Things to Keep in Mind When Designing Your Chicken Coop

If you intend to grow your own chicken in your property, you must be having a headache now thinking of the proper design for your first chicken coop. The truth is that there are plenty of chicken coop plans to find on the internet now. They even come with detailed instructions on how to build them. However, it is hard to say that the plans you see on the web or magazines would fit your particular situation because several factors influence the design of a coop and this could vary among every person. Therefore, if you are looking for the right chicken coop plans, take the following things into consideration and just improve the designs that you find to meet your particular needs.

Assess Your Property

Look at the area where you plan to build your chicken coop. Is it protected from strong winds? If not, then you should find chicken coop plans that come with a sturdy wall that faces the source of the wind. If you know that there are plenty of raccoons in your area, it is also important that the walls and floors of the chicken coop are strong enough to keep predators out. Another thing you should ask yourself is whether you plan to transfer the coop to another location later on. If so, then you should settle on a portable design so that it would be easy for you to move the coop without incurring new costs on rebuilding it.

Provisions for Your Chickens

List the things that you have to provide for your chickens. Commonly, this list should include shelter, comfort, protection, cleanliness, food, and water. With this list in hand, you now know what the chicken coop plans should be. It should be sturdy, enclosed, must be wide enough for ease of cleaning, has a designated area for the food and water, has nesting boxes for the hens, and probably a second floor where chickens could sleep at night. This must have surprised you because new chicken breeders usually think that a chicken coop is simply a box enclosure where they can hold their chickens. You should understand that if you do not provide your chicken’s basic needs, they may end up sick and undernourished. As a result, all your investment will just go to waste.

Size of the Coop

Ideally, there should be one square foot of space for each chicken. Therefore, do not even think of cramping 30 chickens in 10 square feet of space or they might suffocate and get sick. It might also affect their growth, hindering them to achieve their maximum sizes.

Know Your Budget

Cost will always be a consideration. Do not fret though if the chicken coop plans you see is way beyond your budget. There are things you can do to achieve your ideal design with your limited money. For instance, you can use recycled or reclaimed wood for the structure. Some hardware stores sell quality recycled woods for a cheap price. Just thoroughly inspect for infestations or signs of rot before buying. You can also use old chicken wires. You just need to repaint them, but make sure that the paint you use is not toxic. 

With these considerations in mind, you will be able to come up with a design that will fit your specific needs and in no time you can be on your way to breeding your first batch of chickens.