Building Chicken Coops – How to Build the Right One

Building chicken coops can be an arduous task, when you have large numbers of chickens to take care of.  No matter what you do, something needs to be done.  The chickens need to be fed; the lawn needs to be tended to, and before you know it, there is no time left to work on improving your chicken coop.  Most pre-made chicken coops can be pricey, and may not include all the features you want, such as a run and grazing yard.

However, you no longer need to fret about being able to afford a chicken coop that falls short of your expectations.  This is why many people find themselves building chicken coops that meet their own needs.  It is a cost effective way of getting what you want, without compromising your expectations or your wallet.

If you’re looking to build a very basic chicken coop, you will need to remember a few things.  Chickens need space to nest and live comfortably.  To give them enough room, you may want to consider building a large coop-one which has ample room for grazing and nesting.  While you may want to keep cost to a minimum, remember that chickens also need light.  In cold weather conditions, light helps to warm the coop.  This is why you may want to consider installing windows while building.  This is an added expense, of course.  But in the long run it will make for happy chickens and higher quality food.  The light will also encourage your chickens to move about and mate.

Even if you want to impress the neighbors with your knack for craftsmanship, remember that a chicken coop does not have to look fancy to be effective, according to websites.  Rather than planning to put bells and whistles on your coop, start very basic at first.  Try building  small chicken coops close to the ground, and add on as your chickens get larger and your flock size grows.

Try to keep your coop as secure as possible, making sure to build a solid foundation that blocks out moisture and seals off drafts.  Drafts, if cold enough, can kill chickens, according to websites.  That is why they are best avoided.  A lot of planning goes into building chicken coops.  According to websites, a lot of people build coops too small and wind up having to add on to them.  It may help to build your coop slightly larger than you think is necessary.  There should be four square feet between chickens.