If you've thought about building a chicken coop there a several things you should know before you start. It's not a difficult task, but there are some things you need to know before you start. The first thing you need to decide is how many chickens are you going to have? By figuring that out before you do anything else you make the rest of the process much easier. Knowing how many chickens you're going to keep will help you figure out how big your coop should be. Although the minimum space each chicken needs is 4 square feet it's better to use 5 square feet per chicken. For example, I have 16 chickens at the moment. That means that my coop needs to be at least 80 square feet. In this example the math is simple. I need to build a chicken coop that is 8 feet by 10 feet so I have enough room. Please don't build a coop that is smaller than 4 square feet per chicken. When chickens don't have enough room they start to peck at each other which can quickly lead to some of your flock dieing. The next thing that you need to think about is ventilation for your chicken coop. It's important that there's always fresh air going into the coop... and in the summer the hot air will need somewhere to escape. In my coop I installed two sliding windows (one on each side of the coop. I also put two vents up near the top of the coop so that the hot air can escape. During the winter I keep the windows closed, but the vents still provide adequate airflow. Speaking of winter, your coop will need to be insulated if you get snow on the ground. Chickens can handle cold pretty well, but it can't get too cold inside or they'll die. It might also be a good idea to install a heat lamp for the winter to provide some added warmth. When building your coop it's important to ensure that it's well sealed. It's pretty simple to seal up the coop. All you need is a tube of silicone. As I said earlier chickens can handle the cold, but the combination of cold and moisture inside the coop can cause some serious health problems for your chickens. Another thing your chickens will need is roosts where they can sleep at night, and if you have hens you'll need some nesting boxes too. One thing to keep in mind when building your roosts is that they need to be higher than the nesting boxes. Chickens always sleep at the highest point they can reach (instinct) and if your nesting boxes are high you'll end up with dirty eggs. I've also taken to putting some plactic pallets underneath the roosts to collect droppings as it makes cleaning the coop a lot easier. Nesting boxes need to be comfortable and in a darker place. I placed mine around the edge of the coop. Each nesting box should be between 8" and 12" square and around 4 inches deep. Make sure you place some fresh straw or hay in each nesting box as needed. It makes the nest more comfortable, but it also prevents any eggs from hitting the wood which can damage them. As long as you plan ahead your chicken coop will be a complete success. I've been enjoying fresh eggs for well over 10 years now and store bought ones just can't compare.
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There are many considerations you need to take into account if you want to build your own chicken coop. One thing you'll be glad to hear is that it's not that difficult to build a coop. The first question you need to answer is "how many chickens do you want?" Answering that question will make the rest of the planning much easier. Since you know how many chickens you're going to have you'll know how big to make your coop.
Do you want to learn how to build a chicken coop? Good plans can save a lot of time and frustration. For more information check out this article: Build A Chicken Coop Andrew has been raising chickens for over 10 years. He has successfully built several chicken coops and loves all the fresh eggs that he gets for breakfast.
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