How to Create a Kid-Friendly Chicken Coop That’s Safe and Fun

*This is a collaborative guest post

Are you looking into building or buying your very own chicken coop? If so, then great! 

Installing your own chicken coop is a rewarding way to raise animals at home. It embodies a self-sufficient lifestyle without requiring too much effort from your end. It’s also incredibly kid-friendly once the gears start turning.

This all starts, of course, with having a proper chicken coop. There are many types of chicken coops you can consider setting up at home, from A-frame coops to converted coops. That said, not all of them are kid-friendly off the bat.

If you intend to build a chicken coop that your children can work their way around, then you’re in the right place. We’ll give you some insights on how you can create a kid-friendly chicken coop for a fun and rewarding chicken-keeping experience for the entire family.

Let’s jump right into it!

What Makes a Coop Child Friendly?

Designing a child-friendly coop needs thoughtful implementation of one key requirement: the child’s safety. When you construct or install a chicken coop, it’s crucial to use the right setup that makes it easy and safe for your child to participate in.

Here are some elements that make a chicken coop child-friendly:

• Stable structure: A coop must be built with durability in mind and no sharp edges. Floors and platforms must be reinforced to ensure that the coop can withstand the weight of the child whenever they step or climb on top of it.
• Comfortable height: A coop must be designed in such a way that the child can access the nesting boxes and feeding areas without difficulty. They should also have an easy time navigating from each end of the coop without ducking or positioning their body in an awkward way.
• Clear visibility: A coop with an open layout is ideal as it makes it easy for the child to observe and see all the chickens in one go. It also allows you to supervise them more easily.
• Low-maintenance cleaning design: Construct a coop layout that makes it easy for your kid to clean and do chores from inside the space. This increases their motivation to do their chicken-keeping duties.

When all these elements are in place, your child can more effectively perform their duties involving the coop, whether it’s feeding chickens or collecting eggs. 

This gives you, as their parent, peace of mind knowing that your child is comfortable and capable of moving around and working in the coop without requiring your constant supervision.

3 Types of Chicken Coops: Which Designs Are Kid-Friendly?

There are several types of chicken coops that can be found in retailers and dedicated stores. These coops, such as Somerzby’s chicken coops, have their own distinct design and level of accessibility, which can influence how effective and safe they can be around children.

Here are some notable kid-friendly chicken coop designs you can typically find.

1. Walk-In Chicken Coop

One child-friendly chicken coop that you can consider for your backyard or farmland is a walk-in chicken coop. This chicken coop is designed with human comfort as the main priority, creating a space where both adults and children can navigate through end to end without crouching.

The main components of this chicken coop style are its enclosed coop area and run. Its walls are upright and sturdy, often reinforced by either wood panels or hardware cloth. 

The coop also has wide access doors that serve as the entrance for humans to walk in. Nesting boxes, feeding stations, and laying areas are all within a reasonable and reachable height, often eye level.

This design is child-friendly because it allows kids to move naturally without bumping into things or getting into awkward positions to clean or collect eggs. It also provides enough headroom to ensure that the child doesn’t bump their head on the ceiling, reducing the risk of accidents overall.

2. Raised Chicken Coop

Another chicken coop design you may consider is the raised chicken coop with a ramp. 

This style features an elevated coop structure positioned above ground level, supported by legs or a sturdy frame. A small ramp leads chickens to walk up into the entrance of their enclosed sleeping area.

Beneath the coop is the chicken run and shaded space where the chickens can frolic. There’s usually a wire mesh to deter predators from going in and chickens from escaping.

This design is child-friendly because the elevated nesting boxes make egg collection easy, as they don’t have to bend down if the chickens lay on the floor. Additionally, the space beneath the coop creates an interaction point for your child and the flock. If the chicken wants to rest or if your child gets too rowdy, then the chicken can return to the elevated resting area and stay there for as long as it wants.

3. Playhouse Style Chicken Coop

A fun yet practical chicken coop idea is a playhouse-style chicken coop. This design resembles a child’s playhouse, typically painted in bright colours and whimsical designs to delight the child. 

But don’t let its childlike style fool you—a playhouse chicken coop still has all the inner workings of a decent chicken coop structure; that is, a couple of nesting boxes, perches, and a fence-secured run and coop.

This type of coop is perfect for children because it’s essentially designed for them. The playhouse design makes the coop look less intimidating, encouraging kids to interact with the chickens and participate in coop-cleaning activities.

