Choosing chicken coop designs can be a hard decision. One of the main problems is making sure you select the correct design to suit your needs. There are many factors that can influence your decision when choosing the right plan and design including the position of your coop, what type of climate you live in and also how you will keep your chickens safe.
1)Selecting the correct plans and designs to suit your backyard
You should have a family discussion about how many chickens you are planning on keeping in your backyard. Chicken coops come in all shapes and sizes so you need to consider a few factors when deciding which size to build. The size of your chicken coop will mainly depend on how much space you have and how many chickens you want to live in it.
You should have at least six square feet of space per bird in the outside run so that your chickens have enough room. If your chickens are cooped then you need to make sure that they have a run that is big enough to allow them to range freely during the day and that is also secure.
2) Choosing the positionof your chicken coop
Choosing the position in your backyard for your chicken coop can be complicated. When choosing the right place for a semi-permanent or fixed chicken coop design you need to ensure that the chosen area has the right amount of sunlight. You also need to take into consideration the direction that the wind comes from as well as placing your coop in an area that will be safe from predators. It also needs enough sunlight in the cooler months but not too much sunlight in the middle of summer. When the summer heat does hit you need to make sure your coop has proper ventilation.
3) Keeping your chickens safe from dangers
There are many safety risks for your chickens when they are kept in your backyard. You need to protect your chickens from dangerous predators as well as from environmental risks such as the weather. If you want your chickens to survive everything that mother nature throws at them including rain, snow and heat then you must ensure you have a properly built chicken coop. Chickens need a dry environment to live in so you need to make sure the coop is in a well drained area so if it does rain it will dry out quicker. If you live in a hot climate you should find chicken coop plans that show you how to install sliding windows and doors that can be opened as required to allow your chickens to be properly ventilated.