subject: Yes, I want Chickens. So How do I Build a Chicken Coop? [print this page] Yes, I want ChickensYes, I want Chickens. So How do I Build a Chicken Coop?
So you have made the decision to keep chickens and are probably wondering what do you do next? First up, you need to make these three decisions.
Decide how many chickens you wish to keep
Find the best location for your chicken coop
Decide whether you will buy or build.
Once you have made these, you will be ready to raise your chickens.
The number of chickens you wish to keep will depend on how big your backyard is and how many eggs you wish to have each day. If you have a small family of four, four chickens will be sufficient. I generally recommend one chicken per person based on 1 egg a day. This will of course depend on how you are planning on using all your eggs. If you cook a lot, or like to have eggs for breakfast each day, you may need a couple more chickens. If you have the room, you could also have a couple of extra chickens so that you can give eggs away to your neighbours.
Make sure the number of chickens you have does not exceed the space you have in your backyard, chickens like to be comfortable and have plenty of room to run around. Nor do you want to annoy your neighbours if they live close with a large number of chickens running around. The number of hens you will be raising will dictate the size of the chicken coop and chicken run that you will need.
Having decided on the number of chickens you wish to raise, you will need to find the best location for your chicken coop. If you have a small backyard, you will need a small chicken coop and you may find a portable coop will be best. If you live on a farm you may prefer to have a larger chicken coop and let the chickens roam free during the day and roost in the coop at night.
Make sure you take into account your environment and climate as if you are in an area that floods a lot, you will need to keep the chicken coop raised, or if it's particularly windy your coop will need to be secured down. The location of your chicken coop should also avoid predators as much as possible to protect your hens.
Once you have found the best location for your coop, decide whether to build or buy. If you enjoy a good project, there are plenty of chicken coop plans and designs available on the Internet. This can be very rewarding and enables you to build a customized chicken coop that specifically meets your environment and chicken requirements. Buying a Chicken Coop can be more expensive; however once you have made the decision to raise chickens, buying a chicken coop will get you started very quickly.
