Building a Chicken Coop - Where to Start?

The first problem that arises when building a chicken coop, is finding a structured way that you can complete the project. While they are available from retailers, they are often extremely expensive and not tailor made to fit individual requirements.

The first thing that needs to be highlighted is that when building a chicken coop, it is almost essential that you get yourself some decent plans. Without plans not only is it going to be a hard and long process, but the end result will not be the best!

Building a chicken coop requires a lot of time and dedication as well as patience, and usually costs somewhere around the $300 mark depending on your requirements when building your ideal coop.

Chicken coop plans will certainly aid the process of building your ideal chicken habitat. The last set of plans I read were extremely informative and basically provided a step by step guide and covered extra points such as ventilation to suit the climate, elevating the structure to avoid predators and the deep litter method.

One of the most beneficial things I found about reading the plans was not only did it allow me to aid a friend build one to an almost perfect standard, but it allowed us to go through the pros and cons of using certain materials. This meant we could save money in certain aspects of building, which left us with cash to spare when needing to pay for more expensive materials for aspects of building a chicken coop that really needed it.

I have written a few more in depth articles on the website listed below and I also have a link to the chicken coop plans I used there.

Poultry Pages for all the latest poultry information including Chicken Coop Plans, breeding information and books.

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How to Build a Chicken Coop - 6 Excellent Tips to Help You in Building a Chicken Coop

If you have some space in your backyard you can learn how to build a chicken coop. This will help having fresh eggs every day. These eggs will be much better compared to what you may be buying from grocery stores in terms of nutrition and taste.

Building a chicken coop on your own will save some money and you may be able to use some material that you may be having. Plus you can decide the exact design you want for your chicken house.

This project will however require some good planning. Here are some guidelines you can use to build a chicken house:

1) To make the chickens comfortable you need to provide them enough space. A space of around 2 to 3 square feet of room per chicken is a good practice.

2) Proper ventilation in the house will prevent build up of toxic fumes. Having vents on the south and east sides of coop will provide good air flow and protect the hens from cold drafts. If you live in a warm place have these vents on north and south sides. Proper ventilation will keep the chickens happy.

3) When you build a chicken coop, proper insulation for the chicken house will prevent it from heating during summers and freezing during winters. Putting a layer of foam between the walls and ceiling should do the job. Painting the coop with white paint during summers will help in reflecting heat. During winters you can have hay bales around the north wall of the house.

4) Another important factor to build chicken coop is protecting the chickens from animals and predators. Having a concrete floor would be the best. However this can be expensive. Another way is to put a chicken wire one foot below the ground in the house run. This will prevent animals from burrowing underground.

5) You will need to have a roost for the birds to sleep well. This should ideally be made of good smooth wood. When building the roost keep the number of chickens in mind so that you don't build it too small or too big.

6) For the chicken to lay eggs you will require nests in a dark place. For protecting the eggs this will be an important factor while building a chicken coop. Nests should be around 15 x 15 inches in area and 12 inches deep. Placement of the nests in terms of height will also be important.

Do you know that a good chicken coop plan can cut your time and effort by half and also save you a lot of money on building material? To learn how to build a chicken coop that delivers maximum benefits without investing a huge amount of money and effort - Click here

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5 Tips For Building the Perfect Chicken Coop

The most expensive aspect of raising chickens is the chicken coop. However, you can save money by building your own provided that your design meets the needs of your chickens. There are a number of particular issues that you need to consider before building your chicken coop and choosing the most appropriate plan for you.

1. You need to ensure that your chicken coop is the right size for the number of chickens that you intend to keep. You should allow 30 sq cm or 4.7 sq ins per bird.

2. You need to ensure sufficient ventilation to avoid your chickens getting too hot in summer and to make sure that the coop does not get too smelly. However, you do not want it too breezy either.

3. Your chicken coop should provide sufficient light for your chickens, so you will need to ensure that you coop has a window that is angled in such a way to receive the right amount of light.

