Description
Our largest chicken coop design (twice the size of The Garden Coop), The Garden Loft expresses your passion for backyard chicken keeping, while rewarding it handsomely.
Key features of The Garden Loft large walk-in chicken coop design:
- Keep up to 16 hens, or add day run space for even more
- Measures about 11.5’w x 9’d x 8.5’h (3.6 x 2.75 x 2.6 m), outer dimensions. Henhouse: 34.5 sq ft (3.2 sq meter). Run: 102 sq ft (9.5 sq meter).
- Walk in through the full-sized door
- Collect eggs directly from the egg door on the side
- Full-width, waist-high henhouse (for easy access and cleaning)
- Spacious, integrated run
- Ample ventilation and light
- Know your flock is safe all around from predators and pests
- Includes four nest boxes, generous roosting space, and plenty of room to add storage or other features
- Hardware Quick Kit available (U.S. only)
- Built with pride. . . by you!
About The Garden Loft chicken coop plans:
- Instant download
- 89 pages of illustrations, photos, and step-by-step instructions
- Written for beginners, with simple cuts and techniques
- Includes full tool and material lists
- Features details and construction tips based on years of customer feedback
- Includes both U.S. (feet/inches) and metric units (millimeters)
- Compatible with iPad and other PDF-friendly mobile devices
- Satisfaction guaranteed
- Click here for a free plan preview
Spacious, integrated chicken coop design.
The Garden Loft chicken coop frame is made from standard dimensional lumber/timber. It rests atop concrete pier blocks set partially in the ground, which provide a stable, level foundation that elevates the frame off the ground.
Up top, there’s a secure ceiling, and above that, the translucent polycarbonate roof adds to both the form and the function of the coop, providing your backyard chickens with light (and shade), ventilation, and protection from rain, snow, heat, and UV. You can partially cover the ceiling over the henhouse for added shade or for more enclosure, depending on the season
Think of The Garden Loft chicken coop as a box within a box — a large, raised henhouse loft that spans the full width of the coop and opens into a secure, covered, enclosed run. Building your chicken coop like this has many advantages.
One is that it puts the henhouse at a comfortable height for access and cleaning, where everything is within reach. You can then hang your feeder and waterer beneath the henhouse to save space.
It also means that the full footprint of the coop is available for the chickens’ run, a secure outdoor space where they can scratch around, relax in the sun, take dust baths, and make the best compost your garden has ever seen.
But one of the biggest advantages of The Garden Loft’s integrated design is that, since the run is fully secured, you can leave the opening between the henhouse and run open all the time. Your chickens are free to come and go as they please — and so are you. No having to let them in and out each morning and night.
Full-sized walk-in chicken coop. Fully secure.
From the ground up, The Garden Loft protects your hens from predators, pests, and the elements. The frame is clad with both wood siding and heavy-duty hardware cloth. There’s a hardware cloth ceiling above both the henhouse and run and a hardware cloth skirt at the base. The skirt prevents rodents and predators from tunneling in while leaving the ground in the run open for your chickens to scratch in.
Open-air coop design for your chickens’ health
The Garden Loft’s open-air design lets in sunlight and fresh air to help keep your flock healthier and happier year round. It also affords you a spectacular view of all the goings-on in the run.
A chicken coop that’s easy to configure, easy to clean
Two outer perches span the full width of the coop, and there are two more long perches inside the henhouse. It’s plenty of space for a large flock to roost. You can play with the configuration of the roosts to fit the number of hens you have. You could also partition the space for storage or to separate out members of the flock as needed.
There are four removable nesting boxes inside the henhouse (with room to add more, if you want) and a latched door that opens from the outside for egg collection.
Hang a waterer and feeder off the ground beneath the henhouse.
Everything inside is easy to get to — the full-height people door and the two sets of double doors to the henhouse put the entire space within reach for care and cleaning.
Remember, the entry into the henhouse via the chicken ladder does not need to be closed at night. The outer perimeter of The Garden Loft is fully secure, with bolted doors and a hardware cloth skirt on all sides of the chicken run. This also gives your hens the choice to roost in the secure outer run at night, which our flock prefers almost year round in the Pacific Northwest.
Everything you want in a backyard chicken coop. Every step explained in the plans.
We designed The Garden Loft so that you could build it with easily accessible materials — and the plans show you how to make the most of them. Our plans spell out exactly what you need to buy or borrow and exactly what to do with it. So you get a gorgeous, professional-looking coop at a doable do-it-yourself price.
