Thinking about keeping some chickens in your backyard? Well then you are going to need a chicken coop.
Here's a short guide on how to build a chicken coop for beginners.
One thing to bear in mind when building a chicken coop is the space.
More extra space the birds have the better.
Chickens with additional space perform better than those kept in small cages.
A rule of thumb is to give two to three square feet of room per chicken.
Make sure the coop is adequately ventilated.
Put vents on both the east and south sides of the coop.
It will supply adequate air flow and also protection from cold.
If you live in a hotter climate area you may need to place the vents on the north and south sides where the roof meets the walls.
This is necessary to keep the chickens from over heating in the summertime and freezing in the wintertime.
Putting 1.
5 inches of plastic between the walls and ceiling should do the job.
Place some tin foil atop the roof during summertime to reflect the sunlight and lessen the heat.
You could also paint the walls white as it soaks up less heat.
In the wintertime you can stack hay bales round the north wall of the coop.
It can help keep rats away.
Predators may try and dig under the coop to get in.
This could be countered by employing a concrete floor.
This may be costly but dust and wooden floors are less secure against attackers.
If you do not have the money for concrete, wood is a smarter choice than mud.
Also you'll need to install a roost for the birds to sleep on.
Its crucial to make them the proper size because if they are too large or not enough the birds will not be ready to grasp it well.
Also guarantee there's sufficient space for all the chickens on the roost.
If you plan on letting your hens lay eggs you are going to need nests.
A nest should be around 12x15 inches long and 13 inches deep.
You need to provide litter or another soft material to keep the eggs from cracking.
To get the hens used to nesting in the boxes, put them on the floor for the 1st two weeks then move them up seventeen to nineteen inches.
To make them lay their eggs in the nests, ensure the nests are in a dark area away from the main activity of the coop.
The most important factor here is to make certain you have sufficient room for all of your chickens as the chickens on the bottom end of the pecking order will get pushed away if there's not sufficient space.
The very last thing your coop is going to want is a door.
In reality, it should basically have 2 doors, one for humans and another little door for chickens.
The human door should be massive enough so you can carry in supplies such as feed.
The chicken door should be around ten inches in width and thirteen inches tall.
If your coop is high enough off the ground you could need to construct a ramp from the chicken door to the floor.
To learn more about how to build a chicken coop for beginners, please check out these additional tips.
Here's a short guide on how to build a chicken coop for beginners.
One thing to bear in mind when building a chicken coop is the space.
More extra space the birds have the better.
Chickens with additional space perform better than those kept in small cages.
A rule of thumb is to give two to three square feet of room per chicken.
Make sure the coop is adequately ventilated.
Put vents on both the east and south sides of the coop.
It will supply adequate air flow and also protection from cold.
If you live in a hotter climate area you may need to place the vents on the north and south sides where the roof meets the walls.
This is necessary to keep the chickens from over heating in the summertime and freezing in the wintertime.
Putting 1.
5 inches of plastic between the walls and ceiling should do the job.
Place some tin foil atop the roof during summertime to reflect the sunlight and lessen the heat.
You could also paint the walls white as it soaks up less heat.
In the wintertime you can stack hay bales round the north wall of the coop.
It can help keep rats away.
Predators may try and dig under the coop to get in.
This could be countered by employing a concrete floor.
This may be costly but dust and wooden floors are less secure against attackers.
If you do not have the money for concrete, wood is a smarter choice than mud.
Also you'll need to install a roost for the birds to sleep on.
Its crucial to make them the proper size because if they are too large or not enough the birds will not be ready to grasp it well.
Also guarantee there's sufficient space for all the chickens on the roost.
If you plan on letting your hens lay eggs you are going to need nests.
A nest should be around 12x15 inches long and 13 inches deep.
You need to provide litter or another soft material to keep the eggs from cracking.
To get the hens used to nesting in the boxes, put them on the floor for the 1st two weeks then move them up seventeen to nineteen inches.
To make them lay their eggs in the nests, ensure the nests are in a dark area away from the main activity of the coop.
The most important factor here is to make certain you have sufficient room for all of your chickens as the chickens on the bottom end of the pecking order will get pushed away if there's not sufficient space.
The very last thing your coop is going to want is a door.
In reality, it should basically have 2 doors, one for humans and another little door for chickens.
The human door should be massive enough so you can carry in supplies such as feed.
The chicken door should be around ten inches in width and thirteen inches tall.
If your coop is high enough off the ground you could need to construct a ramp from the chicken door to the floor.
To learn more about how to build a chicken coop for beginners, please check out these additional tips.
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