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How to build a chicken coop

7 easy steps how to build a chicken coop.

Have a desire and want to know how to build a chicken coop? If so follow our steps to build ”dream house” for your chickens. Furthermore, you can read throughout these instructions.

1. Define your purpose

Define your purpose
via SmartGoals

Do you want to have fresh eggs each day? Produced by your own chickens in your own backyard!

You live in a quiet neighborhood and have free space in your backyard? This is the perfect purpose for you to start breeding chickens.

How to build a chicken coop?

Firstly, you need to know how many chickens you want to keep. If you want to keep 10 chickens, you need to know that you will need a coop with 40 sg. ft. dimension. It’s always better to have a bigger coop.

Before you begin building a chicken coop, the very first thing to do is survey the area where you plan to put the chicken coop. Decide whether what you plan to build will be portable (movable), semi-permanent or fixed.

 


 2. Clear chicken coop plan to follow

Regardless of the type of backyard chicken coop you will build for your chickens, you have to make sure that you provide them with the best available comfort, cleanliness and security since this is where your flock will sleep and lay their eggs.

This is where your chickens will eat and sleep. Your coop will also need to keep them safe from potential predators. It is possible to buy a pre-made chicken coop and that is a good option for you if you have the money and don’t have the time to build one on your own.

via Wikipedia
via Wikipedia

3. Are Chickens Allowed in Your Neighborhood?

An important aspect of chicken raising is to determine if it is allowed in your locality as not all towns do. Check your local regulations and ordinances regarding backyard chicken raising as it may be necessary for you to secure the necessary health or zoning permit since what you plan to do is not on a commercial level anyway.

Do your homework in order to avoid unwelcome surprise visits from town hall officials.


4. How Much Would It Cost?

via Wikipedia
via Wikipedia

The initial investment in constructing the chicken coop, feed supplies, cost of the birds, and maintenance may reach a significant amount of money but in the long run, when they start laying fresh eggs and you already benefit from their poultry meat, the upfront cost becomes negligible.

This does not include yet the fact that your flock provides you with more fertile garden soil and that they keep farm pests at bay and your grass trimmed!


5. Waterers and Feeders

via Amazon
via Amazon

Your baby chicks will need water right away as soon as you’ve put them in their new home. Observe them carefully and make sure that they find where the waterer is. You can teach your baby chicks to drink from the waterer by gently dipping their beaks in the water.

It is not recommended to use just any water container for your baby chicks. For best results, health reasons and safety, it is best to use a chick waterer. Using an open container like a dish or bowl would just invite the chicks to wade in the water which can be a cause of drowning. They will certainly enjoy playing in it, making it dirty which means you need to change it constantly during the day.

The most common question of newbies is how much food they should give their birds. The answer: as much as they want! Give your chickens 24/7 access to all the food they can eat since they can regulate themselves, unlike other pets.

Buying chicken feed is pretty straightforward. Feed suppliers manufacture special baby chicks feed complete with everything they need. If you have had your baby chicks vaccinated against Coccidiosis, they you have to give them un-medicated feed. If not, or if they have only been vaccinated for Marek’s Disease, medicated feed is the surest way to keep them healthy during the first few months.

You can also give your baby chicks food scraps, worms, bugs including small amounts of vegetable and dairy. Do this only as a treat and not on a regular basis. They need all the nutrients they can get from the starter feed and giving them treats can jeopardize their health and nutritional balance.

 


6. Buying Construction Materials

Getting the right materials is very important for your chicken coop. Don’t make a fast buy, read our list of suggestions.

  1. Choose wood that is bigger or longer than the actual dimensions specified (you need to sand them clean yet) which means they’ll become a little bit smaller.
  2. Choose lumber that you can cut in half to make two equal pieces of the same length.
  3. Don’t worry about the cracks in the wood, the age of the wood guarantees that they are dry and will not split.
  4. Buy as much as you need that are available in the second-hand shop, you’ll discover what a bargain (not to mention fun) it is to build your backyard chicken coop.
via Wikipedia
via Wikipedia

7. Get ready to start

Now the real fun begins!

Don’t forget your notes, chicken coop plan, measuring tape, sander, power saw, workbench, face mask and leather gloves. It pays to be safe whenever you work with tools – electric or not!

Once you have your plan and your materials you can start to build your backyard chicken coop. Follow your plan details and make sure that everything is secure.

It’s not difficult to build a chicken coop although it may take a long time if you have not done any carpentry work in a long time it is definitely exciting and fun, especially when the chicken coop begins to take shape!

  • Clean all the pieces of wood that you will use making doubly sure that there are no more nails on them.
  • If necessary, sand them down with your electric sander so you will have a smooth surface for all the wood you will use.
  • Cut them to size based on the dimensions provided on your chicken coop plan details.
  • Join the bottom frames first, then the side frames and supporting frames.

There is one very important thing that can influence the quality of the eggs and the mood of the hen – the coop. The quality of the chicken coop is crucial for you if you are serious about breeding chicken so i highly recommend that you (invest in this manual). This manual helped me and many other people to make chicken breeding easier and more simple.