Another reason to build a coop is that you need a temporary safe home for chickens or young hens who are not yet old enough to adjust to your old free-range hens. And, once the chicks are incorporated into the main flock, where should I put the coop? I needed something that would be easy to store because I would only need it for a few months out of the year or two while the chicks matured. Having raised a small flock of chicks over the years, I could suggest an easy way to organize a brooder cage. I didn’t want to spend more money on a second, small coop designed to keep young chickens for just a few months until they were old enough to sit with adult chickens. Another advantage of this coop is that once my young hens are with the adult flock, I can easily take them apart and store them in the garage the next time I raise a group of young hens. How to build a safe, sturdy, waterproof chicken coop for about $100. Another reason not to buy a chicken coop is that it’s expensive if you buy durable coops made of quality wood and metal. The last thing you need for your coop is a perch on which the birds can sleep comfortably at night. What a good time to post this article! My husband and I are building a beautiful coop for our chickens. It is! Put dry straw or wood shavings in the bottom of the coop and you’re all set. Tip: Use wood shavings when the birds are very small. Sarah has been as been a health and nutrition consultant since 2002, helping families effectively incorporate primary nutrition principles into today’s home. When embarking on this fun and nutritious hobby, the first hurdle is often how to build a safe and durable coop without breaking the budget. I chose this large cage as the frame for my coop. The coop holds 2 to 4 hens, depending on age and breed. Coops offer a large area without increasing the size of the coop. I built my coop for about $125 because I needed it for 4 chickens.