Stylish Chicken Hutches for Chic Chickens

Chicken hutches are a very important part of chicken coops and runs. They are basically where your chickens are going to live, mate and lay eggs. Without them, your chickens are going to be exposed to the elements, and not be comfortable, and may even get sick. There are some basic necessities that every chicken's home should have. They need to be comfortable enough for the number of chickens you are raising. They need to be well ventilated, but warm as well, especially for those that live in colder climates. Just like your own home, they can get messy, and since they don't have a bathroom, they can be even messier. In order to be able to clean out their hutch, collect eggs and check on them, their home needs to be able to open up wide to make these problems easier to deal with.

While these are the basics of what chicken hutches do, it doesn't mean they have to be boring. You can really make just about any kind of home for your feather friends, as long as they include their basic needs. You can build just about any kind of home you want for them, and even add as many decorative touches as your heart desires. You can put little shutters on their windows, little doors, and just about anything else you can think of. You can make your chicken coops and runs look like your own home, or even a real Ark, because some even call a portable chicken home an ark.

Before you go all crazy with your chicken hutches, there are some things you should be cautious about. One of these is using paint. Because your chickens are always going to be pecking around and scratching, you need to make sure that the paint and sealant you use isn't going to harm them. If you decide to make any attachments, like shutters, doors and other decorations, they need to be well secured to the building itself, with no chance of them getting beat up by your birds. These decorations need to be out of the way of any doors or windows, so your chickens have easy access to their home. You can set up your chicken coops and runs just about any way you want them, and as abstract as your own tastes desire. If you are not sure about what kinds of additions you want for your chicken hutches, there are an abundance of DIY websites available to help you find ideas for your own.

There are also plenty of people out there who are so proud of their own chicken houses that they just can't help but show them off to the world, putting pictures of their coops on the internet for all to see. You can use some of these ideas as inspiration for your own.

The nice thing about using the internet is that you get to look at so many different kinds of chicken coops and runs that you won't have any problems finding ideas for your own. Even if you are a newbie when it comes to raising chickens, there are DIY websites with complete plans, and even kits. Many of these sites have not just one plan or design, but many different ones to choose from. These have their own blueprints, step-by-step instructions, and complete lists of the materials and tools you will need to put together your own chicken hutches.

The important thing to understand is that your chickens don't have to live in some mundane, run of the mill, unattractive chicken hutches you need to hide somewhere; they can be as chic as you like them to be. Just remember, the chickens themselves really don't care if they live in a mansion, a mobile home, or a shanty, as long as they have their basic needs fulfilled. They are more concerned with eating, being well cared for, and of course, going to the bathroom and laying eggs. These decorations are more for your benefit, so when you look out your window, or go out to take care of them, your chicken coops and runs are fun for you to look at. Raising chickens is supposed to be fun, so why not add a little glamor to the whole process?

Chris and Leslie Hardenbrook have chickens in their backyard on the Big Island of Hawai'i. Learn how to raise your own egg-laying hens and build stylish hutches from step-by-step backyard chicken coop plans, just visit their blog at www.echickencoopsandruns.com and see what the urban chicken movement is all about.