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19 Easy A-Frame Chicken Coop Plans: Our Ultimate Guide

While it is true that A-frame coops are usually small, easy to build, transportable, and cost-efficient, there is more to this coop type than you may think. Read on to know how to build different A-frame chicken coop plans, including a fixed walk-in design.

If you’re unsure whether an A-frame coop is the best for you, browse through our ultimate list of chicken coop plans which also includes pallet chicken coop ideas and more.

A-Frame Lofts (with Chicken Runs)

A loft-style chicken coop is ideal to maximize space within the A-Frame, having the entire bottom section for the chicken run. Check out these cool A-Frame chicken coop designs for your next DIY project.

1. Simple Loft

A-Frame Chicken Coop Plans Simple Loft
Photo credit: The RE Store

This chicken coop is relatively simple, made with 3 A-Frames paneled with plywood boards for the enclosed upper portion. One of the cool features of this is the nesting box. It’s designed as a pull-out drawer, making egg collection easy. The chickens can also be secured in the loft with the hatch able to be closed and locked. One of the side panels also props open for easy cleaning. Overall, this chicken coop is basic but highly functional. Check out the build here.

2. Single Side Door

If common chicken predators are not much of a concern, you may want to opt for a more open layout of a chicken coop like this Single Side Door plan. This chicken coop has a partial loft, with most of the area just enclosed in chicken wire. This makes for excellent ventilation. The nesting area is accessible via a removable panel, and the flooring is actually just a plywood panel that is removable like a drawer.

You can opt to enclose the nesting area by adding a door, or just keep it open so the chickens can freely access the run below. Build this DIY project now. 

3. Double Side door

A-Frame Chicken Coop Plans Double Side Door
Photo credit: anonymous, Ana-White

Mixing things up between the 2 previous items, this chicken coop design features a partial loft, but full roofing. The loft nesting area is not completely sealed off, allowing chickens easy access to and from the run below. The full roof provides all-around shade from the sun and the rain. Humans have easy access to the loft with the 2 side panels able to completely fold down. Ventilation is achieved via the apex of the roof and the relatively open chicken run, allowing air to pass through the chicken wire. Learn more here.

4. Weather-proof Tractor

A-Frame Chicken Coop Plans Weather-proof Tractor
Photo credit: Ana White

This chicken coop is an upgraded version of the previous item. Looking pretty much similar because they were built from the same plan, adding some modifications to make it more durable and easy to move. Since this chicken coop is intended to be used as a tractor, the addition of wheels makes perfect sense. The other modification is the weatherproof roof. In this design, the roof sides don’t open up, preventing water to seep into the house. The main access is the hatch on the nesting loft. Get more information here.

5. Charming Shiplap

A-Frame Chicken Coop Plans Charming Shiplap
Photo credit: Chris, Flat City Farms

Moving a chicken tractor doesn’t always require the installation of wheels. However, you do need to think of another way to make it easier for you to move the chicken coop. This beautiful shiplap layout incorporated decorative yet functional handles on each end. There are also 2 access points, both on one side. The upper half access the nesting box and the lower half is to access the run. Learn more about the tractor structures here.

6. Minimalist Nesting

This is a minimalist-looking chicken coop with neat features. First off, it looks great. The color contrasts work really well. Secondly, it’s highly functional. Since it is a chicken tractor, it was made easy to move with wheels at the back. The run is spacious, while the loft provides shade under. The nesting area is cozy with designated nesting boxes but still enough area to move around. Several access points make it easy to clean, collect eggs and even feed the chickens in the run. Learn about the build here.

7. Easy to Clean and Carry

When it comes to having a chicken coop that has the upper portion floored, the main concerns would be cleaning and ventilation. This layout combines both features. Both side panels open, one for easy cleaning and the other hatch for egg collection, and have handles on each end for easy transport and a lower hatch for chickens to enter and exit for free-ranging. Check out this all in one layout here.

