A backyard chicken coop can begin a fun family project, a personal hobby, or be the beginning of a small business. It can be fun and satisfying to gather fresh eggs, but selling the eggs for a premium price is really exciting.
The first step in starting with a chicken coop is to know how many hens you want to end up with. Starting with a small coop if you’re only planning to keep a few chickens that pay for their keep in eggs, but if you plan to let your hens brood and raise baby chicks, you will find your space shrinking fast.
You can start a backyard coop with plans or a kit complete with materials – both of which can be ordered online. There are a lot of them to choose from. For only 2 or 3 hens, you can order a complete, ready-to-use kit. You can use these units as mobile “chicken tractors” that can be readily moved from one place to another in your yard. This allows the hens access to fresh greens, grass, and bugs while keeping them safe.
When building your own coop, beware of unsafe construction materials like lead-based paint or treated lumber. Lumber that is treated to prevent insect infestation, rot, and mildew can contain poisons and chickens will peck at anything. When your chickens ingest toxins, those toxins will be in the eggs they lay for you.
Check out Chicken Coop Design if you are desiring to construct your own hen coop.
During the planning stage of your backyard coop, think about the following:
Every standard-sized adult chicken requires at least 4 sq ft of space. Bantam breeds only need 2 feet square per chicken, but more is always better.
Two roosters cannot be housed together – at least one will end up dead, and sometimes both will die when they fight.
Use chicken wire on the bottom of the cage to keep predators from digging under, but use something heavier to keep them out from the sides as chicken wire is often easily broken.
Treated, pressured lumber contains arsenic.
The nesting area should be well secured against determined predators and should be off the ground and water tight. Raccoons, in particular, love chickens and their eggs and are smart enough to get through most simple locks.
Plan your coop’s construction and chicken breeds carefully to account for climate. Research breeds carefully as some are more suited to colder climates while others require warm or even tropical climate. Just because the local feed store sells them doesn’t mean they are suited to your area.
If eggs are your goal, choose a breed that has a long laying cycle. Meat hens, of course, means that you will need to buy hens that are ready for the freezer by about sixteen weeks old. There are literally hundreds of breeds to choose form, so do your research.
Large potting sheds, doghouses, and outdoor tool barns have all been converted to successful backyard coops. You can design your coop to fit in with your landscape or home architecture. You can design it as country rustic, or to have the charm of a city townhouse. You’re only limited by your imagination.
Some varieties are even good with children, making them good for families to raise. Make the most of your chicken coop in the backyard by choosing your breeds wisely.
Click Backyard Chicken Coop for a great deal more information on this topic.