4. Your chicken coop should include nest boxes that give your chickens some privacy. Chickens like to be quiet and undisturbed while they are laying.

5. Chickens prefer to sleep on roosting bars, so you will need to provide these for your chickens. They should be slightly rounded to ensure that they are comfortable.

Your plan will need to take into account the fact that you will need to clean out the chicken coop on a regular basis, so you will need to make sure that you can get to everywhere that you need to. It particularly helps if the roosting bars are removable. If you can achieve the ideal conditions for your hens then they will remain happy, healthy and productive throughout their life with you.

In order to make sure that you have the right chicken coop for you and your chickens, make sure that you choose the right chicken coop plan.

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Chicken Coop Designs - Your Ultimate Guide

A chicken coop is a house you create for your chickens. They can be fun to make because there are a lot chicken coop designs that you can do.

A mini chicken coop design is best for people who want to raise just a few chickens. They do not require too much space in your backyard.

There are also movable or portable chicken coop designs. They are best suited for places where weather often changes. They are good in these places because they allow the owners to move the coop to safe places during bad weather.

Movable or portable chicken coops come in different designs. There are coops that can be moved manually while there are machine moved coops.

Manually moved coops are made of lightweight materials. They can have built in dollies to facilitate ease of movement. Manually moved coops are designed with these things in mind.

* They should be easy to move by hands.
* They should not injure the chickens during transfers.
* They should allow easy cleaning.
* They should be sturdy to prevent damage during moves.

Machine moved coops are usually bigger and made of heavier materials. Some designs have the coops mounted on skids while others have them mounted on wheels.

You can be very creative in building your chicken coop. You can use different materials to build one. Some designs can be done using materials like wood for the frame, chicken wires for the walls and flat steel for the roof. Other designs can be made using PVC pipes for the frame and tarp for roofs and walls.

There are a lot of chicken coop designs on the internet. You can follow them if you do not know how to design your own. But if you are good in designing, you can make your own so you can put in your personal preferences.

If you want to download step by step chicken coop plans, you should take a look at my blog - where I'll show you the best resource available for downloading fully illustrated, step by step plans for building a chicken coop. It really is easier than you think when you have the right plans! Click here to go there now.

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Build a Chicken Coop - Your Ultimate Guide

Chickens survive in the wild even without human intervention. Free ranging chickens look for their own food and shelter. But if you want to raise chickens for purposes like having eggs and meat for business or for your own household consumption, you will need to build a chicken coop.

A chicken coop is a shelter you build for your chickens. It can be very big if you have many chickens to raise or it can be small if you have only a few to take care of.

If you want to build a chicken coop, here is your ultimate guide.

1.Project the number of chickens you will have. As mentioned earlier, big coops are needed if you have many to raise. The size of the coop should be big enough to give the chickens room to run around.

2.Study your reasons for raising chickens. If you raise chickens for their eggs, you will need to design your coop with enough nests. Nest location should be carefully planned out because eggs easily break. Chickens are not conscious of where they step on so make sure that the nests are placed such that they will be protected from the hens when they move around.

3.You also need to have enough feeding and watering materials. They must be spread throughout the coop so that the chickens will not fight over food and water. They are better hung because again, chickens are not conscious of where they step on and also where they poop. You wouldn't want their droppings to mix with their food.

4.You also have to consider methods of cleaning the coop. You have to plan your coop to be built in a way that is easy to clean. You wouldn't want your neighbors complaining about bad smell. You must also have enough water to clean the area and there should also be proper drainage to avoid this.

Let these tips guide you as you build a chicken coop.

If you want to download step by step chicken coop plans, you should take a look at my blog - where I'll show you the best resource available for downloading fully illustrated, step by step plans for building a chicken coop. It really is easier than you think when you have the right plans! Click here to go there now.

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Build a Backyard Chicken Coop - Everything You Need to Know

If you are raising chickens that you allow to run around in your backyard, you may have already lost some to predators. This is already reason enough to build a backyard chicken coop. A backyard chicken coop is a shelter you build for your chickens.

