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Three Steps To Building Simple Chicken Coops

2016/5/4 10:28:13

Even simple chicken coops can be a pain to build if you don't do the proper planning at the beginning. As with any project in life, you need a map, a guide or instruction to do it right.

Learning something new can be difficult, but conversely it can also be fun. Good instructions remove the fear and the complexity. Learning to build simple chicken coops is no different. And 'simple' does have its advantages. Complexity can present problems that simplicity avoids.

Once you have decided that you are going to build a backyard chicken coop then you need to decide: One - where will you locate it in your yard? There just happens to be a few guidelines about picking the right location that can make a big difference in how happy and productive your flock will be.

Choice of location is affected by the topography of your yard. Of prime importance is how well the area drains of water. You don't want your coop built in an area where water pools for even a short time. Chickens like the rest of us don't like wet feet. Good drainage is very important.

How will you use natural light to your best advantage? Egg-laying in chickens occurs on a twenty-six hour cycle and is affected by daily light patterns. Can you use those patterns to their best affect by manipulating the orientation of the coop in relation to sun? For instance what is the best direction to orient the windows? You may need to consider some artificial light augmentation.

Is there any natural protection from cold winter winds? If you live in a sub or tropical climate this is a non-issue, but for those of us in northern climes it is of some importance. Other structures in the yard can provide protection form a cold winter blast as can trees and evergreen bushes. But you don't want the coop out of sight because of the potential danger of predators raiding your coop.

Once you have covered off these concerns the next step is to determine what materials are available to build the coop from. Chicken coops are a terrific use of re-cycled materials. The most common is reclaimed wood and old windows. Some folks will want brand new on everything, which is fine but remember going this route will add to the cost. To save money--good plans cover off the use of reclaimed as well as new materials and are a great idea.

Step three--make sure you are giving the chickens enough room by building the right size coop for the number of chickens you intend to keep. This decision may depend on how many eggs you hope to harvest on a daily basis. You also want to make sure you are looking after the chickens' roosting, nesting, feeding and watering needs in a way that keeps your chickens stress free.

In conclusion the key to building simple chicken coops is to use good quality plans. Without those 'simple' goes out the window and complicated roars in!!

For more information about building simple chicken coops. Visit Jasper White's website at Chicken Coop Center.Com for generous guidance on the--planning, building, and maintenance of chicken coops.