As you know, when you want to build a chicken coop there are many things to be aware of. I bet that over the last couple of days your focus has been on providing enough light, air and protection for your hens. But you have sorted them all out, your structure sound and easy to work with and I bet that you are just hankering to get your hens moved in and laying. I hate to rain on your parade, but have you given a thought to how you are going to build chicken coop accessories for your hen house? I know that when I started out I was so relieved to have built the coop that when someone mentioned about the lack of chicken coop accessories in it I nearly threw my paintbrush at them! I remember thinking "how dreadful would it be if we didn't add in a nesting box or two?" and "what the jeepers is a roost?". "Why do they want a water trough or feeder? Can't they simply gobble off the floor and snooze on the ground? They are just birds after all, why should we bother with trying to build chicken coop accessories". Despite my hissy fit, they obviously need these things for a reason, so I calmed down and thought about it a bit longer. Yes they are chickens which is just the rationale behind why we have to respect their wants. Chickens needs are incredibly basic. Their whole system is designed so that they will eat, sleep and lay where they feel safe and comfortable.. Simple as that. If you would like their eggs, then you need to make them relaxed so that they will readily give you those eggs with as little performance as possible. So when you build chicken coop accessories try to envisage that you are a tiny, almost flightless animal and ask yourself where you would feel the most safe. I reckon that 'up high' might feature quite highly! With that in mind, here is a quick run-down on the common accessories for your coop Nesting Boxes; Nesting boxes are for your chooks to produce their eggs in - If you thought that they were for sleeping in, you are just like I was when I first started! These can be made out of pretty well anything. Just make sure that if it made of a material that breaks down or absorbs water that you replace it regularly. They can be lined with straw, paper, shavings or hay, but this also wants to be changed on a very frequent basis. I understand that we go on about birds wanting their breathing space, but when it comes to the nesting box they definitely like it close, so allocate for 4 or 5 hens per box rather than building separate nests. The Roost; The roost is where the sleeping is done. The roost equates to the highest branch in a tree, so it really only wants to be a well-built beam. As long as it will hold the load of the chickens and they can wrap their talons around it firmly most anything will do. An important note when you build chicken coop roosts is that just as in nature, hens will brawl over the highest branch, so make all the roosts the same height. This is one area that your hens will enjoy their room, so make certain that there is sufficient room on the roosts for all your chickens. This will avoid major fights and help promote a calm environment. Heads up!; Do not put your nesting boxes or any other accessories underneath your roosts! Birds do most of their pooing while they sleep - and I don't know about you, but I wouldn't be that keen on producing an egg in a dirty nesting box! Feeders and Waterers; These are as self explanatory as they sound. there are a great assortment of mechanical systems around that will ensure that your flock have a set amount of fresh food and water. Sand Baths; Sand Baths are pretty well the only indulgent item' in the house. Most people put sand in the bottom when they build chicken coop runs - which doubles as flooring as well. Heaters; If you live in really cold areas then these could be installed in your house with comparative ease. There are various heaters to be had, but many also create a huge fire hazard so installing a heater in your pen should really only be done if totally necessary.
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So you have sorted out the basics of building a hen house, but have you remembered to accessorize? Your girls will soon get antsy if they move into their new home and find that you have forgotten to build chicken coop accessories for them!
Fortunately there are a great assortment of designs available for when you want to build chicken coop accessories that contain all the essentials with easy peasy step by step instructions. In fact it is so stress-free I bet it even makes your neighbors green-eyed and your eggs taste better! Click here for the best advice on building chicken coops that really work
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