A backyard chicken coop can be a fixed coop or a portable coop. If you want to have a fixed chicken coop in your backyard, you would need to select a spot where predators will be prevented from preying on your chickens or at the very least where they will have a difficult time getting near the chickens.

It would also be helpful if your fixed coop is enclosed in a fence to effectively protect the chickens from being eaten by other animals. You can also bury in the ground the chicken wire you use as fence. Burying it one or two feet will prevent predators who love to dig from getting in the coop.

A portable chicken coop can be transferred to different spots to prevent predators from having easy access on the chickens. However if you build a backyard chicken coop that is movable, you have to make sure that it is made of lightweight materials for easy movement. It also has to be made in such a way that the chickens will not be injured during moves. It is also important to make it sturdy enough to prevent being damaged during transfers.

Aside from building a chicken coop to protect them against predators, coops are also made to protect them against the effects of wind drafts. You either place it where it will not be reached by strong winds or you provide covers for protection. But there should still be proper ventilation.

Building a backyard chicken coop is easy to do if you already have experience doing some carpentry work. If not, it can be a fun way to start learning how to use a hammer to drive down nails.

If you want to download step by step chicken coop plans, you should take a look at my blog - where I'll show you the best resource available for downloading fully illustrated, step by step plans for building a chicken coop. It really is easier than you think when you have the right plans! Click here to go there now.

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Plans Are Essential When Building a Chicken Coop

Many Chicken breeders and owners choose to purchase from retailers at full price, rather than researching the subject. By doing some quick research for a friend, I quickly found that not only are chicken coops really expensive, but also that chicken coops plans are readily available, and could lead to huge savings!

The average person spends just under $300 building one, so getting hold of the right chicken coops plans and ensuring it is built the highest quality will mean that you won't be wasting the above amount of money! The good thing about most plans that can be found across the internet is that in general they allow the owner to adapt to their own requirements or to their own style, meaning you can build the structure exactly how you want it.

Many plans will suggest which materials to use, but to be honest, that's a fairly flexible subject when it comes to building a chicken coop. My research shows that people building use anything ranging from scrap wood, PVC pipes, 50 gallon barrels, tarps and so on. Most sets of plans will try to identify the best ways to save money on materials, but remember not to jeopardize the quality of your end product, as your chicken's habitat will definitely not last as long!

Remember to find chicken coop plans that offer all the essential ingredients to building a chicken coop such as nest boxes, chicken roosts, feeders and a water container. Not having space to implement the above features could be disastrous.

I have written a few more articles that go into a bit more detail on my website, so hope this helps get you started!

Poultry Pages Resource for Poultry information including Breeding and Raising Chickens, Ducks, Geese and Turkeys, Chicken Coops, Plans and books.

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Portable Chicken Coop - A Must Have

A chicken coop is a house that you build for live chickens. It can be something that is built fixed in a specific place or it can also be a portable chicken coop.

If you are planning to build a chicken coop, you have to consider different things. You have to look at the number of hens you are going to raise. You also have to study the area where you will raise them. You must know the type of weather in your place and the existence of possible predators.

A portable chicken coop is a must have if the weather in your area is forever changing. Although you can build your coop with weather proofing attachments, it is still best to have a chicken coop that's portable so you can move your chickens in safe places during adverse weather conditions.

There is a school of thought that actually believes that chickens can withstand weather changes but there are others who believe otherwise. But chickens, like other living things, can be affected by extreme conditions so it is always more prudent to be prepared in such eventualities.

It is also best to have a chicken coop that's portable if there are many predators in your place. It is good to move around the coop until you find a spot best suited to prevent predator attacks.

Portable coops should be made of light weight materials if you intend to move them manually. It should also prevent chickens from getting injured during transfers. You can have a dolly to help you move around the coop.

Machine-portable coops can be made of heavier materials. Larger coops are better moved with machines than moved manually. You can build the coop on skids or on wheels. The problem with a wheeled coop is that it can roll down even if you don't want it to if placed in an inclined surface. Skid-mounted coops do not.