Make The Garden Loft tall chicken coop design your own.
Since 2008, we’ve been helping backyard chicken keepers around the world build exactly the coops they imagine. When you set out with these plans, you enjoy the benefit of the collective knowledge, ideas, and examples of this community of builders. The best thing about building your own chicken coop — you get final say on how to do it!
Paint it your kids’ favorite colors, repurpose salvaged building materials, add a gutter to collect rainwater, keep bees in an adjacent run, generate solar power, attach a tool rack, make it a duplex for storage or to keep other pets — these are just some of the ways others have built upon the foundation of our plans. What will you dream up?
Take a video tour of The Garden Loft stand-up chicken coop design
Need even more space?
Most chicken keepers will only ever need one chicken coop to start and sustain their hobby. But if you ever want or need another — to expand your flock, brood chicks, separate out a broody or sick hen, or to add the function of a mobile tractor to your existing walk-in coop — all of our coop and run designs go great together.
And if you want a simple way to add more secure space to your chickens’ day yard, check out our plans for The Garden Run modular enclosure series. These designs let you add a little or a lot, while creating new ways to blend your chicken keeping with your gardening.
Frequently Asked Questions
The plans are written for beginners, so if you’ve at least used a circular saw and a cordless drill before, you can build this coop. That said, given the scope of the project, it would help if you or a building partner had some DIY building experience already, otherwise, you could get frustrated at points along the way, and that’s no fun.
If you work patiently and safely, you should have no problem. All the cuts are simple and straight. All the joinery is explained in the plans. There is some digging involved, and some wrestling with rolls of hardware cloth, but you won’t need any special skills there, just maybe that extra pair of (gloved) hands.
Estimate $1,800–$2,350. Prices will differ by region and by store. If you get what’s on The Garden Loft materials list new at 2024 Home Depot prices, you’ll pay around $2,100 USD pre-tax (down from 2023).
If you shop around a little for hardware cloth (check Amazon, see link below) and for siding (check local lumber specialty stores), you might get this down some. This estimate does not include whatever you’re covering the hardware cloth perimeter skirt with — sod, mulch, etc. Also, add in your local sales tax.
Here’s the approximate (January 2024) cost breakdown by category, in USD:
- Lumber, plywood, and siding: $860
- Hardware: $375 (see our optional Quick Kit to save on this)
- Roofing: $320
- Hardware cloth: $330 (Worth comparison shopping for. Check with farm/feed stores or wire distributors in your area. They sometimes stock bigger rolls, which may be more economical. Often you’ll find a deal on Amazon too — see our Buyer’s Guide for links.)
- Miscellaneous (cinder blocks, gravel, etc.): $80
- Wood treatment, paint, or sealer of your choice: around $160
There are many ways to save on — or add to — this cost. You may find a more economical roofing option for your chicken coop if a transparent roof is not critical to you. (Clear PVC, which has a wavy profile, is much cheaper than polycarbonate, though far less durable. Steer clear of it.)
We also offer a Hardware Quick Kit for The Garden Loft (U.S. only) that includes all the hardware you need to build the coop — basically, it’s everything except the bulky stuff (wood, hardware cloth, roofing, paint, pier blocks, etc.). It’s priced competitively with what you’ll find locally, but it’s pre-shopped and pre-packed in one easy box. It also ships free with no sales tax added.
There’s no easy way around the cost of hardware cloth, but that’s something you DO NOT want to skimp on. (Check your nearest farm & feed stores for local deals on longer rolls, or see our Buyer’s Guide for links to it online.) Do not use hexagonal chicken wire!
Also, you might already have some of these materials, like two-by-fours or screws, that you can recycle from other projects, neighbors, and so on.
What will save you money on your coop for sure is having a clear idea of what you’re building and not overbuying, mis-measuring, wasting time, or making costly mistakes. A solid plan will help you with that.
If you’ve read through the plan, have your materials together, and allow time for treating or sealing the wood, you could build The Garden Loft in about 2 weeks. That’s if you stay busy and are working mostly alone. Help from a friend or two should speed things along. And of course, factor in some extra time for any changes or additions you make to the design.
As with any project worth doing, hopefully you’ll learn some things as you go along. There’s a good mix of steps too. That is, there are steps that are easy but give you a dramatic result, like framing the coop. There are some, like staining or painting, that can be meditative. There are some that require more attention to detail, like the doors. Then there are those steps where you are just so excited to see it all coming together that you get into a groove and go, like installing the wire mesh or the roofing panels or whatever finishing touches you dream up.
