Easy Chicken Coop Plans - 4 Crucial Elements To Successfully Building A Chicken House

When you learn how to build a chicken coop from easy chicken coop plans there are four main elements you will want to keep in mind. In this article we will explore these and other important aspects of building a chicken coop from chicken coop plans, and when you're finished you will be ready to take things to the next stage, purchase some high quality plans, and getting out the power tools.

The first step we will cover is size. This has a direct effect on the number of birds you can hold and is often one of the first mistakes beginners make. Once we have covered that you will be able to select the type of chicken coop that works for you personally, based on your skill level and needs.

Once you have this information, you will want to look at building both a safe and health coop. More on that in a moment.

The final step will cover the importance of building an aesthetically pleasing chicken coop. You may be surprised to learn why this step is so important. Or you may already know why this is one step you don't want to skip.

Some of you may already be itching to break out the power tools, so I will get started and show you how to build a chicken coop.

#1 – Size Matters, At Least In A Chicken Coop

You may be thinking that this is an understood part of building a chicken coop from easy chicken coop plans. If you know where you plan on placing the coop and you have a ballpark estimate of the amount of chickens you want to raise, isn't that all there is to it? The answer is quite simply, no! It doesn't matter if you already have a spot picked out, and the number of chickens set in stone. You may have to change your plans if the site isn't the most ideal. To put it simply the chickens and the size of your coop might just be incomputable. And if your hope is for fresh health eggs every morning, there is a very good reason why you will want to avoid over crowding your roost.

Every chicken that you plan on keeping needs at least 3 sq. ft. of room in the coop. As you can see, this will directly influence how many chickens you can hold, and where you can build your coop.

It isn't any wonder that a crowded coop is a chaotic coop. Hens that are forced to spend their time fighting over room will be less likely to lay eggs. And the eggs that they do lay will leave something to be desired. Since most people build chicken coops for the eggs, this would turn out to be a waste. So now you are in the perfect position, you can now decide how many chickens you really want to house and build the appropriate coop.

Thought this is rather unlikely, if you end up building too large a chicken coop you can always add more birds later.

#2 – Portable Or Fixed, The Choice Is Up To You

As you already might know, there are two types of chicken coops. The first is portable, and is often referred to as a chicken tractor. The next one we'll talk about is the fixed or static chicken coop. This one is built to last but it also has it draw backs. Let's look at the two types and you can get a better idea of what best suits your needs.

First we'll look at the portable ones. Portable chicken coops have several advantages over the fixed versions, let's take a look and see what those are. Since you can move the coop around, maintenance is much easier. Instead of bringing the tools to the coop, you can bring the coop to your tools. Cleaning the coop is also easier with portable hen houses.

Still with all good things there is a downside to this type of chicken coop and we will look at that now. If you build a portable chicken coop, don't expect it to last for a long time. Portable chicken coops are not nearly as stable as their fixed counterpart.

Strength and security is the major advantage a fixed chicken coop has over the portable versions. Of course you need to plan the location for your chicken coop very carefully. Though it can be moved at a later date, you will wish you didn't have to.

Here are a couple of tips for you when you build a static chicken coop. The first thing is that sunlight is very important to your chicken's health and happiness. Be sure to position your chicken coop so that it gets the most sunlight possible each day. That doesn't mean you should put the coop in the middle of a field. Placing your chicken coop under a couple of trees or next to another larger building can help cut back on the amount of wind and rain it receives.

One more thing to remember when you are learning how to build a chicken coop from easy chicken coop plans is never place it on low ground. Always build the hen house on the higher parts of your yard. If you get strong storms, your chicken coop could become flooded. If this happens, you'll learn what the expression “madder than a wet hen” means.

#3 – Keeping Your Coop Safe

Predators will know when you have chickens, and that is regardless if you've learned how to build a chicken coop properly, or not.

You will find out just how many animals will be more than happy to prey upon your chickens if you're not cautious. Even though Spot is the nicest dog in the world, and the cat next door doesn't look like a cold blooded killed they can be a potential threat to your chickens. But they aren't the only danger, there are less likely threats such as rats. If you live in the country there are always larger predators that may attack your chickens.

Foxes are well know for trying to break into chicken coops, but they aren't the only ones. Coyotes and badgers also have an appetite for chicken. Make sure that you use the strongest fencing you can to discourage even the most determined animals. Another important thing to remember is to bury your fence deep enough in the ground. This should keep even the most aggressive diggers out.

Don't forget the threat from above. Hawks will also prey upon chickens, to keep this from happening you can cover the run with more fencing or with a roof.

#4 – Use Chicken Coop Plans To Impress The Neighbors

Learning how to build a chicken coop from chicken coop plans is more than throwing together some lumber.

