Firstly, one needs to make a design on a paper and then think of what colours you will like to use. The chicken coop should not be very brightly coloured as it might distract the neighbours. You should make it aesthetically so that no one complains of it being there. Be careful of the materials you choose to make the chicken coop. choose something in which disinfecting and cleaning will become easier. Make a sloping floor so that washing becomes easier and there are no puddles.

A coop is essentially made for the protection and safety of the chickens so one of the most important tips on how to build a chicken coop is to ensure that the doors and windows have wire meshes installed or any other screening system. Make it in an area where there is not much dampness and it should face the sun so that after the rains it gets dried easily. Bury chicken wires on all sides of the coop and dig them about one foot deep to keep off predators like rats and cats also.

It is very essential to make a chicken coop which has good ventilation for the chickens in the heat and proper warmth in the winters. Provide an electrical source of light to ensure that the chickens produce great eggs throughout the year. This light will keep the coop well lit and also warm and the quality of eggs produced will also improve.

Chicken feeders and water should be conveniently placed in the coop. they have to kept in such a way that the chicken have an easy access to them. The other thing to be kept in mind while doing this is that generally chickens love to make a mess of the things that are around them because of their scratching instinct. No one will ever want that the coop is dirty all the time. One way to avoid this mess is that the chicken feeders should be kept at the height of the back of the chickens. With this they will have to eat by stretching their necks but their feet will not be able to reach their feeders and in this way they will not be able to make a mess of things. There should be sufficient clean water all throughout the day for the chickens.

With the above tips on how to build a chicken coop one can plan and make a great chicken coop for their chickens. You can save time and a lot of money when you do it yourself. Just provide the necessary features so that it is comfortable for the chickens to stay in and for you to maintain it.

Chicken tractor at finished stage:

Opening the tractor door:

Nest box being ready to be placed on tractor coop:

Nest box placed on tractor coop:

Building the frame:

Total cost of the whole project

4 pieces of 10′ corrugated roofing – $50.00
3 – 2 x 6 x 8′ for framing – $10.50
7 – 2 x 4 x 8′ – $17.50
4 – 1 x 2 x 8′ wire cleats – $3.20
1/2 sheet of 1/2″ plywood – $5.00 ($10.00 if you have to buy a full sheet)
Stucco netting – 16′ @ .18 – $3.00 [$28.00 for a full roll (150')]
1 piece of 4″ x 4″ flashing – ridge cap – $8.00
1 piece metal corner trim – $4.00
1 pair 3″ x 3″ door hinges – $3.50
2 gate latches – $2.00
misc. screws, nails, etc. – $15.00 (Will be some left over)
3 feet of 4″ PVC pipe @ .80 – feeder – $2.40 ($8.00 for a 10′ piece)
2 – 4″ PVC elbows – feeder – $5.00
1 – 4″ PVC cap – feeder – $1.50
3 gallon metal waterer – $30.00

The whole project came out to $160.60, and this is only because the coop builder decided not to spend time looking for spare parts. $160.60 is still a very good deal for a chicken coop of its size. Want to build a coop just like this? Check out how to with this guide.

– Pictures taken from Azeglin of BackYardChickens.com

Before you go to work on your chicken coop, you may want to consider the design of the chicken coop. I recommend taking out a piece of paper and pencil and begin to draw a rough sketch of what you want your chicken coop to look like. Do you want a large chicken coop, a small chicken coop, or a specially designed chicken coop? It’s also suggested to measure out your backyard and draw your chicken coop according to these dimensions. You don’t want to begin the building process and then realize that the coop may be to big for your yard.

I also recommend thinking of how the chicken coop will look on the outside. If you have neighbors nearby, they may not find a big shed in your backyard aesthetically pleasing. However, if you decorate the coop in some way or do some interesting carpenter work on it, the coop may actually draw a neighbors eye in a pleasant way. Having nice windows installed in the coop is one quick way of making your coop look beautiful.

As you consider how your chicken coop will look, check out this guide that shows you how to build a chicken coop in many different styles. The guide includes pictures and will go a long way in making sure your coop looks awesome.

Is there a connection between the cut in living expenses and rising obesity rates? Of course there is. More people have turned to the low cost of fast food as meals. While it is cheaper, fast food can be horrible for your health if eaten on a regular basis. So, what is a way to eat healthy at a low cost?

Raising your own chickens can be the answer to these problems. Chickens do not cost much to purchase, and the purchase is a one time cost because the chickens and hens will reproduce on their own giving you more chickens and hens. For meals, you can eat the eggs the chickens produce, giving you a healthy breakfast/lunch/dinner regularly. Eggs are only about 70 calories each and contain a great amount of protein. You can use the chickens feces as fertilizer and grow your own vegetable garden. You can also eat the chicken meat which also contains protein and is very healthy for you. The advantages to all of this is that the food is healthy, cheap, and organic.

However, you cannot let chickens roam wild in your backyard. They need shelter, and shelter can be provided in the form of a chicken coop. Chicken coops can be made professionally or home-made. Home-made chicken coops are essentially the same as professionally made chicken coops, cost less, and can be made with materials found around your garage. Want to raise your own chickens? Want to eat virtually free meals every day? Learn how to build chicken coops with the use of this guide.

Remember how I said chickens crave sunlight? Check out 3:42, which shows one up on the window sill basking in the sunlight. And at 3:24, check out the correct placement of the feeder, which is set at a great level.

One mistake that is commonly made is the placement of the windows in the coop. Chickens and Hens love natural light. Actually, they need natural light, and the more, the better. Studies have shown that chickens that are exposed to more natural sunlight produce more eggs. The mistake builder make is the placement of the window. It is recommended that the window be placed on the south side of the coop, so sunlight is directed into the coop regularly. Also, the window needs to be placed high up on the coop so sunlight can easily pass into and through the coop.

The other big mistake is the placement of the feeder. Some hand-made coops feature feeders that are too high up in the coop. This results in smaller chickens not being able to reach the feeder. Other coops have feeders that are too low, which will result in a mess as the chickens attempt to eat from it. Feeders should be placed about 10-15 centimeters on the ground. This measurement also depends on the height of the chickens.

Having a well designed coop will go a long way in making sure your chickens are healthy and produce great eggs. Make sure you don’t make common coop construction mistakes by checking out this guide.