We designed The Garden Loft large walk-in chicken coop and plan for someone with beginner to intermediate skills. The cuts are all straightforward, and the tools are pretty common ones that you likely either have or can easily borrow or buy. Here’s the list from the plan:
- circular saw (you may prefer a miter saw for crosscuts and a table saw for cutting siding, if you have access to these as well)
- power drill/driver, with various bits
- tape measurer at least 25′ (7.5 m) long
- standard level and optional cross-check level
- pencils
- sawhorses
- handsaw
- hammer
- pliers
- combination square or speed square
- clamps (2) with at least a 6″ (150 mm) capacity
- wire/metal snips that can handle 19-gauge wire or heavier
- shovel
- bow rake
- step ladder
- sanding block and sandpaper, or a power sander
- paintbrush
- dropcloth
- rubber mallet
- personal protective gear: work gloves, eye & ear protection, dust mask/respirator, work boots, etc.
- pneumatic narrow crown stapler, with compressor (optional, but helpful given the size of the project)
- an extra pair of hands, on occasion (best if attached to a strong body)
- Height (roof peak to ground): about 8.5′ (2.6 m)
- Henhouse (inside): about 11.5’w x 3’d x 3.5’h (3.6 x 0.9 x 1.0 m). Area: 34.5 sq. ft. (3.2 sq. meters).
- Run (inside): about 11.25’w x 9’d x 6.5’h (3.6 x 2.75 x 2.0 m). Area: 102 sq. ft. (9.5 sq. meters).
- Nest boxes (4): each 15.5″w x 12″d x 15″h (395 x 305 x 380 mm)
- Roost length in henhouse (total): 19′ (5.75 m)
- Roost length in run (total): 22.5′ (6.8 m)
The Garden Loft will comfortably house up to 16 hens, or you can add run space for more. The coop is an integrated henhouse and run, so your hens are free to move between the two areas as they please. There is actually enough roost space in both the henhouse and run to accommodate 20+ hens in each area, so you have some flexibility if you want to house even more.
As with any sub-/urban backyard flock, it helps if you have only hens (no roosters) and that they have all been raised together. If you have an extra fenced-in day run to provide, your flock will appreciate all the foraging/grazing space they can get. See The Garden Run plans if you think you might want to add secure run space down the line.
Yes. More than anything, what chickens need year round is proper ventilation and protection from the elements, and The Garden Loft provides this.
Some things to consider for cold winters. . .
- Assuming you get a lot of snow, the roof panel manufacturer may recommend that you overlap the panels at two crests instead of one, and add a bead of silicone caulk at the overlap to prevent melting snow from seeping through at the seams. The caulk alone should do the trick, actually, if you’d rather not buy an additional panel to cover the width you’d lose with those multiple overlaps.
- Add extra siding around the run — either seasonally or permanently. Some wrap with plastic or a tarp (see links below).
- Partially cover the ceiling on the henhouse. The ceiling is hardware cloth (open-air) with the roof above. This allows plenty of ventilation in all seasons, which is especially important in the winter. You can partially cover that area in the winter with a loose, thin panel of plywood, setting it over the area where they roost, but you don’t want to close it in entirely. You could frame in an insulated panel if you prefer, making sure not to close in more than 1/2 to 2/3 of the ceiling.
- Here’s our four-part series on winter chicken/coop care. And here are all our posts tagged “winter” so you can see what others are doing (and where).
If you’re in an especially hot or tropical environment. . .
- You can lay some shade cloth over the hardware cloth ceiling to create even more shade from above.
- Grow vining plants or install permanent or temporary siding to shade the run from the afternoon sun.
- Consider adding ventilation in the henhouse walls.
- You can also open the large henhouse access/cleanout doors when it’s especially hot and/or muggy.
For any climate and season, keep the chickens’ access hole at the top of the ladder clear at all times so they can enter and exit the henhouse as they need to.
The predators and pests you have to deal with will vary, but let’s stick with two for now: rodents and raccoons. Rodents will look for any hole to crawl through to get to the chickens’ food, and they can squeeze their bodies really small to do it. The Garden Loft is completely enclosed, top and sides, with 1/2-inch (13 mm) hardware cloth. Anything wider, like poultry netting or rabbit fencing, will not keep rodents out. Anything smaller, like 1/4-inch, could be too brittle to deter predators. At the base, the hardware cloth is flared out over top the ground (or slightly below, if you prefer), then staked down. This makes tunneling down a tough prospect for even the most determined pest or predator.