A well built chicken coop should be both healthy and comfortable for your chickens but also look nice. Even if you think the chicken coop you've built is the cutes thing you've ever seen take a step back, what would other people say? Many people, especially when they've learned how to build a chicken coop for the first time, are blind to how their coop really looks. Is the coop really as nice as you think?

This part of building a chicken coop from easy chicken coop plans is also one of the most rewarding. Because at this step you are putting the finishing touches to your chicken coop. It would be a shame not making the most out of it, and add a unique element to your yard's landscaping. One that will have your neighbors talking for all of the right reason, and your family supplied with fresh eggs every morning for breakfast.

If you build your chicken coop in the city, you will want to check your city ordinances for any that regulate if and how you can build your coop.

Building a chicken coop can be a joy to build with the proper plans. Ready to get your hands on a set? Click here to learn how to build a chicken coop and get your hands on some chicken coop plans!

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How To Build A Chicken Coop Without Getting Egg On Your Face

Are you ready to learn how to build a chicken coop? Good, because learning how to do it right will save you and your chickens a lot of trouble.

First it is important to sit down and decide how many chickens you are planning to take care of. You may have a rough idea, but now you need to decide on the exact number.

You see, each chicken needs at least 3 square feet of space inside the chicken coop. This is the bare minimum and it never hurts to actually calculate more space per chicken for the coop. If the coop is too big, there is always the option to add another chicken or two. But crowding them will be detrimental to the birds' wellbeing, as well as their ability to produce eggs.

Next you need to think about what you want from the chicken coop, do you plan on moving it around or do you want one that is fixed to the ground. There are two styles of chicken coop, one is portable the other is as you guessed fixed.

Both of these have their advantages and disadvantages.

The portable chicken coop allows you to choose where the birds will be in the yard. This is naturally practical if you want to move them around and keep them close to you. They are also easy to clean. You can move them to one spot clean them, and move them back to it original location without flooding the ground around the coop.

But they are often limited in size, so if you plan on keeping more than a couple of chickens you will want to use a fixed chicken coop. This type of coop is sturdier and is more resistant to wear and tear.
No matter which type of chicken coop you plan on building, you will need to put the right amount of effort into keeping your birds safe. This includes using the proper strength of building materials and fencing.

There are many predatory animals that are all too happy to break into your hen house and reek havoc. This is a thought that you will have to overcome when you raise chickens. Some of the animals you might have to detour are the neighborhood cats and dogs. But rats can also pose a threat to your pet chickens. Larger animals such as badgers, coyotes and foxes can be a threat, though these are more common in the country.

The last thing you'll want to keep in mind when you are learning how to build a chicken coop is the appearance. This might seem like a small thing. But nobody likes to look at an unattractive chicken coop. This is often a misconception people have of them when you build a chicken coop in the city.

But this is a great opportunity for you to show how nice they can look and how great a pet chickens make. Besides that, they are the only pet that can provide you with company and breakfast!

Now that you've gotten the tricky part of learning how to build a chicken coop out of the way, it time for the fun part. There are many different styles and types to choose from. And as long as you can hold a hammer, you should be able to handle building a coop. Click here to get started!

How To Build A Chicken Coop - An Introduction

Do you want to learn how to build your own chicken coop? Let's take a look what you should think about before you get started. With a little bit of help, you can save a lot of money by building your own chicken coop. Also, of course you will be able to individually build a coop that is pleasing to you and your neighbors.

The first thing to remember is, keep your neighbors in mind! Unless nobody but yourself will see your chicken coop, make sure that it's not an eye sore, and that your neighbors can live with it, too! This will save you a lot of frustration in the long term. Make sure to keep your chicken coop nice and clean, both for hygiene and aesthetics reasons.

The next thing we need to think about is how much space you will need. Plan for at least 3 square feet for each animal. Don't cram too many birds into a too small coop. This will only do damage to your chickens' health and hurt the egg production. Also consider that you will need some space for a waterer and chicken feeder.

Build your chicken coop with hygiene in mind. The more thoroughly you plan early on in the process, the less work you will be faced with afterwards. For example, it's a good idea to build your chicken coop with a tilted floor, so that it will be easier to clean the coop. If you slope the floor towards the door, the water can collect and flow outside when you spray out the coop.

Your chicken coop needs to be weather and predator safe! Don't underestimate the will power of predatory pets such as your neighbors' cats or dogs - they may very well dig their way through. Badgers, raccoons, foxes and rats are a common threat to your chickens, too.

Chicken Coop Construction and Plans

Do you know what these four important steps are? We will cover them in this article, and when you're completed you will be ready to move onto the next step, getting the plans (a crucial element) and getting out the power tools.

First, you will want to make it clear in your mind how big you want to make your chicken coop. Miss judging the size of the coop is generally a beginner's mistake so we will want to go into more detail about this part of raising chickens. After that you will be able to choose a style that you will be happy with and more importantly fits the location you have chosen for it.