Building a portable chicken coop requires great planning. You cannot just build it anyway you want it.

If you want to download step by step chicken coop blueprints, you should take a look at my blog - where I'll show you the best resource available for downloading fully illustrated, step by step plans for building a chicken coop. It really is easier than you think when you have the right plans! Click here to go there now.

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How to Build a Chicken Coop - How Much Does it Cost?

I was shocked to find the price of chicken coops on sale. Actually it took me forever to even find any decent ones for sale. There is a big gap in the market for someone to make affordable chicken coops. In the meantime the high cost persuaded me to build my own and pocket the saving. Assuming you have the basic DIY skills to put up shelves and do basic home maintenance you will easily be able to make your own chicken coop. What's more, you probably have all the nails, screws and tools you need to do the construction.

The costs really are the basic timber that you need plus some chicken wire. The other things you will need is a way to make the coop waterproof and warm. Insulation materials are not too expensive if you go to a good builders merchants. The cost can increase if you plan to have a special design or extra features such as egg collection hatches and automatic feeders.

I use timber that is prepared for external use. Decking boards are particularly useful because the are treated and are very strong. They are certainly strong enough for constructing the base of the chicken coop. They are also useful for laying out a small yard for the chickens to run in. The chicken wire can be stapled directly to the deck wood.

For the roof you can use a piece of roofing felt to make it water proof. This comes in very cheap and most merchants will sell you just what you need. In fact you can probably walk round your builders yard and get most of what you need in one trip.

The final factor in costing out your home made chicken coop is the number of chickens you have. For a modest 2 chicken coop you can probably make one up for well below $100. If you have different breed you want to keep separate then you will be looking at quite a bit more. For most home made chicken coops you should have plenty of change from $200.

For specific plans and more ideas on how to build a chicken coop there is some great info at http://howbuildachickencoop.blogspot.com/

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Your Chicken Ark - A Great Tool For Protecting Chickens

The term chicken ark is a specific term in style for a chicken coop. Another term used for this type of structure is chicken tractor. There are several types one can build but most are of an A frame style built without a floor. Most are relatively small being only 5 to 6 feet in length and only about 4 feet high. The chicken ark falls into the category of portable chicken coop. This is for the reason that they are easily moved and are without a floor. These can generally house up to 6 to 8 birds depending on species.

This type of chicken coop is the easiest to keep clean because most of the chickens are roaming free during the day, it can be sprayed down with a hose. The waste the chickens release can also be easily cleaned or if the ark is moved on a constant basis can just be absorbed into the ground. This is if the ground is not too trampled on and compacted.

For ease of movement of the ark, some are equipped with two wheels at one end. Since most are small enough to be moved by one person, the wheels make it easier to move as well as there will not be any drag marks or divots in the space from where it was resting last.

The chicken ark is most common by small chicken farms. This type of housing unit would not work for a large commercial chicken farm. For the small chicken farmer another consideration needs to be considered. This is whether the whole ark is to be covered with a roof or just part. If the whole unit is to be covered, the chickens will need to be let out to stay health and get the needed sunshine and clean air all living creatures require.

A chicken ark is best for raising small numbers of chickens for personal use.

The key thing about protecting chickens is making sure that you have an excellent chicken coop plan. For info that you need to have before you start raising chickens, visit us at http://www.buildmychickencoop.com where you learn about building a chicken coop and lots of other critical information.

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How to Build a Chicken Coop - What is the Cost Involved?

We are currently in the midst of economic turmoil. This affects every action that everyone takes. It even affects your decision on how to build a chicken coop.

Okay, so just what do you need to build that chicken coop? Well, as there are many different styles, it's hard to say "use this and use that" but for the most part, you're going to need two by fours, concrete cinder blocks chicken wire or fence wire, insulation strips, nails, screws, screwdriver and hammer. So, what's the cost of all this? Well, let's break it down as cheaply as we can.