Raccoons and foxes will dig, pry, and even undo a latch to get into your coop. Unlike rats and mice, they don’t want your chicken feed. They want your chickens. That’s why it’s important to staple the hardware cloth properly and to use the lockable latches on the access door and the egg door. In many cities and suburbs that require a permit to keep chickens, a rodent-proof design is a must.
Yes. The plan does include specs for four nesting boxes (two on top of two), which fit inside the henhouse at the left side. Each is accessible from the egg door. Four boxes should be plenty for 16 hens (they only go in them to lay eggs). If you wanted more for some reason, you could add a couple more in the henhouse. It’s quite roomy.
If you’re interested in adding external nest boxes to your chicken coop, see our free exterior nesting box plans for guidance. (Review these plans before framing your coop, as it will alter how you frame the left wall of the henhouse.) These were written for The Garden Coop, but the same principles will apply. You can add these nest boxes to the sides or back of the henhouse.
Cleaning the waist-high henhouse is done simply from the two sets of double doors inside the coop. Just brush the litter down into the enclosed run and add fresh bedding. How often depends on the season and how often your chickens roost in the henhouse. You can paint the henhouse floor or top it with a layer of linoleum flooring to make cleanup easier.
We use a deep-litter method in the enclosed yard. Basically, just adding additional bedding as needed and letting everything compost in place.
When the bedding in the henhouse is soiled, we simply lift the two-by-four holding it in place at the front and brush the bedding down into the enclosed run to begin composting along with the rest of their deep litter. I may get in there and turn the stuff in the run once a week, adding water if it’s too dry (in the summer), then remove about half of it every 6 months, taking it to a compost pile to finish decomposing.
Of course, you could do a sand floor or some other type of floor if you prefer.
If the weather is warm enough, and/or you can provide ample warmth with a heat lamp, you can section off part of the henhouse to use as a brooder for chicks. You could also fashion a brooder from a cardboard box, set it up in the henhouse or in the garage, and keep your chicks in there until they are fully feathered.
Chicks need warmth (from a heat lamp), water, food, and fresh bedding. Don’t give them too much space at first, because they get used to it and come to expect it. So if you’re using a large box, insert a divider when they’re small which you can remove as they grow. Also make sure they have room to get away from the heat of the bulb. That’s how they regulate their temperature. If they’re cold, they’ll move closer. If they’re too warm, they scoot farther away. You can search for “chick brooders” online to get some more ideas.
In my experience, the cuts a hardware store will make for you are often not the most precise. Also, there are many cuts in this plan, and while they’re simple enough to do, you’ll need to do them on site as you assemble the coop. That said, you can certainly get the store to make some cuts for you so that your materials will fit in your vehicle. The plan indicates where it’s safe to cut the plywood for transport.
We only offer plans as eBooks in the PDF format. This lets us get them out quickly (and always in perfect condition), and it keep costs down for everyone. Some past customers whose computer setups were not ideal told me that they forwarded the file to a friend or relative to view and print. You’d be surprised how much help a dozen fresh eggs will get you.
Yes. Because our chicken coop plan eBooks come as PDF files, they are fully compatible with the iPad and any other PDF-friendly mobile device. Learn more at this post on our blog.
Yes to both! The Garden Loft plan is universal, actually, so it includes both U.S. and metric materials lists as well as U.S. and metric measurements throughout. So whether you work in feet/inches or millimeters (or a combination of the two), this plan has you covered.
You can purchase your chicken coop plans using most international currencies and credit cards.
Customer Reviews
Bought this plan since I am oblivious to all things constructive - and I am quite pleased with the level of detail, forethought, diagraming, and information provided. Definitely worth the money for the peace of mind. The after-word mentions "You will learn a lot about building!" and it was totally true.
A moderately challenging, but fun, project for a beginner. I also bought the hardware kit, and am quite happy with the time and hassle saved.
The only area of explanation that was lacking was perhaps how to secure the framing of the coop to the foundation blocks on the ground. It appears to simply sit on the blocks, flush with the face of the block. I live in Texas, and worry a strong wind would push it enough to slide off the blocks, and it's big enough that it would be impossible to pick it back up if that occured. I ended up rigging some additional foundation support just for peace-of-mind - but this is hardly a detractor from the plans provided. It never said no critical thought required!