When you have a better understanding of the first two steps you will be ready to tackle Step 3. Building a chicken coop isn't hard but you will want to look at building both a healthy and safe chicken coop, which protects your hens from both predators and the elements. Safety is important and something you won't want to neglect. Step 3 goes into more detail about covering this part of building a chicken coop.

The final step will cover the importance of building an aesthetically pleasing chicken coop construction. But you may be surprised when you find out how important this step really is.

Some of you may already be itching to break out the power tools, so I had better get started!

You may think that this is a given, that anyone building a chicken coop with know this without question. The reason is simple... You know where you want to place the hen house, and you know how many chickens you want to hold, is that not enough? If you've guessed that the answer is no you're correct. Even if you already have a location in your yard picked out, this doesn't mean it is a match made in heaven. You may run into trouble if your desired hen house doesn't match the number of chickens you plan to get.

Each chicken requires at least 3 square feet of room inside of the chicken coop. As you can see, this will directly influence how many chickens you can hold, and where you can build your coop.

It isn't any wonder that a crowded coop is a chaotic coop. Hens that are forced to spend their time fighting over room will be less likely to lay eggs. And the eggs that they do lay will leave something to be desired. If you build a chicken coop don't waste your time and money trying to squeeze the most hens into the smallest space. Make sure your chickens have the space they deserve. So now you are in the perfect position, you can now decide how many chickens you really want to house and build the appropriate coop.

In the event that there is too much room in the coop later you always have the options to add another hen or two.

You might already know this but let's say this for those who don't know. But there are two types of chicken coop constructions to pick from. The first is portable, and is often referred to as a chicken tractor. The other type of chicken coop construction is fixed to the ground, this makes finding the proper location absolutely crucial. Let's look at the two types and you can get a better idea of what best suits your needs.

To get started we will take a few minutes and learn more about the chicken tractors. As you might have already guessed there are a couple of different benefits to building a portable chicken coop. Since you can move the coop around, maintenance is much easier. Instead of bringing the tools to the coop, you can bring the coop to your tools. Cleaning the coop is also easier with portable hen houses.

But there is a downside, and we need to cover that as well. Chicken tractors aren't built to last a long time so don't get your hopes up when it is finished. It should be clear that you will have to preform a lot of maintenance, and eventually completely replace your coop, if you choose mobility rather than stability. Chicken tractors are not constructed as rigidly as the fixed version, and it is only to be expected that transportation and movement will take its toll.

Fixed or static hen houses are much more stable than the portable ones, and a well built coop can last for many years. Planing is a big part of building a fixed chicken coop, so choose wisely. Once you have your chicken coop fixed to the ground it will be a nightmare if you ever need to move it to a new location.

Here are some things to consider when you build a static roost. First, chickens need a lot of sunlight. Make sure to build the chicken coop so that it gets as much sun as it can each day. That doesn't mean you should put the coop in the middle of a field. If you have strong storms in your area you will need to build your chicken coop under a couple of trees or parallel to a bigger building.

A beginner's mistake, especially if this is the first chicken coop construction you've undertaken, is placing it on a low spot in your yard. Always build the hen house on the higher parts of your yard. If you get strong storms, your chicken coop could become flooded. If this happens, you'll learn what the expression “madder than a wet hen” means.

Predators will know when you have chickens, and that is regardless if you've learned how to build a chicken coop properly, or not.

You will find out just how many animals will be more than happy to prey upon your chickens if you're now cautious. Even though Spot is the nicest dog in the world, and the cat next door doesn't look like a cold blooded killed they can be a potential threat to your chickens. But they aren't the only danger, there are less likely threats such as rats. Of course rats are one of the smaller threats, if you live in the country you might also have to contend with larger predators.

These can include foxes, coyotes and badgers. You will want to assure that you use strong enough fencing to keep the more determined wild animals out. Make sure to bury your fence deep enough in the ground to keep out animals that try to dig their way into the coop.

Just like the danger from below there can also be a threat from above. Hawks will also prey upon chickens, so it might be necessary to cover your chicken's run with a roof or fencing.

When you learn to build a chicken coop you are building a fun family project. One that will provide you with many fun memories and experiences. But it should also be more.

A well built chicken coop should be both healthy and comfortable for your chickens but also look nice. No one is fond of an eyesore, forcing you neighbors to live with one is both rude and risky. Wouldn't you rather get their compliments that be the reason for their complaints?

This would be a shame, since a chicken coop construction can add a unique element to your yard's landscaping. One that will have your neighbors talking for all of the right reason, and your family supplied with fresh eggs every morning for breakfast.

Besides the fact you don't want to look at a mess chicken coop you might also have to contend with city ordnances. These ordnances might play a direct role in how your chicken coop can look.