About Chicken Coops

Chicken coops serve to protect and provide shelter for chickens. It's important for the chickens' environment to be clean and not too cold or hot so that it can survive and lay eggs. Therefore, the construction of a chicken coop must have ventilation or insulation. There are other factors that affect the construction of the chicken coop such as the number of birds and what luxuries you want to incorporate into the hen house.

Function

The purpose of a chicken coop is to provide adequate shelter for the chickens so that they have a place to go that is out of the sun, rain, heat, cold and wind. This prevents the chickens from suffering from heat stroke or frost bite. The hen house also keeps predators away from the chickens, so it increases their chance of survival. Without the chicken coop, the chickens and the eggs might be eaten by predators.

Types

There are homemade, pre-made and repurposed chicken coops. When you make your own chicken coop, you can make it out of simple materials, such as wood and concrete blocks. It's beneficial to have wood flooring to prevent snakes and rats from getting into the coop. Pre-made ones are often more expensive, but they might be sturdier and more convenient for you and the chickens. Repurposed chicken coops can be made from a variety of things such as old dog houses.

Size

Each bird should have at least four square feet of space. This gives them adequate room to move around so they are not uncomfortable. However, egg boxes can be about the size of a chicken, and one egg box is sufficient enough for four or five birds. Also make sure that the door to the chicken coop is large enough for you to get through. You will have to clean out the coop on a regular basis to remove the feces and replace the hay.

Considerations

When you are building a chicken coop, there are a few essential items that you should incorporate into the coop. Chickens require food and water on a regular basis, so think about creating automatic food and water dispensers so that you can ensure that your chickens stay hydrated and well fed. For safety reasons, you should have wire netting around the perimeter of the coop to keep out predators such as dogs, cats, foxes, coyotes and certain birds. You might also want electricity and heat in the hen house to prevent the birds from getting frost bite during the winter.

Benefits

Chicken coops provide safe environments for the chickens, so you don't lose your chickens or eggs to predators. If you are trying to make a living by selling chickens or eggs, it's important to protect them. It's also convenient for the chickens, because they have a comfortable place to lay their eggs. While raising free range chickens is ideal for the bird and the fertilization of your yard, your chickens can catch diseases from other wild birds. The chicken coop provides a safe haven.

[Becca08]

on 1/1/2009 This is a great article, and I enjoyed reading it! This is well-written and very informative!