Looking Into Chicken Coop Plans
So you’re considering raising chickens for eggs, meat, or some ‘good times’. What kind of chicken coop plans will you be needing to get yourself started in the most efficient and cheapest way?
There are several DIY books on the building of these chicken homes which you will find quite simple to understand and to get you off on a quick start.
Getting a little easy-to-understand knowledge of this quest will help you out before wasting your time and money.
A Personel Chicken Coop Planning Start-Up
A few years ago, I began raising chickens so that my family
could have fresh eggs. After a while, we decided to
raise them for meat as well.
Between our layers and our fryers (the chickens for
eating) we have plenty of clucking in our backyard. Not
only that, but we have a consistent source of protein,
even if something happens to the supply chain and the
the supermarket is closed.
Now it’s time for me to pass on my chicken-keeping tips
so you can build your own backyard coop. Let’s start by
talking about what a chicken coop needs to be.
Chicken Coop Basics
Chicken coops serve two basic purposes: They keep your
chickens from destroying your backyard and
predators from destroying your chickens. Since chickens
aren’t the smartest creatures in the world.
They need a little help with both.
The coop itself is the chicken’s home. It needs to be
closed at night to keep the predators out. The chickens
will need something to roost on, like tree branches. A
wood closet rod works well for this. The chickens will
roost on these to sleep.
Figure on a minimum of two square feet for the coop for every
chicken you have. More space is fine, but they need as much room as possible.
Your chicken coop plans will also provide a place for the
chickens to nest and lay eggs. This is usually done in a
series of low boxes along the wall. Baskets work as well.
Chickens will share nests; one nest per three chickens is
a good ratio.
During the day, open up the chicken coop to let them
out. You’ll want to leave it open so that they can go
inside to lay eggs or hide in the case of inclement
weather. At night, you’ll want to close the coop securely.
If you are raising chicks, you must provide some
heat inside the chicken coop. This is easily done by
suspending a heat lamp. By the way, baby chicks don’t need
to roost.
Most people put their coop inside a pen called a run.
That way, they can let the chickens out while keeping
them from destroying everything else in the yard.
Free-ranging is great, but you’ll want to be able to control it.
Pens can either be totally enclosed or just in a fenced
area.
Chickens don’t fly, so keeping them from getting away is unnecessary. However, predators can get into
the coop if it isn’t totally enclosed.
Consider this when exploring chicken coop plans
If your pen isn’t totally enclosed, you’ll need to put the
chickens in the coop and close it up every night. The
predators will try and get your chickens to come out at
night, not during the daytime.
The coop itself can be built of almost anything.
I’ve seen chicken coops that were made out of old desks and empty
refrigerators or built from scrap wood gleaned from
pallets.
The material just needs to protect your chickens
from the elements and from predators.
Coops On The Cheap
Actually, building a coop from a pre-existing container,
such as an old desk or dresser, is extremely easy since
the hardest part is already done.
You must add a roost, a nesting area, and an entryway.
Be sure to make your coop so you can get into it too. You’ll need regular access to collect the eggs and
clean out the coop.
The coop needs to be well-ventilated, especially if you
live in a hot environment. Ventilation should be near the
roof.
Chickens can handle much heat, but too much
isn’t good for them. An unventilated chicken coop will
cause them to get sick.
Actually, ventilation is much more important than
insulation.
Chickens can survive the cold because their
feathers provide adequate insulation.
If you are in an extremely cold environment, you might want to provide a
heat lamp in the coop in wintertime.
Putting a litter tray at the bottom of the coop itself is a good idea.
Chicken feces has a foul odor, and you must clean their home every month. By making
a slide-out tray, you can pull it out, empty it into your
compost heap, and simply slide the tray back in place.
Chicken Care In Their Coop
Your chickens will also need food and water. Since
chickens aren’t the smartest creatures in the world, they
will foul their own food and water if given the chance.
Using waterers and feeders that don’t permit them to stand
in their food and water eliminates this problem.
Waterers and feeders are available at the local feed
supply. You can also build your own.
Several plans are floating around the internet for homemade chicken
feeders and waterers.
Ensure enough is available to allow all the
chickens to feed simultaneously. They will feed all day
long; without access to food, they will peck at each
other.
Remember, your chicken coop doesn’t need to be fancy to be
effective. Chickens don’t lay better eggs in a fancy home
than they do in a simple one. Either way, you’ll have
fresh eggs to eat.
So, it looks like it’s time to grab some tools and start
building a chicken coop. You don’t want to shop for
chicks until that coop is ready. After all, your
chickens will need their own home unless you want them to
share yours!
