Are you thinking about raising chickens? In that case, you'll be glad to hear there are lots of different types of chicken coops designs to choose from in the marketplace. Now these designs range from fancy to basic ones constructed with basic diy tools and materials. Irrespective of what coop design you finally go for, listed here are some key things to think about. Selecting backyard chicken coop designs is going to be a lot easier after you have read this.
Forward planning
As you’re already making this investment, be sure to plan ahead when you are planning your chicken coop. You may want to start out with just two or three chickens for fresh eggs and expand your flock of chickens later on. Rather than make a brand new chicken coop when you increase the size of your flock, look to incorporate this possibility into the existing design so you don't have to build twice.
Provide your chickens with ample room
Choose one of the chicken coops designs which furnishes your flock with enough room per chicken. If the chicken coop is overfilled it can be problematic for your chickens and affect their physical condition. Chickens which have ample space to move around will remain strong, vigorous and maximize your expenditure with better egg production. Used as an approximate yardstick, each of your chickens will require around 4 square foot of breathing space. Now if your flock don't have access to a run to move around in, then you should allocate no less than double the square footage per chicken.
Pay attention to the quality of ventilation for your chickens
It's a fact that all land mammals require clean air and sufficient ventilation for optimum health. Chickens are just the same, so be sure you keep this in mind when considering chicken coops designs. That being said, you do not want your chicken coop to be drafty, as that could be fatal for your birds. Poor ventilation could cause the air in the coop to become contaminated. A good coop construction will have vents that ensure air gets around the construction whilst also not subjecting your birds to extremely cold drafts. Ensure the vents are secured with a strong meshing to keep predators out.
Protect the coop against the rain
Rain isn't a good thing for your chickens, so when you are choosing chicken coops designs, select one that shields it from this. If you want fit and strong chickens that produce lots of fresh eggs, be sure this box is ticked.
Keep unwanted rodents out
You don't want critters such as rats getting into your coop, so you need to take preventative measures to ensure this does not happen. Rodents are very keen on burrowing beneath ground, so this needs to be a line of defence for your birds. They can eat their way through timber and chew all the way through regular chicken wire.
In the event that you are considering choosing chicken coops designs that have no floor, you will want to put fencing in place that has top grade meshing which contains very small holes in it. Bury not less than twelve inches of it into the ground around the boundary of the coop. This will stop animals from digging their way in. Having said that, a good strong floor will keep your chickens even safer.
Protect your chickens from predators
You may not have seen hide nor hair of natural predators such as raccoons, but it's amazing how chickens can quickly attract them. This is true regardless of whether you live in the city, so do not assume all chicken coops designs will keep your chickens secure, or you will likely be sorry later on.
It's also imperative that you observe that normal chicken wire has big holes, so don't depend on this alone to keep your chickens out of trouble. Use high-quality wire meshing and fix it to the wooden parts of the coop. Installing lights with motion detectors around the chicken coop will help keep nocturnal predators away.
Selecting a first-rate one from many chicken coops designs can be challenging when you begin. With everything said, by being attentive to the recommendations here, you will most certainly finish up with a fabulous chicken coop that takes good care of your flock.
Discover how you can make a quality chicken coop in record time with simple tools and low-cost materials by heading over to
How to Build a Chicken Coop in 3 Days at
http://www.diybuildchickencoop.com
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