Coop and run size, framing, hardware cloth and nest boxes for your flock.
Estimates are planning aids, not a professional quote. Double-check quantities and product coverage — and any local code or permit requirements — before you buy.
⚠ Use 1/2" hardware cloth, never chicken wire — raccoons, weasels and dogs tear right through chicken wire. Bury or apron the cloth outward at the base so nothing can dig in.
⚠ Check local rules before building: many cities and HOAs limit backyard flock size, ban roosters, and require setbacks from property lines.
| Lumber & Decking | $331–$448 |
| Membrane & Fabric | $234–$317 |
| Siding & Trim | $133–$179 |
| Finishing & Sealant | $65–$87 |
| Doors & Windows | $61–$83 |
| Roofing | $32–$44 |
| Fasteners & Hardware | $29–$39 |
| Total | $885–$1,197 |
Excludes tools, delivery, tax and permit fees. Labor not included — this is a DIY materials estimate.
These are affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the calculator recommends — the shopping list comes from your dimensions, not from what pays.
About this calculator
Enter how many hens you're keeping and the whole project gets sized the right way: the coop floor area and dimensions, a covered run, the framing lumber, siding and roofing, the all-important hardware cloth, nest boxes and roost, and the predator-proof hardware — with a cost range and a build time. It's built around the space-per-bird rules that keep a flock healthy.
Add or drop the run, raise the coop on legs, and pick your siding in the basic options; fine-tune the square feet per bird, wall height and waste in the advanced settings. Everything scales with your flock so you can size and price the coop before you cut a board.
Step by step
A step-by-step walkthrough to go with your plan above. Follow the product instructions and any local code or permit requirements as you work.
Use 3–4 sq ft of coop per hen and 8–10 sq ft of run per bird to set your dimensions, and confirm your town's flock limits and setbacks before you build. The calculator above gives you both footprints.
Frame the floor and, if raising the coop, set it on 4×4 legs so it sits off wet ground with dry shelter underneath. Deck it with plywood and check it for square.
Build the walls with generous, high window and vent openings, stand and brace them, then hang the siding. Good ventilation up high keeps moisture and ammonia out without drafting the roost.
Set the rafters with a slope, sheathe the roof, and shingle or screw down a metal panel with an overhang to keep rain off the walls and run.
Staple 1/2-inch hardware cloth over all vents and windows, overlapping and fastening it every few inches. This — not the walls — is what keeps predators out.
Build the nest boxes lower than the roost bar, hang the pop door and a human access door, and fit two-step predator-proof latches on everything that opens.
Frame the covered run, wrap it in hardware cloth, and bury the cloth or fold it outward in an L-shaped apron at the base so nothing can dig under.
Prime and paint the exterior to protect the wood, add bedding and feeders, and let the flock settle in. Walk the coop after the first night and close any gap you find.
Equip the job
Hand-picked categories that match the shopping list above. Links open a current selection so you can compare brands and prices.
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Keep planning
Garden & Yard
Answers
Plan about 3 to 4 square feet of coop floor per standard hen, plus 8 to 10 square feet of run per bird. So six hens want roughly a 4×6 coop and a run around 50–60 square feet. Crowding causes pecking, stress and disease, so when in doubt, build bigger — this calculator sizes both the coop and run from your flock automatically.
Cover every opening with 1/2-inch hardware cloth, not chicken wire — chicken wire keeps chickens in but does almost nothing to keep predators out. Use two-step or locking latches on every door (raccoons open simple hooks), and bury the hardware cloth or run it outward in an L-shaped apron at the base so foxes and dogs can't dig under. The calculator includes cloth for an apron.
About one nest box for every three to four hens — they share and tend to pile into a favorite anyway. So six to eight hens are fine with two boxes. Mount the boxes lower than the roost so the birds sleep up high on the roost instead of sleeping and soiling the nests.
Often, yes, or at least there are rules. Many cities and HOAs limit how many birds you can keep, ban roosters, and require the coop to sit a set distance from property lines and homes. Check your local ordinances before building, since the limits can affect how big a coop and run you should plan for.