Build a Chicken Coop – Things to Think About

One of the main reasons we decided to get chickens was because when I was little wee used to have chickens and the eggs were always better than the stores. Of course, once we decided that we wanted chickens I had to figure out what to do for a chicken coop.

Buying one was out of the question because they were so expensive! For a backyard builder such as myself a coop seemed like the perfect plan.

Of course that’s before I found out just how complicated building a chicken coop really is. I’ve come up with a checklist that you should use before you even start building your chicken coop.

The first thing you need to ask yourself is do you have enough space? If your backyard is small make sure you measure out exactly where your chicken coop will be and use some string to mark it with. That way you’ll know exactly how much of your backyard is going to be used up.

The other thing you need to think about is where are you going to put it? At least one window in your chicken coop should be south facing so it can catch the winter sun. This may affect how large your chicken coop will be because it will need to be in a different place in your yard.

Your coop also has to be protected; both from the elements, but also from predators. Your chicken coop needs to be well sealed so there are no drafts. You’re also going to need to figure out a way to prevent predators from getting in underneath the run. What I do is bury some chicken wire about a foot deep and than attach it to the run. To this day I have yet to lose a hen to a predator.

You also have to ensure that the humidity doesn’t build up in your coop. One of the worth combinations for chickens is moisture and cold. This can cause your hens to get sick.

The easiest way to cure this is to make sure your chicken coop is draft proof. I use shingles for the roof and seal up the rest with silicone. Couple that with good ventilation and the water will never build up. By good ventilation I mean installing some windows that you can open and install some vents near the top of the coop so hot air can vent out.

If you want your hens to be able to lay good eggs all the time you’re also going to need adequate lighting. The lights serve to keep the chickens warm, but also helps them lay eggs throughout the entire year.

You’re also going to have to think of where the nests will go. I personally built my nests around the edge of the coop. The hens can sleep comfortably and they can lay eggs there. It’s important that you line the nests with fresh straw or hay every week because well rested hens lay more eggs.

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