Building a backyard chicken coop is essential if you are raising chickens. It offers a much higher amount of eggs, it is also fun. Here are some reasons to build a chicken coop:
Free Organic Eggs!
Building a coop is far easier than many people believe.
Chickens are low maintenance pets.
Building a chicken house Supports Sustainable Living.
The chickens provide hours and hours of entertainment.
They get along with other pets.
Chickens do not smell.
Your eggs will not be weeks old before you even buy them at the grocery store. You can get the freshest eggs.
You prevent your birds from dying of a disease in a small cage.
You do not have to have a big backyard to enjoy chickens and their eggs.
They are loyal pets.
Eggs may prevent breast cancer. In one study, women who consumed at least 6 eggs per week lowered their of breast cancer by 44%. They are very clean animals.
IT IS FUN!
However, many people are confused about how to start. Some common questions are:
Can I build a backyard chicken house on my own?
Is it hard?
How much does it cost?
What about portable chicken houses?
Where can I find the building plans?
The first thing you need to know is how much space you've got to work with. If your yard is small, you probably won't be able to have a large coop, which means less chickens. If this is the case, a portable chicken coop may be a good idea. Generally, a portable coop can hold about 2 or 3 chickens.
Another thing to consider is whether or not you can build your own backyard chicken coop. Do you have any experience building projects or with building things from scratch? If so, the process will be easier for you. Still, you need to have a buildng plan. If you don't have much experience, it is still possible, but much more difficult.
You may wonder if it is expensive, or if you have the materials. It is quite expensive if you hire someone to build it for you. this can cost 300-600 dollars. However, you can build one with only a drill, screwdriver, and handsaw, and of course some wood.
A common mistake is building it too small. After all that hard work, you find that the birds don't fit. A good rule is one square foot per chicken. After determining the size, where you you build it? Build it in a high place to avoid puddling or flooding due to rain or even cleaning. One hint on this subject might be to build your chicken coop with a very slight slant in the groundas well as the roof for proper drainage. No one wants to deal with a damp, cranky chicken!