Chicken Coop Plans

The chicken coop plans that you select to build should largely be determined by the number of chickens you wish to house. A good rule of thumb is to provide 2-4 square feet of protected housing per chicken. When not roosting, chickens like to spend time outside. If possible, include 5-10 square feet of screened outdoor area that is accessible from the coop. The structure should provide shelter from the cold of the winter as well as a well-ventilated space in the summer months. If you are primarily interested in having chickens for the eggs, its important that the coop will have provisions for maximizing the daylight exposure the chickens will receive. This can be sometimes be accomplished by shuttered windows, doors and skylights.

Though chicken keeping is traditionally an endeavor associated with ranching, Increasingly, people are electing to maintain a small flock in suburban settings. Before you decide on a specific set of chicken coop plans, it is highly recommended to study your yard and decide where you would like to place the coop. Many times where space is limited, the best option is to construct a small portable chicken coop, or chicken tractor, that is easy to move around. With frequent relocations, the build up of waste is eliminated. Many of the designs are feature open floors so the the waste ends up on the native ground. By moving the coop and regular intervals, a large expanse of yard may be fertilized with desirable organic matter. Also because these coops are portable, it can be moved adjacent to a building during inclement weather for additional protection. Should you decide on a larger, more stationary coop, it should be located in a sunny, well-drained area, one not subject to standing water during the wet season. For more detailed information on chicken coop plans and the hobby of chicken keeping, visit http://chickenhouseplans.net

For those who have extensive construction experience, it may be possible to build a chicken coop without a detailed set of plans. However, for those with more limited construction experience, a well detailed set of chicken coop plans is highly recommended. In addition, the plans should include illustrated instructions as a supplement to the plans. This is an absolute must for the novice builder. While those in the construction industry are used to interpreting symbols and conventions used in construction documents, an illustration can save much frustration for the non-professional. For more detailed information on chicken coop plans and the hobby of chicken keeping, visit Chicken House Plans

Its important to confirm that the chicken coop plans your intend to purchase include provisions for some necessary features. One of the most important and often overlooked features that should always be included in every chicken coop is plenty of ventilation. Some beginners in the hobby will very carefully construct an well-insulated closed structure. This is a mistake. While it is true that chickens do not do well in drafty environments, its very important to provide adequate ventilation, even in the coldest months. The reason is that chickens will produce large amount of moisture and ammonia. Without adequate ventilation, the build up of ammonia and humidity could prove to be fatal to your flock. To minimize drafts directed at the chickens the primary vents should be place high in the coop, above the level of the chickens. Typically, vents can easily be provided where the walls of the coop meet the roof (eave venting). In the warmer months additional vents in the walls (usually in the form of doors and windows), can be opened to suit climatic conditions. In extremely hot climates, it might be recommended to actually remove one or two solid wall and replace with screen during the hottest months. Check out these chicken coop plans for coops of several sizes.

The smallest and easiest to build chicken coop would be a small,
moveable coop. Usually these have 2 sections-one that is fully
enclosed where the chickens will nest and sleep, and an open air
section that the chicken can spend the remainder of their time.
Often times these are built in an A-frame configuration, and are
the simplest type of coop to build. One advantage to these portable
coops is that they can be moved around the yard quite easily and in
the process, the yard is fertilized. Due to their limited size,
this type of coop is recommended for no more that 3 or 4 chickens.