Keeping Chickens - 5 Considerations for Building a Chicken Coop

Ok so you have decided that you are going to raise chickens, so now its time to build them a home. But where do you start? Should you buy a ready made coop or can you build your own? How big should be? What should it be made of and what should it contain inside? These are the questions are asked by everyone when they first consider Keeping chickens. Let's explore some answers.

The Location of the Coop

You need to find an ideal position to locate your coop. If you live in a particularly warn or cold climate then you might want to place the coop in an area that is shaded and protected somewhat from the elements. It's vital that the position of the coop allows you to have easy access to both collect the eggs and clean the coop. If the coop can be built on concrete, that will help to avoid predictors coming up through the ground. The chicken run should ideally be made of soft ground or grass. The location should allow you the ability to fence off the coop and run so that your chickens are protected from predators and also have somewhere to go when you don't them roaming in your back yard!

The Size of the Coop and Run

When considering the size of the coop you might want to build it bigger than necessary as this allows for expansion as you might find that keeping chickens is fun and want even more! Each chicken they should have around 2 square foot of space inside the coop. The run should allow for 3-4 square foot per chicken.

Materials
The coop must always be dry, warm and yet well ventilated. It is possible to eco-friendly and use recycled materials, just make sure that your materials are of good quality and that your coop is sturdy and built to last. It must protect your chickens from the elements while also providing good ventilation. The materials you use and the design of your coop - e.g. the number of windows etc will depend on the climate you live in. When keeping chickens in colder countries you may have large doors and slider windows, in cooler countries you might even want to add insulation. It is not advisable to make the roof form felt as mites can breed in the felt so stick to

Protection from Predators
It's imperative that you are able to fence in the coop. Using wire mesh is adequate and it should be buried at least a foot into the ground to hinder animals from burrowing under. A net over the area stops air bourn hunters from preying on your chickens. All this will provide your chickens with a safe haven free from predators. Chickens stress very easily and this can affect their egg laying, health and in worst cases, can result in death. The fenced area may be also be used for keeping them in when you don't want them roaming in your back yard! Furthermore it's ideal if you can build the coop off the ground as this provides further protection.

Inside the Coop
When keeping chickens it's important that you also consider the layout of the inside of the coop. You should allow ample space for roost / perch. The perch should be at least 10 inches off the ground and around 2 inches thick. Allow about 10 inches roosting space per chicken. Nesting boxes provide a convenient holder for your chickens eggs. By providing this area the eggs should not covered with their droppings. When chickens perch they will poo so by not providing a perch in the nesting box you should have nice clean uncontaminated eggs! A nesting box is usually 1 foot wide, tall and deep. This size will hold 3 - 5 hens. It should be lined with materials such as straw or shredded paper. Again make sure you can easily access the eggs in the nesting boxes. A slanting floor in the coop will allow for drainage.

Keeping chickens is quite easy and indeed a lot of fun especially if you have a young family. With careful planning and consideration from the start you will benefit many times over from having very happy, healthy and productive birds!

For easy to follow instructions on building a coop plus loads of secrets, tips and tricks on keeping chickens visit http://www.chickendiyguides.com