Build A Stylish Chicken Coop
Build A Stylish Chicken Coop
Just because you want to build a chicken coop at home, it doesn’t mean that it can’t be attractive and stylish. All it takes is a bit of creative thought, and perhaps some good quality blueprints. This article provides some pre-construction information on homemade chicken coops.
The 5 Pre-Construction Essentials
Before you get into any DIY chicken coop job, you need to think about a few things. It’s important to take a systematic approach, as you don’t want to make any mistakes that can cause big problems later on.
1) Work out how big of a coop you require. Depending on the breed of chicken that you’re going to keep, a single bird requires about 4 square feet to maintain good health. When chickens are trapped in small places they may get stressed and stop laying eggs. Choose between a small/portable coop, a mid-sized box coop, or a large, premium-style coop with a chicken run.
2) Decide on a position for your coop. If you want to build only a small/portable coop, this won’t matter too much, but for larger, non-movable coops it will. Ensure that your coop position makes the most of the morning sun. Chickens use it to tell the time, and may get into erratic laying patterns if not positioned correctly.
3) Work out what the best flooring material is for your coop. Depending on weather conditions, you might like to use either sawdust, sand, or straw. Each has it’s own advantages and disadvantages, and it pays to do some research before you decide on one or another.
4) Determine what kind of predators lurk in your location. Foxes, snakes, and wolves are just a few creatures that like to attack and devour defenceless chickens. Install adequate security protection into your coop to prevent attacks from these types of predators.
5) When you’ve built your coop, make sure that there is at least some vegetation inside. Chickens living in purely artificial surroundings are not happy. A few vines here and there should be adequate.
By: Steve Kennett
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