4 Things You Got To Give ‘em When Building A Chicken Coop

A coop is a fairly straight forward building. You have a floor, walls, a roof, and a fence to go around it. The complexities and variations shift from coop to coop, but the basics of it stay that same. But what most people overlook when building is to look at the necessary concepts that go into building a chicken coop. Getting a structure up quickly is good but if there is not thought put into it beforehand, then constructing a coop is just and exercise in futility. So before you start hammering away check out these four things you have to give you chickens in a coop.

Give ‘Em Space

Just like any animal, the more space a chickens has the happier and healthier they'll be. Based on new farming laws, chickens need a minimum area that allows then to spread their wings. For most breeding chickens that is an area of 2 square feet. The only exception is bantam chickens, which are a little bit smaller and only need 1.5 square feet. Many people are tempted to cram more chickens a small coop to save space while gaining more chickens. But, this is bad for two reasons. First, as previously mentioned, there are laws against over crowding and the penalties if you get caught will be more than what your chickens are worth. Second, and most importantly, overcrowding leads to health problems which can take out a flock very easily.

Give ‘Em Light

Chickens need and want light. Light is necessary to stimulate egg production in your hens. My suggestion is to place windows on the south end of your coop as it will give the most light. Another choice is to consider electric lighting over your chickens' feeding area. There is a debate over natural light versus artificial light but ultimately. It doesn’t matter as long as there is light. Still, I always prefer to go with natural light if given the option.

Give ‘Em Air

You need to setup a good ventilation system in your coop, plain and simple. Without ventilation, the air inside the coop will become musty and suffocating. The downside to a poor ventilation system is foul odors and an accumulation of toxic fumes. Ventilation can come in the form of passive vents on the ceiling or windows, or can be active like electric fans. Either way, make sure to get good air flow going in the coop.

Give ‘Em a Place to Sleep

At night, chickens love to roost. In order for your chickens to reach the roost, build them lower than 3 feet. This will avoid fights as the chickens try to reach the perches and will avoid injury from falling from heights. In the daytime, building a chicken coop with nests is important only if you're raising chickens for eggs. The rule of thumb is to build one nest for every three chickens. The nests need to be bigger than your chickens in order to allow for a comfortable laying environment.

By: Hank Dodson

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Hank Dodson is the owner of The Chicken Coop Plans Site. Hank has been building chicken coops and caring for chicken for decades. Want to learn more about a great chicken coop how to build? Visit his chicken coop how to build site for helpful tips and information on how to build you very own coop.