Why Build A DIY Chicken Coop?

Good question and if you'd asked me a few years ago I wouldn't of dreamt it, its easier to go to the local store. Truth is if you think about the benefits that come with building your own Chicken Coop and raising your own chickens, you'll find it all starts to make sense.

A healthier lifestyle, those free range chickens you breed with your own two hands and those fresh eggs on a daily basis are second to non!

Building your own chicken coop from scratch is a fantastic achievement and will save you between 300 to 500 dollars when compared to buying a pre made chicken coop. All it takes is some basic tools, lumber and a good Building a Chicken Coop Guide with some detailed plans.

Some people have a dog or a cat, when my son or daughter is asked if they have a pet they answer we keep chickens, you should see the reactions on everyones face. We have pet names for our chickens and they have their own characteristics and personalities, we pick them up and stroke them.... Haven't taught them to go fetch yet, but I'm working on it!

Great for the garden, our chickens roam the garden during the day. They scratch and peck at the lawn keeping the grass short and looking great. They also love weeds and insects and the more they eat, the healthier and more contented they will be. This is to your advantage since you will reap the benefits in tastier eggs.

We feed our chickens our left overs from dinner, not everything, but they can eat most things with a few exceptions like Avocados or Chocolate as this may harm your chickens.

Fertilizer, chickens produce a lot of poop which can be used as a natural organic fertilizer, instead of disposing of it, why not use it on your garden plants or put in a composting bin.

Check with your Local authority to see if you can keep livestock in your back yard or garden, as some authorities will NOT allow livestock in a residential area.

Love thy neighbor. Luckily, we're close to our neighbors and even though we have a large back garden we still let our neighbors in on our master plan. Chickens can make noise and smell in the summer months, so we didn't want to cause problems. But, their reaction was great and we sweetened the deal by offering fresh organic eggs regularly. However, this may not be the case with you so its best to let your neighbors know what you're doing as it may cause a problem in the future.
Doing a quick search on the internet for local breeders is the best way to find a local source for chicks (pullets) not only that but you'll be able to get some good advice from them about keeping chickens and what breed is best for your climate.

If you have a tight budget it might be best for you to consider Building Your Own DIY Chicken Coop. You could save yourself as much as 300 to 500 dollars when compared to buying a pre made chicken coop that you will probably have to assemble anyway. Building your own chicken coop isn't as daunting as you may think and can be accomplished easily with basic tools and materials found at your local Hardware store.

Get some good plans. Its no good getting this far only to struggle with the build. A recommended ebook that I've used from beginning to end of my build and beyond is Bill Keene's Building a Chicken Coop ebook. Bill is a farmer from Australia who has had years of experience in building many different types of chicken coops and keeping chickens. He has a big presence in the home poultry world.

Bill's ebook is a great reference and has a number of chicken coop plans and blueprints for many chicken coops from small portable chicken coops to large hen houses. It has so much useful information jam packed in it such as the best materials to use on a budget to looking after your chickens and spotting common illnesses. This ebook is truly a one stop guide that will have you enjoying those fresh eggs in no time at all. Take a look at his website below and make up you own mind.