You might wish to consider following the below guidelines when it comes to building a chicken coop or constructing any poultry accommodation. Doing so will ensure that your chicken house ends up a successful endeavour.
Just before you continue reading there are a couple of important factors worth taking into account regarding building a chicken coop. You WILL save money building your own, buying readymade anything in this day and age works out exceptionally expensive, and a pre-built chicken coop is no exception.
Whatever avenue you ultimately choose you will end up using tools for the construction. A pre-built chicken coop tends to come in flat pack form and requires you to assemble it. On top of that is the actual time it will take you to decipher the instructions and hope it all fits. Or you could ask someone to help or do it for you.
Building a chicken coop gives you complete flexibility, which allows you to customise key elements to suit yours and your chickens needs.
Ultimately you would want to source your designs from a reputable source, but there are certain factors that will still need to be taken into consideration.
Coop Design and Appearance:
Try and think of aesthetics in regard to your chicken house location after all you do not want to upset any neighbours if you have any by having an unpleasant looking or wrongly located coop that could possibly devalue property or put off potential buyers etc. Keep your coops appeal by maintaining its surrounding borders, so it blends into the landscape and not stands out, why not think of a nice colour scheme for the roof etc where possible.
Coop Practicality:
When you are building your chickens coop you will want to use only high quality timbers and materials as this will pay dividends further down the road and save you even more money by reducing running repairs and coop maintenance. Try and think of the cleaning aspects and how best to make it easily cleanable either by holes for water to run through or sloping floors etc with water escapes for when you are hosing out.
Coop Predators and Hazards:
Always try and build your coop on a raised level and not sitting on dirt or grass as this will only add to rotting problems. Also try and get a good amount of sunlight on it as this will keep it nice and dry, even after a rain shower so place where it will get plenty of sun. This keeps a certain amount of heat in the coop and helps chickens stay warm throughout the night.
To protect your little egg producing friends safe from predators you will want to bury the run wall supports and chicken wire as deep as you are able, over a foot where possible, this should be deep enough to stop most predators digging under.
Coop Liveability:
It is paramount to make sure that your chickens remain happy and more-so healthy. There are many enhancements' that you can add or make to their living quarters in order to achieve this. Chickens are susceptible to the elements much the same as humans and it is important to think of them in this way.
You can help by adding things like insulation to the walls of the coop to stop cold drafts and damp winds blowing through. They will want and need ventilation, but not so it disrupts their environment too much. It should be stated here that a damp chicken environment can and will cause your chickens ill health. Cold they can handle as long as they do not get damp.
Coop Lighting:
Natural light is the best answer here so be sure and have the coops window facing south where it will get most light and natural warmth especially in the winter months. There are also some chicken keepers that have installed electric lighting in the apex of the coops roof as this will keep the chickens laying eggs throughout the year, there are a variation of lights that can be used depending on the size and type of coop that you are building.
Coop Chicken Feeding Tip:
This is more of a tip than anything else, but it can save you a lot of frustration. Chickens tend to knock everything with their feet this includes food and feeders.
An ideal solution to save having a constant mess on the coop floor is to raise the feeders and waterers to the height of the chickens shoulder, this way they can only get their heads in the feeders and not their feet as well. Be sure waterers are kept clean and topped up with fresh clean water.
This is also another good way to stop the attraction of other creatures that may be interested in their food if left laying around on the floor of the chicken coop.
So there you have it, when it comes to building a chicken coop there a few simple guidelines that will keep your chickens happy as well as healthy and safe. This will ensure a steady supply of fresh hen laid eggs that will be the best that you have ever tasted, no matter which way you have them. Is it all worth it, you bet! There is nothing like having your very own chickens laying you your very own eggs.
Building a chicken coop is easy when you are given the correct information. They are practical, easy to assemble and can save you a fortune. My friend there is quite literally dozens of websites that claim to offer chicken coop plans, but very few offer you more than a single design. The best chicken coop designs website online has been endorsed by thousands of chicken breeders and owners so far and is well worth you reviewing.
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