Designing a Predator-Resistant Coop for Under $600
By Bertie Holcombe, Poultry Editor — Published 5 March 2026 · Last reviewed 5 March 2026
A properly predator-resistant 6-hen coop with an 8x4 run, hardware cloth skirting, and two-step latches for $597 in materials. The design and the shopping list.
This design is for a 4x4 foot coop with an attached 4x8 foot covered run — right-sized for 4-6 standard laying hens in a suburban yard. It prioritizes predator resistance and ventilation over aesthetic. The total material cost at mid-2025 lumber prices was $597 in my most recent build.
Foundation: 4 concrete deck blocks, not treated lumber. Treated lumber off-gasses chemicals into bedding and water. Deck blocks at $4.50 each lift the coop 4 inches off the ground (preventing rodent harborage underneath if enclosed with hardware cloth skirt).
Framing: 2x4 kiln-dried SPF. The 4x4 coop footprint uses 12 linear feet of 2x4 per wall level, 48 feet total for four walls. One sheet of 3/4-inch exterior plywood for the floor. Two sheets of 1/2-inch exterior plywood for the walls.
Ventilation: two 12-inch by 6-inch hardware cloth-covered vent openings on the south wall, positioned 12 inches below the roofline. One 8-inch by 8-inch opening on the north wall as cross-ventilation. All covered with 1/2-inch hardware cloth stapled and wood-battened (not just stapled — raccoons can pull staples).
Run: 4x8 foot attached run, framed with 2x2 posts and covered on all 5 sides (4 walls + roof) with 1/2-inch hardware cloth. Hardware cloth extended 12 inches outward on the ground in an L-shape apron, pinned with landscape staples.
Latches: all doors use a carabiner-through-slide-bolt combination. Two-step to open. $12-15 per door in hardware.
Estimated material total: lumber $215, hardware cloth ($0.85/sq ft, 120 sq ft) $102, plywood $88, roofing (metal panels) $74, hardware $65, hinges and additional fasteners $53. Total: $597. The tools required: circular saw, drill, tin snips, staple gun, tape measure.