8. External Nesting Box

Another way to expand the livable area of your chickens is to create external nesting boxes. In this design, the loft is completely enclosed, making it predator-proof, but having several access points for humans. One walk-in entrance for feeding, the other side has a small entrance and the nesting box has its own access. Having multiple access points makes it easy to do different things inside without squeezing into one area. It also has wheels for easy transport of this large coop. Learn more here.

Half and Half

Another layout option you have for this style of coop is to have a portion, including floor area, for the nesting area, and the rest for the chicken run. Read through the following A-Frame chicken coop plans to get more ideas.

9. Basic and Open

A-Frame Chicken Coop Plans Basic and Open
Photo credit: Coop Magic Tactic

Chicken coop designs like this are very basic. The layout is open without any division between a run and nesting area. It is made with a few materials and is lightweight so it can easily be moved. It even has minimalist handles on each end for easy transport. The shaded area, cladded with corrugated metal would be for nesting or roosting. One access point on the unshaded part is for easy access inside.  Watch the build here.

10. Pasteur Shelter

A-Frame Chicken Coop Plans Pasteur Shelter
Photo credit: The Modern Homestead

If you have a lot of chickens, try to make this pasteur shelter. It’s a wider chicken coop than most you’ve seen on this list and also has a full roof and an open layout for free running indoors.

If you have a Plymouth Rock, Ameraucana, or Ancona in your flock, they’ll appreciate the extra floor space for indoor foraging.

During fine weather, you can opt to leave the door open and the chooks can forage outside. One end has an elevated section for nesting and there are also roosting bars across the frame. The front end has a large entrance where people can come in and a nesting hatch on the other end for easy egg collection. Get more details here.

11. Rustic Coop

For a rustic take on your chickens’ house, reuse lumber for the frame, and use old wood for cladding. Enclose the area with chicken wire, and you have yourself a functional house for your chickens. It features small doors on both ends, one for chickens to enter and exit when necessary and the other on the nesting area for egg collection. However, it can only fit about 2 hens. You can always adjust sizes to make it bigger. Get the step-by-step guide here.

12. Backyard Tractor

This chicken coop is a perfect example of how you can take different ideas and put them together into one structure. The nesting area has the option of being fully enclosed by raising up the ramp and is elevated in a loft-style. There are 3 access points from outside, one on the front through a small door, one on the side to clean the nesting area, and the last on the back end to easily collect eggs. The wheels make it easy to transport. Read about the build here.

13. Big yet movable

A-Frame Chicken Coop Plans Big Yet Movable
Photo credit: Jojochooks’ Blog

Making an coop big enough to walk into, sturdy enough, and movable is quite difficult. However, if you have an old swing set lying around, that would make for a great frame. This particular layout was constructed using the swing set frame, metal bottom framing, and corrugated siding for the nesting area. It is an open space inside with the nesting boxes made from old crates joined by a wooden beam for roosting. The whole thing is moveable, but you will need at least 2 strong people for the job. See how they built it here.

Enclosed

If predators are a concern in your area, building an enclosed A-frame chicken coop may be the most ideal option for you. Get some inspiration below.

14. Compact Coop

Made with 3 whole plywood pallets, this compact chicken coop is perfect for a handful of hens. It has been elevated to prevent wood rot and has 2 levels inside. Two access doors make it easy to collect eggs and clean out waste. To allow ventilation and light a clear corrugated plastic is used in the apex of the roof. You may notice that it does not have a run. The idea is to have the chickens free range during the day and hold them up inside at night. Learn more here.

15. Chicken Sled

This larger enclosed chicken coop was designed to be sturdy and heavy enough to withstand strong winds yet still light enough to move around. Two people can pull it with heavy-duty straps or be towed by a vehicle.

The inside is quite spacious and the flooring is made of hardware cloth, making it easy to clean yet still secure from predators. If you want more peace of mind, you can elevate the structure (1).

Elevate the coop off the ground to help prevent mice, rats, and weasels from getting into the coop.

