Have you decided to keep poultry at your home? You would be surprised at how many people are choosing to do this as a way of ensuring a safe food supply. But chickens need a place to stay so once you have decided to keep a flock, chicken coop building plans are your next highest priority. You can, of course, choose to purchase a pre-made coop but these can be expensive and may not meet your needs.
You may have heard about the advantages you can gain from keeping poultry. If you love the taste but hate the idea of hormone laced meat raised in less than ideal living conditions, free range chicken may be the perfect solution. Not only can you get meat and eggs from them, you will find that because you can feed them food scraps the amount of waste you are generating will also be reduced. You may also find that the birds do an excellent job of keeping insects under control around your home.
Chicken coops provide a few basic necessities for your birds. They provide shelter from the weather, allow roosting hens to lay their eggs in a private and relaxed setting and can also help shield your birds from predators. Choosing the right plans can be a critical step to ensure that your birds are productive and able to grow and lay as effectively as possible.
The location of your coop can be almost as important as the design of the structure. Keep in mind that a coop can be quite large. You should not build a smaller coop than you need because you do not have enough room in your desired location. You need to allow some space for the birds to move around outside the coop. While they will return there to sleep, you want to make sure they cannot wander off and be injured.
The size of the coop is important so you need to think about the approximate number of chickens you will keep. A good rule of thumb is to allow for approximately 4.5 square feet of space per chicken. When building nesting areas, consider that you should allow three nests for every eight birds. You also need to allow perching space and a thick layer of shavings or litter on the floor. Nine inches of perch per bird is more than adequate.
The chicken coop building plans you pick should also be well ventilated. There is a difference between insulating a coop and making it too stuffy and closed in. An airy coop can help keep the chance of disease at lower levels. Cleanliness is also key to keeping your birds healthy. You want to make sure that you can access the coop via a door in order to clean the coop fully. A door which opens inward is the most optimal choice.
If you build a coop you may be much more contented that your birds will have a safe and secure place to stay. You may find that you are able to build a better coop for less than the ones which are commercially available. Often, commercially available coops may not be suitable for smaller flocks so choosing the right homemade coop may be your only alternative.
Head online and find out how to make a chicken coop. You will be able to find many chicken coop building plans that are simple to follow. Get your chicken coop set up today. Go to http://www.chicken-coop-building-plans.com/
