If you search for all the information available online about chicken coops, you could end up with good intentions. Don’t be intimidated by all the different information. You can learn how to build a chicken coop the easy way and still end up with a structure that serves to protect your chickens!
There are many different chicken coop designs available that are either pre-built or come partially assembled. However, not only are they very expensive, but they also require you to pay for shipping to get them to you. Unless you have more money than you know what to do with, you better find the plans on how to build a chicken coop easily and quickly and save hundreds of dollars to use for other things.
Building an aesthetically pleasing chicken coop is simply a matter of choice. If you’re raising chickens in your backyard and have neighbors who might be offended by an unattractive structure, then you may have a better reason to care about the appearance of your chicken coop.
Another reason to choose a simple style over an elaborate one is your level of carpentry skills. Unless you’re exceptionally talented, you’ll want to stick to a how-to guide that gives you easy step-by-step instructions and doesn’t require the use of fancy tools.
The most important reason to build a chicken coop is to protect the chickens. There are plenty of predators in almost any area that would enjoy a fresh chicken dinner or steal eggs from nests. You may also be concerned about two-legged thieves if the chickens are easily accessible. When looking for instructions on how to build a chicken coop, look for one that provides the best defense against predators and inclement weather.
Many of the plans you’ll find online will show you how to build a chicken coop with a level floor. This is one of the instructions that you should always ignore, but especially if you have cold weather. Although chickens can handle cold better than heat, they cannot handle the combination of being wet and cold at the same time. This is an invitation to health problems in your chickens.
You want a design that eliminates puddles on the floor, either from moisture being absorbed or from spraying the coop clean. A sloped floor is not only a good idea for water to run off and not build up, having a sloped concrete floor is an even better idea. Concrete will not absorb moisture like wood and will not rot as a result.
If you are raising chickens to produce eggs, you will need to know how to build a chicken coop that has nests and a chicken coop. Your plans should provide your chickens with the space they need to lay their eggs. Only those that produce eggs will need boxes and perches, so if you’re raising chickens for meat or as pets, you won’t need to include these features, further simplifying your design needs.
In summary, these are the things to keep in mind when looking for plans on how to build a chicken coop the easy way:
• Choose a simple, square or rectangular structure rather than one with many angles.
• Only add features that are essential for the type of chickens you are raising.
• Always allow for a sloped floor and adequate ventilation.
• Choose only the plans labeled as easy, fast or simple.
• Choose only plans that give you step-by-step instructions from start to finish.
Building a chicken coop doesn’t have to be a monumental task when you stick to the basics!