How to Make an Egg Carton Chicken
Have fun making this adorable egg carton chicken using simple craft supplies! It's a fun kids craft, perfect for spring, Easter, or anytime. Follow our detailed step-by-step instructions to make your own!
Yield: 1 egg carton chicken
Cost: $1
Equipment
Materials
- Egg carton
- White acrylic paint
- Pipe cleaners (white, red, orange)
- Cardstock (orange, red)
- Googly eyes (7 mm)
Instructions
Step 1: Find what you need
- Gather your supplies and materials.
Step 2: Cut and paint the egg carton
- Cut a "cone" section from an egg carton (the sticking up piece that separates the egg cups).
- Trim the bottom of the cone so it's nice and neat, creating a scalloped edge.
- Then paint the cone white. Allow to dry and add a second coat, if necessary.(With multi-surface or good quality paint you should only need 1 coat.)
Step 3: Make the pipe cleaner pieces
- Use a white pipe cleaner to make the chicken's wings. Begin by bending the pipe cleaner down about 2 inches, keeping the fold rounded.
- Make a second fold beside it, about 1/4 inch shorter than the first.
- Repeat, making two more folds, going 1/4 inch shorter each time. Twist the pipe cleaners together at the bottom to finish off the wing.Then make a second wing, following the same steps.
- Use another white pipe cleaner for the chicken's tail. Use the same technique as you did for the wings, but do 3 sections instead of 4.Make the longest "loop" about 1-3/4 inches and ensure you leave at least 1 inch of pipe cleaner below the tail feathers.
- Fold a red pipe cleaner for the chicken's comb. Make 3 equal sections about 1/2 inch long and twist the pipe cleaner at the bottom to secure them together.
- Use an orange pipe cleaner for the chicken's feet. Make 3 folds about 3/4 inches long.Secure the pipe cleaner and leave a straight section about 1-1/2 inches long. Fold this down at a 90 degree angle and then repeat to make a second foot.
Step 4: Cut the beak and wattle
- To make the beak and wattle you'll need red and orange cardstock. You can also use felt or construction paper.
- Cut a teardrop shape from the red cardstock to create the wattle. Then, for the beak, use orange cardstock to cut a diamond shape. Fold the diamond in half.
Step 5: Assemble the chicken
- Here are all the pieces you should have to put your chicken together.Here are all the pieces we've made so far, plus 7 mm googly eyes.
- Begin by making a small hole in the top of your egg carton piece, if there isn't one already. Add a dot of hot glue to the top of the cone.
- Push the end of the comb into the hole.
- Add 2 lines of glue to the front inside of the egg carton piece, on either side.Place the legs into the glue and then adjust them so they're sticking out the front and the chicken can sit down.
- Glue the long section of the tail inside the back corner of the egg carton.
- Fold the tail so it goes up the chicken's back. Here's what it should look like.
- Bend the wings so that they're curved. Add a dot of glue to where the folds combine.
- Place a wing with the shortest section at the top, so the wings are curving in towards the back.Repeat, adding the second wing on the other side.
- Glue the beak to the center of the "face" and place the wattle below it on one side. Then add googly eyes above the beak.
- Your egg carton chicken is complete!
- Have fun making a whole flock of chickens to fill up your barnyard!
Video
Notes
Looking for more farm animal crafts? Here's a few of our favourites:
Pom Pom Pig Craft
Cotton Ball Sheep Craft
Farm Animal Easter Eggs