Building A Chicken Coop - Tips To Keep In Mind

Are you thinking about building a chicken coop? That's a great idea, because it's as easy as ever before to make your own coop. With careful planning you can learn how to build a chicken coop that will be there for you to enjoy for many years to come.

Think about what size of chicken coop you will need. The absolute minimum should be 3-4 square feet per bird. Anything less and your pet chickens will have too little of space. If you are thinking about housing larger types of poultry in your coop, you will of course need to allot more space per bird. Also remember that you will need some space for a waterer and a feeder, so don't go too low on your calculations. If you don't have enough space for building a larger chicken coop you should rather get fewer chickens rather than overcrowding your coop. Giving your chickens enough space will keep them happy and healthy. This will also give you more eggs, chickens that are forced to living in confided coops produce fewer eggs.

Your chickens need the sunlight! When you build a chicken coop, make sure to position it so that it faces the sun as much as possible. Also, if you live in a very rainy climate you need to take care that the coop is well protected from rain and wind. Make sure that your chicken coop can't be flooded if you get a lot of rain. One way of doing this is to build your chicken coop on a higher area of your property. In any case, the spot you picked needs to be properly landscaped to ensure better durability.

Slope the floor towards the door. This way it will be easier for you to clean the coop by spraying it out without flooding the building.

Furthermore, the basic idea of building a chicken coop is to make it as easy as possible for you to enter the coop and to make it as difficult as possible for predators to get to your chickens. So you will have to do some planning on where to place fencing and how high it has to be. Don't forget predators that may dig their way into your chicken coop. A proper chicken coop plan and careful planning will help you eliminate most of the risk right from the start. A well thought out construction plan will ensure that your efforts pay off.

Build a Backyard Chicken Coop - Step 4

Step 4 – Don't Neglect Your Coops Appearance

When you learn to build backyard 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 backyard chicken coop is more than simply a comfortable safe home for your chickens. It should also add an element to your yard that few others share. That means you should take the time and make it also look nice. Even if you think the chicken coop you've built is the cutest 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 would be a shame, since a chicken coop can add a unique element to your yard's landscaping. And this is one piece of landscaping that will get you neighbors talking for all of the right reasons. They will also be envious over all of the fresh eggs you get to enjoy!

When you live in the city and build a chicken coop the looks might even be a must. Many cities have ordnances dictating how you may build your coop. And the number of birds you may hold.

Build a Backyard Chicken Coop - Step 2

The Two Styles Of Chicken Coop

You might already know this but let's say this for those who don't know. But there are two designs of chicken coops to pick from. The first is portable, and is often referred to as a chicken tractor. The other is fixed and is usually built to hold more chickens. Lets explore these two types of chicken coop and find out which one works the best for you.

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 backyard 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 a snap when you can move it wherever you want.

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.

The fixed, or sometimes referred to as static chicken coop are more stable than their movable counterparts. And can last for many years with regular maintenance. Planing is a big part of building a fixed chicken coop for your backyard, so choose wisely. Once it is finished, moving it will be a very time consuming process.

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. With that said I should also mention you have to position the coop so it gets the most protection it can from the elements. Strong rain or wind can be a problem, that's why it is a good idea to build your coop under a group of trees or next to a larger building.

One more thing to remember when you are learning how to build backyard a chicken coop is never place it on low ground. I always recommend that you build the chicken coop on the highest spot in your yard. That way you can (usually) rest assured that you hens will stay dry. When not placed on high ground you run the risk of having your chicken coop flood. If this happens, you'll learn what the expression “madder than a wet hen” means.

Build a Backyard Chicken Coop - An Introduction

When you build a backyard chicken coop, there are four main elements that you want to keep in mind. In this article we will explore these and other important aspects of building a chicken coop, and when you're completed you will be ready to take things to the next stage, purchase some high quality plans, and breaking out the hammer and nails.

The first step we will cover is size. The size of a coop directly effects the number of chickens you can raise. And building a coop that is too small can have drastic effect on your birds happiness. From there 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.

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. But you may be surprised when you find out how important this step really is.

I see that you of you are already to get the plans and get building, so I had better get started!

An Egg a Day – How To Build a Chicken Coop

Do you know how rewarding it is to raise chickens? It's true, holding chickens in your backyard, either on a farm or in the city, can be very relaxing. And these pets have the added benefit of giving you a tasty treat for your breakfast table.

But what is required to raise chickens? If you are just starting out, it is important to learn how to build a chicken coop. As you can easily guess, doing it the wrong way will be a torture for the chickens and make the entire experience disastrous.

When done correctly though, building your own chicken coop can be cheaper, healthier and a lot more satisfying.

The first question you should ask yourself is how many birds do you plan to raise. This will be directly connected to the size of the chicken coop you're going to need to build.

Just remember that you will need to give each of your chickens at least 3 square feet of space to live comfortably with the other chickens in the colony. More space is always better, and if you happen to build too big of a chicken coop, you can always add more birds.

Want a tip that will make your job of cleaning the coop easier? You should put tiles down on the floor. Also by slanting the floor so it tilts slightly towards the door you are making it easier when you spray it clean. This will allow the water to run out the door. These are two things that high quality chicken coop plans will share with you, but not all of them do.

Just like your home, the chicken coop needs to be properly protected from unwanted intruders. These predators will be more than happy to take advantage of weak fencing or other Achilles heals.

Don't underestimate the dogs and cats in your neighborhood, they can be a threat to the safety of your chickens. But your chickens can also be at risk of being attacked by other animals. Rats can also pose a threat to your chickens, but so can foxes and coyotes, and depending on your location badgers might be a problem.

Take the predatory animals you have in your specific area and factor them in when you build the chicken coop.

Lastly, the importance of your chicken coops appearance cannot be over looked. A chicken coop can be a wonderful addition to almost any yard, when well built it will add an optical element that will wow family and friends. But if you fail to properly take the time to follow well written plans, or let the finishing touches fall on the wayside... You're running the risk of giving your neighbors an excuse to complain.

Chicken coops can be a fun and exciting way for you to enjoy a fresh egg every morning, but if they aren't handled properly they can turn into an eye sore. Just remember to put yourself in the shoes of those that live around you and ask yourself if you would like the coop. If the answer is no, then go over it and make any corrections.

Now that you know what is required for you to build a chicken coop, there is one final step. This is getting the plans and the materials. This is the exciting part, and one that anyone can handle no matter their experience level with the toolbox.

Read more on the subject here.