of our Cottage coop, shipped with detailed plans so you can build it on your own property.

Ready to plan your chicken coop?

The best chicken coop isn’t necessarily the biggest or most expensive one. It’s the one that fits your flock, your property and the way you want to keep chickens.

We design and build chicken coops, runs and pens to suit each property, from compact backyard setups to large walk-in coops with storage, brooder areas and rainwater tanks. Explore our chicken coops, pens and runs, or get in touch to talk through what would work for you.

Frequently asked questions

How much space do chickens need in a coop?

RSPCA Australia recommends a minimum floor and run area of 3 m² for up to three large birds or six bantams, plus at least 0.4 m² for each additional large bird. Our own planning starting point is 0.3–0.4 m² of coop floor and at least 1 m² of run per standard-size bird, for chickens that free-range daily. Wherever you can, go bigger.

How many nest boxes do chickens need?

We allow one nest box for every two hens. You can push this to one between three, but hens with their own space compete less and are less likely to lay on the floor.

How high should chicken perches be?

We set perches around 500–600 mm off the ground, a little lower for heavy breeds, with about 30 cm of perch space per bird.

Is chicken wire enough to keep foxes out?

No. Chicken wire keeps chickens in, but it won't stop a fox. Use galvanised wire mesh sheets, secure every join and corner, and run the mesh below ground to stop foxes digging in.

Which way should a chicken coop face in Australia?

On our property on the outskirts of the Southern Highlands, we enclose the south and western side to block southerly winds and harsh afternoon weather, with an opening towards the north and east for morning light. Adjust this for your local climate, and in hotter areas make afternoon shade a priority.

Do I need council approval for a chicken coop?

It depends on your council. Rules can cover flock size, roosters, setbacks from boundaries and houses, and building approval. Check with your local council before you build.

What's the best flooring for a chicken coop?

We use washed river sand with wheaten hay on top. Most flooring can work if it drains well and you can keep it clean and dry.