Are you looking to build a chicken coop? Worried about your technical skills? Unsure of where to start? Limited by cash? It's okay, believe it or not most people that choose to rear chickens felt exactly the same when they started! Here are a few ideas that will give you enough information to let you get started and avoid some common mistakes that could easily turn your project into a nightmare!. Tip 1 - Appearance: It may appear basic, but scores of people go and build a chicken coop without thinking of the end result and how it will look! If the plan that you are working from does not contain a picture then do a rough sketch based on the dimensions in the plan. If you were designing your own hen house the same would apply. Draw it first and then work your way back from there. Planning the color scheme for the outside of the finished coop is also a great idea, lime green may sound great as a main color but you neighbors may get a bit antsy if it is blocking their view! Tip 2 - Design: The design of your coop will be the principal thing to whether you enjoy raising chooks and whether you get loads of fresh eggs on a regular basis. When you build a chicken coop keep in mind that the whole thing should be kept as basic as possible. If the eggs are tricky to collect because the doors open the wrong way or are too heavy, if the pen is difficult or too fussy to scrub, if your hens do not have an adequate amount of light, air, roosts, nests or cannot easily get to their food and water then you are heading for a disaster. Some clear-cut measures to combat problems include; * sloping the floor slightly to lessen puddling, * ensuring that the coop doors open outwards, * . Tip 3 - Safety: Your chickens will want protection in two ways when you build a chicken coop 1. protection from the climate 2. protection from predators Protection from the climate. The coop itself will be weather-proof but have you considered the run? If you have a run then covering it is unquestionably a terrific idea as this will serve as a shield from the elements and other animals. Hens perform their best when they have a house that is kept at a consistently comfortable temperature. Aeration is in but drafts are definitely out, so ensure that the windows and ventilation holes are placed where they offer the most air with the least draft. Insulating the house is also a terrific idea as this will help keep it cool in summer as well as warm in winter. Protection from other animals. There are many predators both wild and domestic that would love to have your chickens for dinner so bare in mind the security of your chickens when you build a chicken coop. Other defense tips like placing a wire screen over the coop windows and doors, putting lockable doors on the house, digging your run fence into the ground and covering your run are easy steps that you can take. Tip 4 - Location: The next most important issue when you build a chicken coop is where you position it. Ideally the spot should be in the open, on free draining country, if at all possible on a small mound, and placed so that it gets the greatest sunlight with the minimum draft. It doesn't matter how good-looking the position that you pick is, if you build a chicken coop in a basin, underneath trees and where it catches the most wind and least light then your girls will not be happy. Tip 5 - Get Well-informed There are a lot of people who have wasted thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours just attempting to build a chicken coop. Depending on which article you read the normal American is likely to spend anywhere between $250 - $500 building their own chook enclosure. The absolute shame is that according to the numerous chook farming forums on-line a lot of of these people are still not 100% pleased with their pen and battle with it on a day after day. A good design will involve ample light and air in your hutch. It will be cozy for your hens to lay in and trouble-free for you to keep up, scrub and collect the eggs from. It will also point out areas where you can save money on equipment. Scores of people that build a chicken coop do so by 'trial and error', they squander both time and money by putting together first and fixing up the blunders later on, but by having the right plan when putting together your poultry enclosure you will cut down the process and make certain that you get it right first time - saving you both time and money.
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Don't fall into the traps that many new chicken farmers do when they build a chicken coop. By following a few simple rules you'll avoid these pitfalls and soon be gathering those fresh eggs, saving yourself money and loving the whole experience!
Fortunately there are a great selection of plans available for when you want to build a chicken coop that contains all the essentials with easy peasy step by step instructions. Click Here to find out how to make building a chicken house a breeze - In fact I bet it even makes your neighbors jealous and your eggs taste better!
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