A great way to save money when you are setting up for your chicken farming adventure is to build a backyard chicken coop. Not only will you have great eco-friendly eggs and meat readily available, but the chickens also make fantastic pets. Building the coop yourself also means that the whole family can get involved and be as creative as you like.
How do you build a backyard chicken coop?
When looking at how to build your coop you have two options – buy a prefabricated one or build one from materials that you have lying around. Most people start out by looking at backyard chicken coops that need to be assembled from a flat pack, so you are really just saving money on materials by building one all of your own. Both are much easier and straightforward taskes if you have a reliable set of hen house plans.
What skills do I need?
Although it might look challenging, building a chicken coop is a actually a very simple task. Most find that their coops are finished in a couple of days.
Here are a few things you need to think about.
Size – Often the bigger the coop is the better it is for your flock, but if you have a small section then you might prefer a smaller ark or tractor coop that you can move around your yard. It will have to be moved evry day or two, so keep this in mind when you design your coop.
Space – Hens hate to be crowded, so make sure that they have a minimum of 4 square feet per hen.
Exercise – Just like most of us chickens need exercise, so if you are not keen on your girls roaming freely around your section then make sure that you include some sort of run that they can use.
Air – You should also make sure when you build a backyard chicken coop that it has proper ventilation. Built up bird droppings can accumulate a toxic ammonia-like fume that can actually be dangerous to the birds and to you and your family.
Climate Control – Ventilation will not only minimise the odour of the chicken coop but also keep it cool in summer. Ventiliation can be a delicate balancing act as the air that goes into the coop needs to be dry. allowing damp or cold air in can cause your chickens to have real health problems.
Some sort of climate control is a great idea, whether it is extra ventiliation in summer or a heat lamp and insulation in extremely cold climates.
Elevation – For those coops that are in areas that are prone to flooding or have predators that can’t climb it is a great idea to put your coop on piles that lift it off the ground.
Protection – You also need to make sure when you build a backyard chicken coop that it protects your chooks from predators. Fully enclosing your chicken run, having closed windows and doors at night, and digging the fence at least 1 foot under the ground, will really make a difference toward keeping your flock alive.
Practicality – Finally you should always make sure that you have fresh food and water on hand for your chooks once they move into their new home! Like any pets they need to be taken care of so that they have a happy healthy life!
If this all seems daunting there are a great selection of hen house plans that are available. There are literally hundreds of designs, so finding one that suits your needs perfectly is easy.
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