If you’ve been on the market for a chicken coop and are finding nothing that appeals to you, you may be looking into building chicken coops that meet your individual needs and taste.  Building a chicken coop is an art, quite frankly.  And though you may think you have the perfect design, you need to work hard to build a great chicken coop.

When building chicken coops, you will need to consider several things.  Chances are you will need to tailor your coop to accommodate our yard.  In doing so, you will need to examine your yard, taking into consideration how many chickens you have, how much time you want to invest, and what you need to change about your yard.

Landscape changes

Before you start building chicken coops, it is important to look at your yard, and see if there are any trees you may need to take down.  Cutting down trees will allow more light to reach your chickens, which in the long run, will make for happier chickens.  Not to mention that it will help warm the coop during cold weather conditions. 

It is also important to figure out what type of chicken coop you would like to build.  The double story chicken coop, according to websites, has two levels and a ramp that connect the upstairs to the downstairs. 

However, in building chicken coops, bear in mind that it may be helpful to make sure the coop is not difficult to clean.  Also, it is helpful to know what breed of chickens you have, or hope to have. 

You will also need to decide whether or not you want to breed chickens, and build your coop to accommodate a growing family of hens.  This could mean extending the coop beyond its originally established size.

Using existing structures

In building chicken coops, bear in mind that you can use already built animal housing, such as dog houses, and adapt them to house chickens.  You should also make sure that your chicken coop not be exposed to harsh weather conditions.  Keeping it free of drafts and extreme heat will also increase the productivity and overall quality of chickens.  It may also help to include insulation.  That way, moisture cannot easily enter the coop. 

Keeping it clean

Some people even build coops on stilts.  This helps to keep dogs and other large animals from disturbing the chickens.  To help keep your coop clean, you may want to build a perch for the chickens to leave droppings.  This helps avoid contamination and promotes a cleaner, healthier environment.

Building chicken coops can be a challenge.  However, following a few simple guidelines for building chicken coops will help you get the most for your money.  Now go out there, and build a great coop for your chickens!

Rob Hillman is a Chicken Coop enthusiast, to find out more about Chicken Coops, please visit http://urbanchickencoops.blogspot.com/

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