Plus, all the standard safety features of the coop are still present. These subtle embellishments transform a farmyard structure into a plaything, giving your child the motivation to play and do chores involving chicken keeping.

How to Create Your Own Child-Friendly Chicken Coop

Now that you know what makes a coop child-friendly and which designs work best for families, it’s time to learn how you can make one from scratch.

Here’s how you can create your very own chicken coop setup.

1. Choose the Location and Coop Size

The first step is to pick a suitable location in your yard to install the chicken coop. You can’t simply plop down a coop in a cramped yard and call it a day. This is a health hazard and a potential disturbance to your family and your neighbours.

Instead, you need to assess the suitability of the location and coop size based on several factors. The primary metrics you must keep in mind, however, are the local regulations surrounding coop requirements.

In New Zealand, for instance, you need to have at least 30 centimetres of roost or perch per chicken. You also need to have a minimum roof height of 60 centimetres and a cage to ensure that the chickens don’t roam beyond the property. The coop must also have a secluded nesting area and ample rainproofing.

Another key factor to think about is the size of the coop. The structure should be large enough to comfortably house your flock without overcrowding, while still remaining manageable for you and your children to clean and maintain. Have a flock cap in mind and also abide by your local council’s size restrictions.

It’s also crucial to choose a location that’s safe for your family and future flock. For starters, pick a flat area to construct your chicken coop. Be sure that the coop’s surroundings are also cleared and hazard-free so that children won’t get injured or predators like snakes won’t sneak by so easily.

By considering these things, you can set a good foundation for your incoming flock of chickens as well as the safety of its future keepers.

2. Blueprint and Choose a Design

Once you’ve finalised your coop’s location and general structural dimensions, the next step is to plan out and select a suitable coop design. 

This process boils down to balancing your coop’s design to hit these factors: feasible to construct, visually acceptable, and structurally suitable for family-friendly chicken keeping. Get your blueprint to hit all these points and consult with a structural engineer to ensure that the coop’s design is feasible.

Besides that, to create a functional coop, you’ll also need to add a few vital components when planning out the blueprint. Think things like the nesting boxes, perches, access doors, and ventilation hatches. You’ll also need to dedicate some outdoor space for the attached run. 

Design the interior layout with these elements in mind and ensure that everything’s well-balanced and easy to move around in for both you and your children. You can follow the aforementioned coop design options for inspiration, or even implement a few elements from different coop designs and create an individual, stylistic hybrid.

When the coop’s layout is intentionally planned with safety and practicality in mind, this can provide good outcomes for both the chickens and the family raising them.

3. Build the Structure’s Foundation

With your blueprint finalised, the next step to execute is the building phase. And the first thing you must prioritise is the building’s foundation.

The coop’s foundation is tied to its durability and load-bearing performance. It’s important to note here that even a well-thought-out structure can structurally degrade more quickly than expected if the base is poorly executed. As such, this step needs to be approached mindfully.

Begin by clearing the site. Remove loose topsoil and incorporate a slope for proper water runoff. Then, pick a foundation type—this can be a concrete slab or a post-supported frame. This helps distribute the load evenly while ensuring the coop doesn’t get into contact with the soil.

For the areas that touch the ground, use moisture-resistant materials like treated lumber to prevent shifting. You must anchor and secure the base properly from any lateral force. By properly administering this step, you can ensure a major part of the coop’s overall safety.

4. Build the Walls, Mesh, and Roofing

Once your foundation is up, the next stage is constructing the building’s physical barrier from the outside world. This includes the walls, mesh, and roofing. These structural pieces support the coop’s strength and help improve the coop’s resilience against weather and the elements.

Base your subsequent actions on the blueprint, particularly once it’s been reviewed and approved by a professional engineer. 

Your walls should be evenly spaced out so that the weight is distributed equally. The corners and door openings should also be reinforced because they’re the places that feel the most structural stress.

Install hardware mesh around the chicken coop’s perimeter, as well as the run. Ensure that the wire is secured and fastened to strong posts. Also, make sure that there are no gaps or loose sections that chickens can escape from. Use heavy-grade mesh to ensure that predators won’t be able to chew through the wiring easily.

For the roofing, choose materials that offer reliable water runoff and insulation against heat. A pitched roof design is typically more effective than a flat one, as it directs rainwater away from the structure and reduces pooling. Install underlayment if needed, and ensure overhangs extend slightly beyond the walls to protect openings from direct rainfall.

By doing all these things, you can shield your flock from bad weather conditions and predators. This makes the coop a safe space for your chickens and a good place for your children to interact with the flock.

