Chicken Coop Designs

With the vast amount of chicken coop designs knocking around online, how does someone new to keeping chickens tell which chicken hen house to choose? Many of the plans available turn out to be expensive and poorly designed and can cost you a lot of money just to bring up to scratch…pardon the pun!

Below, I’ve outlined the four things you should look for when picking chicken coop designs or building your own chicken coop.

Chicken Coop Designs Tips

#1 – It’s Got To Be Sturdy

You got to use materials in your chicken coop designs that are of a high quality without breaking the bank. Many people incorporate old doors and such into their chicken hen house to ensure it has some strength and durability. They’re easy to get in reclamation yards and dumps and also in your local neighbourhood. Keep an eye out for any local houses or businesses doing some building work and you should be able to get all you need for free.

Also important is the use of HEAVY-GAUGE wire mesh for the windows and doors. Using the cheaper stuff will result in predators gaining access to your chicken coop with only the barest of knawing through the cheaper wire mesh. Penny-pinching here will cost you in the long run.

#2 – Suitable Ventilation

Moisture and ammonia levels will build up quickly in a chicken coop if there is not proper ventilation. Having windows and doors that open easily and STAY OPEN until you want to close tham are the easiest and cheapest ways on ensuring the chicken coops gets enough fresh air. Consider sliding doors and windows or at least ones on a hinge that can be held open. (Make sure the main door opens inwards so nothing falls out when you open it up.)

#3 – Adequate Lighting

Chickens need around 14 hours of light to lay the most amount of eggs. This can be either natural light or electric lighting in the coop. Windows and doors will let in the natural light and a simple light bulb (It will also provide warmth during the winter) or a fluorescent bulb will be fine for the dark days of winter. Energy saving bulbs will save you some money and will last longer, I use daylight simulation bulbs and it seems to make a difference.

#4 – Easy to Clean

A big problem when it comes to chicken coop design is making it easy to clean. This is where many online plans fall flat. The chicken coops must have easy access for humans to clean it out quickly and properly to maintain coop hygiene and keep ammonia levels to a minimum. Ideally, a floor that slopes slightly downwards will aid cleaning and drainage.

Hopefully you found these few tips easy to follow will keep then in mind when looking to buy a chicken house or build your own chicken coop.

Chicken Coop Designs