homestead.fyi / BROILER-50

Broiler Pen for 50

A 10 x 7 ft low pasture pen for 50 broilers, a 2x4 frame with cloth sides, a sloped metal roof and two access doors.

Draft plan, generated from the model. Not yet build-tested.

50Birds

120 x 88 inFootprint

73 sq ftFloor

24 to 28 inHeight

10 to 14 hrBuild time

$442.97Materials

Drawings All dimensions in inches

3D viewfinished

3D view, framingsiding and roof removed

Front elevation

Right elevation

Plan viewfrom above

Cut list: lumber Long-point lengths; angles noted

Qty	Stock	Length	Part	Cut
2	2x2	50 3/4	Door 1 rail	laid flat
2	2x2	50 3/4	Door 2 rail	laid flat
2	2x2	17 1/2	Door 1 stile
2	2x2	17 1/2	Door 2 stile
1	2x4	120	Back top rail	flat
6	2x4	92 1/8	Rafter	both ends plumb cut 2.6°
1	2x4	61 3/4	Front top rail	flat
1	2x4	58 1/4	Front top rail	flat
3	2x4	28	Front post
1	2x4	26	Left post
1	2x4	26	Right post
3	2x4	24	Back post
1	2x4 PT	113	Base back	on edge
1	2x4 PT	81	Base left	on edge
1	2x4 PT	81	Base right	on edge
1	2x4 PT	56 1/2	Base front	on edge
1	2x4 PT	54 3/4	Base front	on edge
6	roof	92 1/8	Roof panel	cut to length, lap one rib

Cut list: sheet goods

Part	Stock	Size
Roof deck 1	1/2 ply	26 1/2 x 92 1/8
Roof deck 2	1/2 ply	47 3/8 x 92 1/8
Roof deck 3	1/2 ply	47 3/8 x 92 1/8
Roof deck 4	1/2 ply	2 3/4 x 92 1/8
Front mesh	cloth	113 x 0
Back mesh	cloth	113 x 0
Left mesh	cloth	0 x 81
Right mesh	cloth	0 x 81

Lumber cutting diagram Lengths chosen for the lowest cost; 1/8 in kerf, 1/2 in end trim

2x2 x 8 ft

Door 1 rail 1 50 3/4Door 1 stile 1 17 1/2Door 1 stile 2 17 1/2

2x2 x 8 ft

Door 1 rail 2 50 3/4Door 2 stile 1 17 1/2Door 2 stile 2 17 1/2

2x2 x 8 ft

Door 2 rail 1 50 3/4

2x2 x 8 ft

Door 2 rail 2 50 3/4

2x4 x 12 ft

Back top rail 120

2x4 x 10 ft

Rafter 1 92 1/8Left post 26

2x4 x 10 ft

Rafter 2 92 1/8Right post 26

2x4 x 10 ft

Front top rail 61 3/4Front post 1 28Front post 2 28

2x4 x 8 ft

Rafter 3 92 1/8

2x4 x 8 ft

Rafter 4 92 1/8

2x4 x 8 ft

Rafter 5 92 1/8

2x4 x 8 ft

Rafter 6 92 1/8

2x4 x 8 ft

Front top rail 2 58 1/4Front post 3 28

2x4 x 8 ft

Back post 1 24Back post 2 24Back post 3 24

2x4 PT x 12 ft

Base left 81Base front 56 1/2

2x4 PT x 12 ft

Base right 81Base front 2 54 3/4

2x4 PT x 12 ft

Base back 113

roof x 8 ft

Roof panel 1 92 1/8

roof x 8 ft

Roof panel 2 92 1/8

roof x 8 ft

Roof panel 3 92 1/8

roof x 8 ft

Roof panel 4 92 1/8

roof x 8 ft

Roof panel 5 92 1/8

roof x 8 ft

Roof panel 6 92 1/8

Sheet cutting diagrams Dashed = openings to cut out

Sheet 1: 1/2 in plywood, 4 x 8 ft

Sheet 2: 1/2 in plywood, 4 x 8 ft

Sheet 3: 1/2 in plywood, 4 x 8 ft

Shopping list $442.97 checked / $0.00 estimated

Item	Store	Qty	Each	Line	Note
2x2x8 furring strip	Home Depot	4	$2.97	$11.88	see lumber cutting diagram
2x4x10 stud, SPF	Home Depot	3	$5.46	$16.38	see lumber cutting diagram
2x4x8 stud, SPF	Home Depot	6	$4.15	$24.90	see lumber cutting diagram
2x4x12 stud, SPF	Home Depot	1	$7.12	$7.12	see lumber cutting diagram
2x4x12 ground-contact pressure-treated	Home Depot	3	$7.18	$21.54	see lumber cutting diagram
Corrugated galvanized roof panel, 8 ft (Gibraltar 31 ga; check width)	Home Depot	6	$19.98	$119.88	see lumber cutting diagram
15/32 in (1/2 in) sheathing plywood, 4x8 sheet	Lowe's	3	$32.26	$96.78	see sheet cutting diagrams
Hardware cloth 1/2 in, 2 ft x 25 ft, 19-ga	Home Depot	2	$30.40	$60.80	uses about 388 in of the roll
Galvanized 6 in strap hinge, each (5-pack $32.99)	Home Depot	2	$6.60	$13.20	doors
Galvanized staple safety hasp, 3-1/2 in	Home Depot	2	$6.78	$13.56	doors
Exterior wood screws #9 x 2.5 in, 5 lb box	Home Depot	1	$29.97	$29.97
Roofing screws #10 x 1-1/2 in with neoprene washer, 200 ct	Home Depot	1	$17.98	$17.98
Poultry staples 3/4 in, 1 lb	Southern States	2	$4.49	$8.98
Total before tax				$442.97

Filled dot: price read from a store listing on Oct 20, 2026. Hollow dot: estimate. Prices come from the master price list, so they change when it changes.

Build steps

Build the base from pressure-treated 2x4s on edge, leaving the front open where the doors go. Check square by measuring both diagonals.
Screw the posts to the inside of the base and cut the top rails.
Cut the 6 rafters with plumb cuts at 2.6° and set them on the top rails.
Screw on the roof deck and the 6 metal panels, lapping one rib.
Staple hardware cloth to the outside of the posts and base from the ground up, 2 ft tall, overlapping seams by 2 in.
Build two 2x2 doors with cloth stapled over them and hang them on strap hinges with hasps.
Fit a pair of plastic wheels or sled runners on the back and a rope on the front.

Before you start

Sized for 50 broilers at 1.4 sq ft each. Move the pen every day onto fresh grass; leaving it in one place wrecks the grass and the birds' health.
The roof gives shade and rain cover. In hot weather add a second roof of reflective foam board over the first.
Broilers are ready in 8 weeks. Do not let them grow past 12 weeks in a pen; heavier birds suffer.
Hardware cloth, not chicken wire, on every side. Set a cloth skirt on the ground if you have dig predators.
Draft drawings generated from the model. Build one before selling this plan.