You can also build a fence around the structure to deter larger predators like raccoons. As for the ventilation, this structure has a window shutter and a hardware cloth on the other. Try building this structure now.

Check out how big (and beautiful) this coop is:

17. Chicken Sedan

A-Frame Chicken Coop Plans Chicken Sedan
Photo credit: SRG Partnership

Since this chicken house has 4 doors, it was called a sedan. Get it, because it only has 2 doors? Okay, kidding aside, this “sedan” has many features to admire. Even if it is fully enclosed, it has a spacious run inside, not something you often come across. Another unique thing is that the A-frame sits on top of a rectangular base that matches the veggies patches of the garden. The 4 doors are strategically placed on the sides and ends of the coop for easy feeding, cleaning, egg collection, and ventilation. View this award-winning structure here.

Permanent A-Frame Coops

Although A-frame chicken coop plans are, more often than not, built to be moved around or treated as chicken tractors, you can definitely build one to be a permanent structure. Take a look at these chicken coop plans.

17. Secured and Critter Proof

This could be the ultimate predator-proof A-Frame chicken coop we have on the list. During the framing process, rocks were placed on the sides to deter digging critters like raccoons. If that doesn’t work, then the chicken wire flooring will definitely keep them out. It has plenty of natural light coming in through the clear palruf panel on the entire side. This also makes it easy to check on the chickens without going inside. This chicken coop will eventually open into an enclosed run and will have ventilation. See more here.

18. Multi-level Swing Coop

A-Frame Chicken Coop Plans Multi-level Swing Coop
Photo credit: Westpinkster

Using old swing sets is quite popular for larger A-frame chicken coop designs. This chicken coop has a cute design with more designated spaces compared to the previous swing item. About a fourth of the layout plan is designated for nesting and roosting. Quite small you say? Well, it was designed by having the bottom area enclosed for nesting and the tip open for roosting, ingenious! This leaves a lot of open space for walking around. Since it is mostly open, the builders made sure to critter-proof it by laying out a mesh skirt on the perimeter. Check out the details here.

19. Swing Set Upgrade

Multi-level Swing Coop Swing Set Upgrade
Photo credit: Sara, One Radiant Home

This is the last and most structured version of the swing set plans to be listed here. Made of a wooden swing set, old wood, and pallets, this chicken coop was built to hold 15 chickens and is big enough for a person to move around and clean comfortably inside.

It has a lofted nesting area on one section with access hatches on both sides. The other side has a small side hatch to make it easy for kids to feed the chickens and a bigger entrance for people to get in. Read more about this awesome plan here.

Final Thoughts

Although it is popularly made to be small and space-saving, an A-frame chicken coop doesn’t have to be limited to that stereotype.

The basic framework may be similar whether you are building a small chicken house or a walk-in one. However, as with many chicken coop designs, it can be customized to suit the functional needs of your chickens while making it easy for you to maintain. Having multiple access points, depending on the purpose, makes it easy to manage. Combine ideas that work for you and your chicken and it will be A-okay!

FAQs

The best material to use for DIY coops is treated wood because it is more resistant to rotting and cracking. Plus, unlike plastic and metal, it is easier to cut and put the pieces together with screws or nails- that’s why most DIY projects recommend using plywood, lumber, or cedar.

Yes, you can add an upstairs room to your backyard flock’s home. But first, consider if you really need it because you’ll need to add extra beams for support. You should also add a small ramp from the floor to the upstairs room, particularly if you have bantam chickens or birds that want to lay eggs in peace.

Yes, a beginner chicken keeper can build an A-Frame housing for chickens because of its simple layout and structure. Most plans require minimal building experience and knowledge. What’s more, everything you need is readily available in your nearest hardware store. You can even repurpose old furniture to save money. However, if you don’t have DIY skills or have a very specific layout and size needs for your flock, it’s best to leave it to the professionals or buy an assembled starter coop.

  1. Predator Control. Retrieved from: https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/_images/programs/poultry/Predator_Control_Poultry.pdf