Planks of wood, if you don't want to go out chopping wood all day, depending on the quality of the wood, will run you anywhere from $15 to $25 or more. Now, you don't want your coop to fall apart on you so I'd recommend going with a good maple for about $20. Of course that's entirely up to you.

Insulation strips are not quite as much, thank goodness. You can pick up a package of 16 strips for about $10 or so. Again, you want to get some good insulation. Chickens do NOT like being damp and wet. They don't mind the cold too much but some insulation is going to be required.

Cinder blocks are relatively cheap and can be picked up online for about $5 a block. I suggest going to a site like Home Depot or if you have one close to your home, take a drive over. That way you can check them out personally. I suggest getting blocks that are somewhat attractive. You do want this coop to look nice, right?

You can get 6 inch chicken wire from Craft Supplies for about $11. Depending on the size of your coop, you may need a few rolls of these. As for the rest of the stuff, nails, screws, etc...they're negligible in cost.

A good chicken coop will probably run you a couple of hundred bucks, again depending on the size. Check out the link in my signature below for some great building ideas.

http://www.howtobuildchickencoop.wordpress.com is a #1 rated website for people interested in building a chicken coop.

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Chicken House Plans - Getting Going

There are lots of chicken house plans out on the market and the internet. Prior to deciding on a set of plans decide what features you desire in your chicken house first. First answer the question, how many chickens do you wish to raise at once? The size of your new chicken house needs to be determined so the appropriate plans can be chosen. The next feature should be do you want a fixed structure, best for large volume chicken farms, or a portable one. Another item is do you wish to house all of your chickens in just one house or multiple houses. In today's world this is a concern since there is the avian flu and chickens can become contaminated.

After these decisions are made the list of different features need to be decided on. Some people like to go into the chicken house to collect the eggs while others like a trap door from behind. Either way a decision must be made. There is a third option, just like a pool table the eggs can go down a channel that has a slight decline for easy collection. The reason for the slight decline is so the eggs do not break.

Another feature would be whether you want a one or two story chicken house. Some people prefer a long one story row of chickens while others would prefer to stack them to save space. The area on which you are to build your chicken house can help in determining this feature. Windows will be intended for fresh air to enter the chicken house. If these are free range chickens then the windows will need to be predator proof. If the chickens will be roaming in a fenced off area that is safe from all predators then this may be unnecessary.

There are many more decisions that will need to be made but these will get you started on deciding which chicken house plans suit your needs best.

The most important thing about raising chickens is making certain that you have an excellent chicken coop plan. For information that you need to have before you start raising chickens, visit us at http://www.buildmychickencoop.com where you learn about building a chicken coop and lots of other critical information.

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Chicken Shed - Key Things You Should Know

A chicken shed is better known as a chicken coop, is easy to build but first decide what you really want. Is this structure going to be permanent? If so then what it looks may need to be factored into the design. There are designs that look like a chicken shed from out on a farm. Then there are those that wish to have one look appealing to the eye.

If the appeal is important then consider one that looks like a play house for children or even one that is just a smaller version of your own home. This will take more work and planning but they normally turn out looking very good and still be functional.

But to have a true chicken shed it must look like a shed. Just like the one used to house the lawn equipment or other items not used on a regular basis. For those that live where the snow falls then the shed should be close by a main structure so an electrical line can easily be run to it to supply the power that will be needed to keep the chickens warm over the cold winter months.

This choices can be ignored if and only if the chicken farmer decides to eat all of his livestock before the first frost. If the chickens are to last the winter they will have to stay warm so walls all need to go all the way down to the ground especial the one facing north. This will keep the north wind from creating too much of a problem. The west wall will also need to be solid because in America, most storms come from the west, especially in the Midwest regions or plains states.

The last consideration is the floor. A permanent shed should have the floor off the ground. The sides of the shed should reach the ground and not allow the air to circulate under it. This will keep the floor warmer in the winter time. Just remember to create your chicken shed to fit your needs and the chickens needs.

The most important thing about raising chickens is making certain that you have an excellent chicken coop plan. For information that you need to have before you start raising chickens, visit us at http://www.buildmychickencoop.com where you learn about building a chicken coop and lots of other critical information.

