Building a Hen House That They'll Love

Nope.

You expect these gals to give you farm fresh eggs everyday without a thought towards their well-being or happiness?

They don't ask for much, just by building a hen house that has enough light, warmth, food, water and space for them all is enough to make them comfortable enough to keep you in eggs. Oh, and a play area that is safe and free from predators would also be a distinct advantage!

That's it?
Yup...well, if you wanted to put sand down as a base for them to have a sand bath, I'm sure that they'd appreciate it!

Seriously.

There is no universal plan for building a hen house. Which house will make your chickens happiest will depend on many factors. These are some questions to ask yourself when choosing the right plan for your situation.

1. How Many Birds Will I Have? - this will directly impact the size of the hen house that you decide to build.
2. How Much Cash Do I Want To Spend? Some outfits will quote you between $50-$500 for a kit set house. With the right plan and using recycled timber it is very possible to build a hen house for less than $50.
3. Where is it going, How Will It Look? This will also affect the size and plan that you choose. Is the setting a rural paddock or an urban backyard?
4. Where is it Going - What is The Ground Like? - What landscaping will need to be done to prevent damp, cold and predators getting in?
5. Where Will the Windows Go? - Chooks need plenty of light without the drought and without it glaring into their eyes or burning their backs while they are trying to lay.
6. Where Will the Feeders and Water Supply Go? - These take up a fair amount of room, so don't forget to allow for it when designing your hen house.
7. What is Your Access Like? - If you do not have hassle free access to the eggs and for cleaning then the whole thing will become a drama for you, which make it less likely that you will enjoy your work or maintain the hen house properly...which will lead to unhappy chickens....which will lead to...well...you know the drill!

You've all heard the stories about the fox in the hen house, rats that steal eggs and snakes that'll grab your chickens right?

Those stories are out there because they are so true, so security for your chooks is a must for you to think about.

When building the run for your chickens ensure that the fence is tall enough and deep enough into the ground to stop animals jumping over it or burrowing under it. Also make the netting on your fence small enough that raccoons can't grab the chickens as they go past.

Make sure that you are building a hen house that can be secured at night which will make it more difficult for night predators like owls to snatch the hens.