Building Chicken Coops The Things You Need To Know

By: Adam Jenkins on 19/11/2009

If you have relatives in the countryside then you probably know that the eggs made of the poultry raised in your own yard are significantly more tasteful than the ones bought from the supermarkets. Not to mention that they have a higher and more consistent nutritional value. If you are lucky enough to own a house with yard, your luck also extends to the privilege of feeding your family with fresh eggs every day. This is possible by raising poultry in your yard and building chicken coops.

In farms, building sheds for the poultry has even turned into a hobby. This is how many of the coops are real houses in miniature for the eggs producers and providers. You also can become an architect for the chickens you raise, if you have a passion for farming and poultry. Anyhow, for a coop to fill its basic functions it will need nests, feeders, waterers and roosts where the chickens can rest. Furthermore, if you have more time available for the building chicken coops activity and are open for a higher investment, you can endow them with more complex ventilation, heat generating and light systems.
Here are some of the main aspects you should keep in mind when you are building a shed for your poultry:

The size of the coops should be adjusted to the number of chickens they are going to shelter, to the breed the poultry belongs to, the sizes they will reach when they will mature. As a general principle, keep in mind that for a chicken to feel comfortable, it will need 2-3 square meters for itself.

Ventilation is an important issue to take into account when you are building chicken coops. Your chicken will need fresh air permanently. Make sure that the coop is not a place with air draft, as this can be fatal for the poultry.

Just like ventilation, insulation is also crucial for the chickens' well being. A perfectly isolated coop will keep the poultry warm during the cold season and cold during hot summers. Use foam between the walls and the ceiling when you are building chicken coops, in order to insure the right temperatures for your poultry shelter.

Your chickens need to be protected from vermin, pests or rodents. In order to insure this protection, pay attention to covering any hole in the walls, doors or floors. The coop is also supposed to protect the poultry from bigger animals like foxes, cats or ferrets. Build the coop solid enough for it to resist any attempt of these animals to destroy it or getting in.

The nests should be one of the priorities when you are building chicken coops. They have to be deep enough to allow the chicken have a comfortable laying eggs process. Also, the backside of the nest should be made of soft material, in order for the egg shell not to crack. When you just finished building the coop and put the poultry inside, it would be a great idea to display the nest boxes for them on the ground. This way, you will allow them time to get familiar to the nests and the new home.

Building chicken coops can be a once in a lifetime activity or it can develop into a hobby if you are a farmer or enjoy dedicating time to farming activities. Whatever the case might be for you, make sure you have taken into account all the aspects related to the poultry's comfort and well being, as the quality of eggs depends on them.

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