Now I just need to wait for the chickens to get old enough to go outside!!
Absolutely love this design.
Tremendous attention to detail.
One of the few designs that Doesn’t make your backyard look like a chicken farm. It came out so beautiful and since we made it bigger we took part of it for ourselves.
Thank you.
Franco and Donna
Great plans, easy to follow. The coop turned out amazing. Recommend buying the hardware package which made it super easy. Also recommend staining the wood before assembly. the measurements were right on target, to the 1/4 inch. I made all my cuts first, and then stained, and assembled. It took me several weekends to finish it but totally worth it. I’m so proud of my coop! My hens are happy!
Been meaning to write review for awhile since we built the coop during the 2020 covid quarantine. The coop is 3 years old and we have zero complaints. The plans were incredibly detailed, which helped immensely, since we are not builders by profession. We modified the entry door because we used the door from our old coop. We keep our flock to no more than 10, so we decided to use a quarter of the inside night roost space for feed and chip storage (the furthest which is separated by an additional wall. We added an 18 inch hard cloth barrier around the perimeter of the coop under the soil and stone for predator protection. The chickens constantly kicked dirt out of the coop on to the stone, so after 8 weeks of sweeping it up we added 10 inch orange plexiglass panels to the base of the inside. Ta Da! problem solved (you can see orange plexiglass in night time photo). I would highly recommend this coop! Thank you so much!!!
Built this last fall with help from a friend. Took us quite a few wkends as we were novice carpenters. Found the foundation to be the most difficult part. Optional hardware kit was very helpful and instructions crystal clear.
Ordering & Delivery
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The Garden Coop LLC makes no warranties or representations of any kind concerning the accuracy, suitability, or safety of the information contained on the site or in the plans. By using the information or ordering the plans you expressly acknowledge having read and understood this disclaimer and the waivers contained in it, and you agree to hold The Garden Coop LLC, its owners, employees, and agents or anyone else who has been involved in the creation, production, or delivery of this site or the plans harmless from any damages or injuries of any kind to you or any person that might result from your use of or reliance upon the information or from any errors, omissions, or other causes.
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Keep in mind that we’ve priced the plans for personal use only. If you’d like to build our designs to sell, please contact John, the designer, directly. If you feature a coop or run built with one of our designs (even if modified) online or in other marketing materials, please use your own photography, credit the design as “Built using design plans from TheGardenCoop.com,” and link to the web address (TheGardenCoop.com).
Thanks! And contact John with any questions.
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We ship our chicken coop hardware kits via USPS Priority Mail. Please allow 1–2 days for processing and 2–3 days for delivery.
We ship poultry nipples, brooder bottles, veggie feeders, and coloring books via USPS First Class. Please allow 1–2 business days for processing and 2–3 days for delivery.
We ship bucket nipple waterers via USPS Parcel Select or Priority Mail depending on cost, which varies by destination. Please allow 1–2 business days for processing, 5–7 days for Parcel Select, and 2–3 days for Priority delivery.
International orders will incur additional fees, and delivery times will vary based on destination and carrier.
For linked items purchased through other sites (e.g., Amazon), the shipping timelines and policies of that site/marketplace apply.
We want you to have the best coop and products for you and your chickens.
If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, let us know within 30 days, and we will arrange a return and refund.
For digital downloads (e.g., coop plans), email to let us know that you would like a refund, and we’ll send instructions.
For kits, waterers, and other tangible items, please open and inspect your items right away! In the event that your item arrives with parts missing or damaged, you must let us know by email within seven (7) business days of receipt. In the case of damage, attach a photo to your email clearly showing the extent of the damage, if possible. We’ll make it right or arrange a refund.
You may return items to us in new, complete condition within 30 days of purchase for a refund of the purchase price, less our initial shipping costs. You will not be charged a re-stocking fee, but you are responsible for return shipping costs.
Email us first to let us know that you’d like to make a return, and we’ll send you further instructions. We’ll issue your refund once we’ve received your item.
For linked items purchased through other sites (e.g., Amazon), the return policies of that site/marketplace apply.
Make sure to follow all manufacturers’ instructions when using tools, materials, or equipment — and use the appropriate protective devices when building, such as work gloves, eye and ear protection, boots, etc. Secure your work as you build. Know what you can handle physically as well, and work within your limits.
Remember, do-it-yourself doesn’t have to mean all by yourself. Share the fun of building with your friends, family, and neighbors!
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