As you prepare to start with your chicken coop construction, taking some important factors into consideration will be essential. Many people overlook these points and wind up running into problems with their chicken house down the road.

While obviously you want the chicken house to look as nice as possible, it’s also vital that the overall design works for you as well.

Here are the main points to think about.

Consider Your Predators

The first thing to remember is what type of predators you have around the chicken house – if any. You want to be especially careful of wolves or coyotes as these can kill your chickens very quickly if they manage to get inside.

Whenever you’re looking through chicken coop construction plans, be sure the plan you are looking at contains information on a gating system to place around it for protection.

Factor In Location

Next, think about your location. Do you want to build the chicken house close to your own back door? Or do you want it to be somewhere off where the smell won’t bother you (if you live in a humid climate).

Knowing where you want to build the chicken coop is the first step before even purchasing building supplies.

Think About Feeding Strategy

Once you’ve decided on the type of house to build, then you’ll also want to think about the feeding strategy you will use. Be sure the feeders are at an appropriate level for your chickens so they do not struggle to take in food, nor do they start making a mess on the floor.

Also, consider how many feeders you will have in general. If you’re housing ten or more chickens, this could be reason to consider two or more.

Monitor Your Light Source

Finally, make sure your light source is ideal. Natural light is always best, but if you cannot obtain natural light for the better part of the day, then should place a light bulb inside the house to ensure your chickens are able to see for the better part of the day.

So, consider these chicken coop construction tips. Make sure you have enough information and resources beforehand so that you are happy with the house that you build.

Here is more information on how you can build a chicken house on a budget.