Having a small chicken coop at your home can be quite a fun and rewarding experience. If you are interested in raising your own chickens, building a homemade chicken coop is cost effective and quite simple. There are several key things to keep in mind when planning the construction of your chicken coop or purchasing a set of chicken coop plans.
First, it is important to make sure you have enough room in the coop per chicken. The rule of thumb is to provide about 10 feet of space per chicken. Different publications suggest varying amounts, but this is safe and gives the birds enough room to move around comfortably.
Second, you must provide protection from other animals who may pray on your chickens. If there is easy access to the coop, predators will be able to figure out a way inside. It is very important to make sure it is difficult for other animals to break into the coop.
Next, it is important that the chickens are kept dry, the temperature is well controlled, and it is well ventilated. Without these important measures, the chickens may become ill or die. Making sure they are well ventilated and the rain cannot enter the coop is imperative for the health of the chickens. You must make sure that the structure is built solid, because if drafts are able to enter through cracks in the building, in the winter the chickens won’t be able to survive. Proper placement of chicken coops can also be critical in maintaining the health of your flock. It needs to be structurally tight to maintain good chicken health.
Lastly, you must keep it clean. A coop that is not kept clean or well maintained may also lead to illness which can be contagious among the chickens. By constantly keeping up with cleaning the coop, you will make sure that the chickens are healthy and active, and the chore of cleaning the coop will not be unbearable.
Most cities and towns have ordinances in place to limit the number of chickens you may have, so it is very important to check and make sure you are not breaking any laws before building a chicken coop. This limit is typically around 5 hens, and no roosters. If your coop is built well and not unattractive to the eye, and your chickens are not causing trouble or bothering neighbors, chickens can be maintainable backyard pets.
Coops can be purchased on line for a small fee, or if you are crafty, they can also be made from simple items like 2×4′s, nails, and shingles for the roof. Make sure the lumber you use is untreated, as this can be potentially harmful to your chickens. The coop will have to have 2 doors, one for the owner to easily access the coop, and one chicken door.
Overall, it is important to analyze your ability and willingness to take care of the chickens prior to getting started. The upkeep of a chicken coop can be time consuming and often frustrating, although it can also be very rewarding. Small chicken coops are quite easy to build and manage if you allocate time every day to maintaining them.