5. Place Your Coop Essentials

Upon completing the coop’s structure, you should add the coop essentials inside the coop. These elements are what transform the structure into a functional coop.

The first thing to add is your perches. Hens naturally seek elevated resting points, so position your perches high up to keep them happy. 

You should also add nesting boxes close to the ground or at waist height for your chickens to rest on. Ideally, you place these nesting boxes in a quiet and secluded area of the coop where the chickens can hide from direct sunlight. You can consider positioning them along an exterior wall with a lift-up hatch for convenience.

By placing these items properly, you can keep your chickens happy whenever they rest and lounge inside the coop. 

That said, be sure to space them out evenly to ensure that the coop doesn’t get too overcrowded. You should also make these two areas accessible for young children and hazard-free—this means minimal sharp edges and no loose nails on the floor.

6. Add Doors and Security Features

After organising the interior, the next step is installing access points and reinforcing the coop’s security features. 

Doors and latches are critical control points for your chickens to stay protected from predators and extreme weather conditions. It’s crucial to ensure that these items are reinforced and properly installed for the safety of your flock.

Your main access should open smoothly and fully. The door should also be tightly sealed when closed with minimal holes and openings.

You can also install smaller access doors, like ones leading to nesting boxes and cleaning trays. This helps make various duties easier for you and your children. That being said, be sure to install them mindfully to prevent water from pooling or predators from breaking into the coop.

If you have predators prowling near your property, consider using double-reinforced locking mechanisms for added protection. Hook-and-eye latches are typically too unstable in high-risk areas.

By choosing the right doors and security features, you can keep your chickens comfortable inside the coop and ensure that the coop is safe from external threats. It can also make it easier for you and your family to clean and collect eggs.

7. Set Up Feeding Stations

Chickens can’t eat without a proper feeding station. And it should come as no big shock that they need to eat quite regularly. As such, it’s essential to establish a hygienic and functional feeding system in the coop that you and your children can manage.

Start by selecting the appropriate feeder for your flock size. Place the feeding station in a well-ventilated area of the coop that’s free from obstruction for easy refills. Moreover, elevate this feeder off the ground by putting it in a wall or putting it on a platform—this prevents contamination from chicken droppings.

Clearly defined feeding zones help reinforce routine for both the child and the chickens. This makes it easy to predict when it’s time to eat (in the case of the chicken) and when to feed and clean after the chicken for the caretaker’s case.

8. Make Your Coop Kid-Friendly

After you’ve set up your chicken coop’s external and internal structure, the next thing to consider is the safety mechanisms in place to ensure your child’s safety as they maintain the coop.

Start by doing a complete sweep of the coop. If there are clear hazards, then address them. Sand down rough wooden edges, cover exposed nails, and ensure all mesh edges are trimmed.

Furthermore, ensure that the flooring and walls can withstand ample pressure. If the floor wobbles or shifts under your weight, then fix it before using it. Make sure fixtures are actually fixed into place. And if there are any electrical components inside the coop, ensure that they’re out of reach.

Besides the safety aspect of coop maintenance, consider incorporating some kid-friendly designs around the coop as well. Consider painting the coop a fun and lively colour of their choosing, for instance. You can also have them add decorative designs like nesting box labels and blackboards to increase the kids’ motivation to do their work around the coop.

These design enhancements help make the chore more enjoyable and meaningful for your kid, which in turn makes coop management much easier to fit into the family’s daily life.

9. Brief Your Kid on Coop Management

Eventually, you’ll likely delegate some chicken-keeping tasks to your child as they come of age. This is good for them. Briefing your child on how to be a responsible coop caretaker can help plant a seed in their heads that nothing in life comes easy and that they’ll have to work for it.

That said, you can’t expect your child to immediately know the inner workings of chicken keeping from the start. You’ll have to brief them about the process and detail the do’s and don’ts about the activity beforehand.

If you’re unsure where to start, then begin by briefing your child about the importance of upholding the flock’s welfare. Once you’ve instilled in their mind that taking care of the chickens is their responsibility, they’ll be more likely to act on this responsibility and perform the basic routines asked of them.

You should also demonstrate the daily basics that happen on a daily or weekly basis. Teach them how to reapply feed, refill water, and collect eggs. Patiently answer any questions they may have regarding any part of the process. Over time, they’ll learn how to do these tasks, and you can trust them in keeping the chickens safe and happy.

We hope that we’ve given you clear insights on how to construct a child-friendly coop. All the best in making your family’s dream chicken coop happen!