Chickens: The Best Addition to Any Homestead
Sandy Patch Ranch Brahma chicks
Chickens are by far the best animals to have on your homestead! They’re the easiest livestock to care for and provide numerous benefits, from fresh eggs and meat to natural fertilizer for your garden. If you're looking to start raising chickens or improve your current setup, this guide will walk you through our welded pipe chicken pens, predator-proof enclosures, and the best automatic chicken waterer and feeder options.
free ranging chickens
Why Raise Chickens on Your Homestead?
Many homesteaders opt for free-ranging their chickens, and it can work beautifully. My mom lets her flock roam her pasture, where they help scatter horse manure while pecking out leftover oats, preventing grass from burning. Chickens also offer natural pest control and are incredibly fun to watch!
However, when we moved to West Texas, we needed a different setup. With sandy soil and more predators, we built secure chicken pens that offer plenty of space while keeping our flock safe.
welded chicken pens and coop
chicken pen sides with chicken wire
Building Secure Chicken Pens with Welded Pipe
Each of our welded pipe chicken pens measures 20’x20’, designed to house up to 12 chickens comfortably. The pens are constructed with durable pipe posts and top rails, with cattle panels welded onto the frame for reinforcement.
The front of each pen features taller pipe post extensions, with steel cables running from the high posts to the back fence to support additional structure. To prevent escape, we attached chicken wire along the bottom of the cattle panels. The gate is made of welded pipe with a cattle panel insert and is covered with chicken wire for added security. A short shade cloth is positioned above the gate and secured with hook bungees, allowing easy entry while keeping the chickens contained.
wire cable in shade cloth
shade cloth extension
Shade Cloth for Temperature Control
We installed a shade cloth over the top of each pen to reduce heat stress and provide rain protection. Initially, we used zip ties, but the wind wore them out. Bungee cords also failed over time. To reinforce the shade cloth, we welded additional hooks, extended the back fence, and ran steel cables through the front and back. This method has provided a long-lasting, durable solution for our chicken coop design.
homemade feed container
The Best Automatic Chicken Waterer and Feeder
For feeding and watering, we built large-capacity feeders that hold a full 50lb bag of feed, minimizing refills and keeping feed protected. And this waterer—this has been a game-changer. We tested multiple chicken watering systems, including cups and gravity-fed systems, but this one works best. It hooks directly to a hose, providing a continuous supply of fresh water while keeping debris out, which means less maintenance.
favorite chicken waterer
Final Thoughts on Raising Chickens with a Secure Coop Setup
Whether you're free-ranging or building secure pens like ours, having a well-planned chicken coop setup is essential for a successful homestead. Investing in predator-proof enclosures, automatic feeders, and reliable watering systems can make raising backyard chickens easier and more efficient.
If you're planning your own chicken pen build or looking for the best setup for your backyard chickens, we hope this guide gives you helpful insights into what has worked best for us! Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter and always be the first to get information! You'll also be the first to know when we finish up our resources page with all of our free information and the products we use!
Psalms 90:17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.