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Pet Chickens - Everything You Ought to Know

There are many good reasons to keep pet chickens around, not only do they eat the scraps from your table but the hens can provide farm fresh eggs on a daily basis. One important factor that has to be mentioned is that like other living creatures, chickens need to spend time outdoors in the sunlight.

Chickens can be amusing pets. They love to take dust baths and they do a service for your lawn also. They may possibly eat at new shoots of plants but they also scratch at the dirt and loosen it up. If you lawn has a bug problem then a chicken or chickens can do a valuable service. They love to eat bugs. After chickens are feed their daily dose of grain, they spend the rest of the day scratching at the ground looking for the little bugs that are all lawns. This is an important source of protein for their diet.

For those wanting to have a trained chicken, it is possible. They are easily trained with food as a reward. After some time of getting to know your birds, petting as well as hand feeding them is possible. Once they know you are a source of food they will happily follow you around the lawn waiting for the next hand out.

But for those who want a chicken to rest in their lap and become a true friend it would be best to raise it from a baby chic. Baby chics do need special care in that they require a fresh environment and a heat source. The clean environment means constant cleaning their waste and a heat source can be as simple as a light bulb. Four to Five week old chics are old enough to go outside and join with the rest of your flock but in those first weeks of bonding, your child can have a lifelong friend. Yes the pet chickens' life.

The most critical thing about raising chickens is making sure that you have an excellent chicken coop plan. For information that you need to have before you start raising chickens, visit us at http://www.buildmychickencoop.com where you learn about building a chicken coop and lots of other critical information.

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The Amazing Chicken Coop Plan

For anyone looking to build a chicken coop it is vital you start out right to avoid any drama after the coop is built.

Before you start telephone or visit your local council or municipality. There are regulations on chicken keeping in residential areas so make sure you look into these regulations before you start building.

Next on the list is to look for ready built chicken coop plans that you like. You will find a lot of designs on the internet, at your local library, in bookstore s amongst other places. Just come up with a few you think would be suitable.

When you find a design you like try and get a copy of the plan. You can use it for the base for your chicken coop plan.

Next, go out into the backyard and work out where you would like to place you coop. Make sure you consider the size of the area where you're going to place the coop. You will need 4 square feet per chicken, or 10 square feet if you plan on having no run.

Try and factor in:

* will the coop get enough natural sunlight
* check the ground for dampness, wetness and drainage
* Where is the nearest water outlet located for cleaning?
* Will there be any drafts
* Is the surrounding boundary or fence strong enough to keep out predators?
* If hawks or owls are a problem can you secure a net over the coop?
* Is the ground sloped or will the water pool where the coop is
* Will the coop be to close to the house or the neighbors' house?
* Will the coop fit in with the surrounding area or will it stick out and be an eye sore

There may be more so jot down any you can think of.

Next thing is to take a piece of paper and pen and sketch the inside of the coop. Try and include:

* Where the windows will go for sunlight
* Ventilation outlets
* Perches
* Feeders
* Flooring
* Lights
* Nest boxes

Then try and figure out if the location of these could cause any issues like:

* Lack of light
* Dampness
* Moisture
* Smell, carbon monoxide build up air circulation
* Feeder height to low to high
* Safety
* Protection from predators

When you have thought of all the issues that may arise and redesigned the sketch then its time to start the chicken coop plan

Before deciding on materials it's also a good idea to work out a budget and then ascertain the costs of the construction. Then do some research into the types of chickens and breeds of chicken you will like to keep.

When you work through and design your chicken coop plan the less likely it will be that you will have some major drama after the coop is erect and your chickens are settled into their new home.

We've put together a great resource for anyone wanting to build a secure chicken coop plan in less than 3 days. By following this guide you'll discover exactly what you need to do to in order to have a chicken coop in less than 3 days. You'll have a safe, secure chicken coop your chickens will love and that you'll be proud of.

You can find this plan at http://www.chickencoopplan.org

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