It's important to look at your chicken house plans critically, as the design and construction of your chicken coop will directly impact the safety and comfort of your chickens, which will in turn directly impact the quality of eggs you'll get from them.
So how can you ensure your chicken coop is built to do its job effectively? There are a few ways.
Firstly, try and build your coop on a high point.
You don't want your coop to be in a low area because drainage will cause dampness in and around the coop, which will make it an uncomfortable place for the chickens to live.
Chickens, like people, don't want to be cold or wet all the time, so building in a high place will help keep the dampness away.
Secondly, it's important to keep your chickens warm.
An easy way to do this naturally is to build the coop somewhere that faces the sun, and place your windows facing southward to maximize the amount of light they get throughout the day (if you're in the southern hemisphere, face your windows north.
) This will give your chickens a natural light source that will help keep them warm in the cold winter months.
It's also very important to use the best materials you can, while still keeping the coop economical.
Choose materials that will be easy to clean.
The less porous the materials are, the better, as less bacteria and moisture will soak up into the structure.
Also, quality materials, like strong wire, will help keep predators out of your coop, ensuring the safety of your chickens.