[Chris B]

Can anyone tell me is it ok to build a chicken coop out of brick in my back garden for max 4 birds

Anybody give me any ideas please - i'm new to chicken keeping

[min200]

As long as you have access to collect eggs and to clean it out I dont see why not.

folk make coops out of the strangest things!

[Lindeggs]

Also make sure a brick hen-house has plenty of ventilation.  Personally I prefer working with wood as I find it easier to adjust if I change my mind about design details later, but if you have the skills to work with brick I don't see why you wouldn't.

Personally if I was designing a brick coop I would make it full height (ie human height so you can walk right in) and big enough that all the fixtures and fittings (roosts, net boxes) would be free-standing inside.  

I would also make it based on an 'open air coop' design, where you have three solid sides and a roof, and the 4th side completely open to start with.  Then you could frame up the 4th side with timber, and insert either solid timber panels, or mesh panels with timber frames, or opening doors and windows.

Of course this is all my own opinion, not based on experience of brick hen-houses.

The basic principles would still apply though:

• well ventilated
• predator-proof
• easy to clean
• minimise opportunities for external parasites (eg mites)
• flexible enough for later design changes (or a later complete change of use)

[Lindeggs]

As long as you have access to collect eggs and to clean it out I dont see why not.

folk make coops out of the strangest things!

I haven't seen coops made out of strange things.  I made mine out of a bus shelter. 

[Dominic]

I think if its enclosed on three sides, you could fall fowl (giggle) of planning.