As you design your chicken coop you will have to make sure that the chicken coop you plan to build will have all the elements that will keep your chickens alive and happy. When your building your chicken coop based on a professional coop plan you usually don't have to worry but some chicken coop plans dont include everything and you might be deciding to design your very own chicken coop.
When your designing a chicken coop the most important thing is to make sure that you will have enough room for the size of the flock you intend to own. How much room your supposed to have in your chicken coop per chicken will vary depending on kinds of chickens are in your coop. For smaller bantam chickens all your going to need is 1 foot of space in the coop and 4 feet in the chicken run (minimal). Though you will probably have bigger layer hens or just regular chickens. To accommodate these chickens you are going to need 2 square feet in the chicken coop and 8 in the chicken run (minimal).
The next step is to figure out where your going to put the chicken coop. Its best to put it away from sprinklers or where rain puddles form. This is because chickens don't like damp places.
Now that you have found your spot its time to talk about what your coop will need. First of all it will need lighting. The reason for this is lighting triggers hens to lay there eggs more often. Its better to get natural lighting however artificial light will also help. In order to get the most natural light get a window facing south.
Next you will need to provide space for your roost. A roost is the place where chickens sleep at night. It is instinctual for chickens to sleep above the ground, this is why your roost should be at least 36 inches off the ground. Try to get the majority of the roost as one floor without one roost being on top of another.
Now you have to consider ventilation. Ventilation is important because chickens give off a type of feces which has incredibly high amounts of ammonia which if the air becomes stagnant then the ammonia buildup will be bad for the chickens health. In order to keep this from happening you need to have ventilation. You can do this by just opening up the window you put in on the south side. Also you might want to put another window on the east side of the coop as well. I always put up a screen so that predators can't get through the window. You should keep this open even in winter. If you need to increase heat in winter install a heater.
Nesting Boxes are where a hen actually lays their eggs. The nesting box should have a comfy inside as hens prefer to lay there eggs on soft ground. I wouldn't suggest straw since hens often mess with the straw and peck at it. I always put down a soft mat and staple it down. Also you don't have to, but you should have a slanted roof on the nesting box's.
When your designing a chicken coop the most important thing is to make sure that you will have enough room for the size of the flock you intend to own. How much room your supposed to have in your chicken coop per chicken will vary depending on kinds of chickens are in your coop. For smaller bantam chickens all your going to need is 1 foot of space in the coop and 4 feet in the chicken run (minimal). Though you will probably have bigger layer hens or just regular chickens. To accommodate these chickens you are going to need 2 square feet in the chicken coop and 8 in the chicken run (minimal).
The next step is to figure out where your going to put the chicken coop. Its best to put it away from sprinklers or where rain puddles form. This is because chickens don't like damp places.
Now that you have found your spot its time to talk about what your coop will need. First of all it will need lighting. The reason for this is lighting triggers hens to lay there eggs more often. Its better to get natural lighting however artificial light will also help. In order to get the most natural light get a window facing south.
Next you will need to provide space for your roost. A roost is the place where chickens sleep at night. It is instinctual for chickens to sleep above the ground, this is why your roost should be at least 36 inches off the ground. Try to get the majority of the roost as one floor without one roost being on top of another.
Now you have to consider ventilation. Ventilation is important because chickens give off a type of feces which has incredibly high amounts of ammonia which if the air becomes stagnant then the ammonia buildup will be bad for the chickens health. In order to keep this from happening you need to have ventilation. You can do this by just opening up the window you put in on the south side. Also you might want to put another window on the east side of the coop as well. I always put up a screen so that predators can't get through the window. You should keep this open even in winter. If you need to increase heat in winter install a heater.
Nesting Boxes are where a hen actually lays their eggs. The nesting box should have a comfy inside as hens prefer to lay there eggs on soft ground. I wouldn't suggest straw since hens often mess with the straw and peck at it. I always put down a soft mat and staple it down. Also you don't have to, but you should have a slanted roof on the nesting box's.
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Want to find out more about Building A Chicken Coop, then visit David Daffae's site on how to choose the best Chicken Hutch Plans for your needs.
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