Chicken Coop

A chicken coop is a crucial element for those who want to raise chickens and poultry in the backyard. A family doesn’t need a large flock of chickens, if they are not intended for sale. Having 3-7 hens and a single rooster is enough to provide a family with eggs, meat, feathers and down.

You can buy a chicken coop from a specialized store, but it’s easy to make it with your own hands. For a DIY coop you first have to sketch out your design and think of the place where it will be convenient both for you and for the chickens. Think about its future look and keep in mind that it should not be a defacement of the surroundings for you and for your neighbors. It’s very important to maintain an appealing landscape around your chicken coop. Think about a source of light, warmth and ventilation in the coop. For great eggs all year round you cannot do without an electrical source of light. Birds should have easy access to feeders and water. Because of their scratching instinct, chickens tend to make a mess of their food. To avoid this, place feeders and waterers at the height of the chicken’s breast.

A chicken coop should be made of materials that are easy to clean and disinfect. You can slightly slope the floor of the coop toward the door to facilitate cleaning. Your chickens should be protected not only from bad weather, but also from injury, predators (cats, raccoons,) and theft. The coop should be placed in a sunny and well drained area. Windows and doors of the coop should be easily opened and closed when necessary. A chicken wire buried all around the coop will prevent dogs and raccoons from digging underneath it.

With no experience, it may take 2-3 months to make a chicken coop. Inexperienced farmers have to spend much on purchasing necessary materials. Those who don’t want to deal with investing money in a ready-made coop, but have no skills for making it themselves, can order a chicken coop plan that will save both money and time.