Considerations in Chicken Coop Design

There is a new trend these days, and it's not owning mini-dogs

, or wearing the latest horrible fashionit is having backyard chickens. Fresh eggs, weed control, and the best fertilizer for gardens are just some of the reasons why this is a practice worth picking up. However, if you are going to raise chickens, you will first need a chicken coop. A coop is basically a house for your chickens. It usually contains boxes for them to get cozy and lay eggs in as well as perches for them to relax and sleep on. There are usually two schools of thought on these; one is that of open housing, the other is closed housing. The open housing usually springs from the idea that the chickens get ill when "cooped" up and thus their pens are mostly made of wiring and very little covering. The closed housing is just the opposite; it is believed that protection from the elements is required for healthy birds and thus these pens are closed in with large doors and much protection. Only you can figure out what type of backyard chicken coop works best for you and your birds.

Most backyard coops are very tiny and usually made from chicken wire and scrap wood or metal, though some can be more elaborate. For most people, the first coop requires only the minimum: chicken wire, wood, fencing pliers, a hammer, and nails. You also need to consider what you will use for nesting boxes, as well as how you will be keeping your chickens warm in the colder months.

Before you begin, it is wise to select a chicken coop design, and get building plans either online or from a book; this tends to produce better results than just "winging" it. Know the number of chickens you are buying so that you can determine the size of the coop. There is nothing worse than spending your time making a coop only to find out it is too small to accommodate all your birds.

You will also need to figure out whether you want a permanent coop or a movable chicken coop, which is also know as a chicken tractor. Other things to consider include the flow of air, the accessibility to water and, of course, water drainage to avoid pollution and spreading disease to the eggs. There is a lot to think over when you make the choice to raise chickens in your backyard.

Before you give up and "fly the coop" on this whole chicken owning idea, know that you can also buy pre-made coops. There are small coops designed for more urbanized areas that are relatively inexpensive. A lot of these designs incorporate the coop with the chicken run which allows your bird to enjoy bug hunting in relative safety.

Whether you decide to build or buy your chicken coop, taking the extra time to decide what will make for happy healthy chickens is sure to pay off. You will soon be one of the masses discovering just how fun it is to raise chickens.

Considerations in Chicken Coop Design

By: Paul Cernay

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