Want to know how to build your own chicken coop? Take advantage of these useful tips to maximize your hen house!
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Chicken Coop | Useful Building Tips
How to Build a Chicken Coop
When it comes to a survival situation, one of the most important factors is the food supply. More importantly, you want the food supply to be sustainable and offer good nutritional value.
For years people have been keeping animals as a way to have control over their own food supply and as a necessity for survival. Many tribes still live primarily off foraged foods and the animals they keep, allowing them to live away from large groups and find safety.
Keeping chickens is a brilliant way to have a consistent and sustainable food source, with many hens producing up to an egg each day. Eggs are full of great nutrients and natural fats that we need to survive.
You can also obviously eat the chickens should they stop laying eggs, usually around the two-year mark.
In the infographic below I’ve described some of the key features you could include in your chicken coop plans. One other thing that you may like to consider is the portability of the coop.
If you should need to bug out, some coops can be very quickly taken apart or moved.
Building a chicken coop doesn't have to be as difficult as it seems. But there are some important things that you need to remember!
1. Roosts
Chickens sleep just as much as any other animal… sometimes more! They love to sleep on a perch, so you should try and install a horizontal bar across the chicken house where they can crouch and fall asleep.
2. Nesting Boxes
Chickens require nesting boxes where they will be able to lay their eggs. These nests should have some warm insulation, such as straw.
It is suggested that you have one nesting box per three hens.
3. Food and Water
You have plenty of freedom when it comes to chicken coop designs, but many people keep their feeders off the ground. This can help prevent spillages and accidents.
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4. Insulation and Bedding
The most common bedding material is straw because it's absorbent, cheap, and soft for birds. You can also use wood shavings or chips.
Remember that your chickens will require less insulation in summer, don't let them overheat!
5. Ventilation
Have you ever smelt a chicken coop which hasn't been cleaned out and ventilated properly? It's not pretty!
Install a simple window at least — but remember to also protect it with chicken wire or mesh.
6. Protection
Chickens have quite a lot of predators, such as foxes, birds of prey, and raccoons.
Make sure that you protect your chickens by using a wire mesh around the outside, building with sturdy materials, and remembering to padlock the door (if you have one!).
7. Watertight and Shade
Chickens, just like us, also hate being too hot or too cold. Make sure that the coop is waterproof to prevent them from getting cold during the wet season.
Also, ensure that your run has a shaded area where your birds can get out of the sun and cool off! – IMPORTANT
8. Egg Access and Decoration
Make sure that you can easily gather the eggs that your chickens have laid. You don't want to have to crawl in every time!
Also, decorate the coop with plants and greenery; it's great for the chickens.
With the right approach, you can definitely maximize your produce with simple and cheap chicken coops. Give your chickens a suitable environment by following these hen house tips for an abundant food supply.
Are you an avid homesteader with your own chicken coop? Share your own tips with us in the comments section below!
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on September 29, 2015, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
The woven- wire fencing shown for the chickens’ yard is woefully inadequate for protection from predators. Raccoons will go through that wire with no problem if they are lured by a tasty chicken meal on the other side.