October 12th, 2009 by Johnson
If you are a hobby chicken farmer, then you are looking at chicken coop designs and wondering how the children’s Easter chicks can turn into a backyard investment you hadn’t planned on. The cost of lumber can be quite high in some parts of the country, so chicken coop designs that use very much of it may not be what you had in mind.
A large dog house or a child’s play house can be made into attractive chicken coop designs. This will suffice for a small chicken farming operation, with just 3 or 4 leftover Easter chicks. Sometimes, this is how chicken farmers start the part-time hobby on their backyards.
Simple triangular A-frame structures will suffice in some areas, as long as they are enclosed in a fenced area that is secure from predators, and proper food, water, ventilation, insulation and lighting are available. If you only have a few chickens, the easiest options for chicken coop designs might be to use large doghouses- a grown chicken should have at least 4 square feet and preferably 10 square feet.
A small doghouse or playhouse, with the size of 3 by 3 feet, would be fine for two chickens as long as they can access the run. Some chicken coop designs are mobile and you can install it onto a child’s wagon or a square, wheeled floor dolly for portability. This way you can move your chickens around and they will fertilize different parts of the yard and garden, while keeping grubs and insects under control.
If you have an old garden shed, you can find chicken coop designs to convert it. The same holds true of any existing outdoor buildings you aren’t using, as long as they protect the chickens from the elements, are well-ventilated, and secure from predators. Of course, many people don’t have existing outbuildings and the look at chicken coop designs to build their own.
You can use existing items to make it more affordable to build your own chicken coop. Ingenious chicken farmers have converted bunk beds, old furniture, old cabinetry, bookshelves, entertainment centers and more into chicken coop designs for their children’s Easter chicks that are now laying eggs.
If you convert a child’s playhouse they have outgrown, using chicken coop designs, you might find that the child has a new interest in visiting the chickens and taking care of them. The best thing about converting existing items into chicken coop designs is that it costs very little and usually takes less time than building a chicken coop from scratch, (pardon the pun).
Make sure to find solutions for feeding and watering the chickens, and ventilation is important, as is protection from extreme hot and cold. Of course, you can always buy chicken coop designs if you are good at woodworking, and you can buy kits on the Internet, if you decide to get aggressive with your chicken-raising hobby. Many find that they like the organic, fresh eggs, and are able to get enough to supply their household.
Of course, Easter chicks take a little bit to start producing eggs, so it gives you time to consider chicken coop designs before deciding which route to take.
Read the rest »
September 28th, 2009 by Johnson
When you are considering raising your own backyard chickens, chicken coop designs are the next thing you consider. There are many free ideas online for chicken coop designs. There are several things you can learn by looking at the different chicken coop designs, even if you design your own. There are a lot of factors that need to be adapted to meet your needs.
Some things stay the same, no matter what chicken coop designs you look at. Insulation needs to be added for cold weather climates and ventilation is needed for the health of the chickens. Chicken coop designs normally design holes for feed and watering containers and those should be placed about the height of a chicken’s back. If you are considering larger chicken coop designs, you may need more than one centrally located feeding and watering station. Also, you will need nesting boxes, lighting and a sloped floor is desired for ease in cleaning.
After you have narrowed down the chicken coop designs you like best, you can start to make the adaptations for your situation. {You can add a frame with wheels if you want a moving chicken coop, but keep in mind r that chickens may get stressed when you move them every now and then}. If you plan several smaller chicken coops, you can alter original chicken coop designs by dividing measurements in half, for example.
You need to allow at least four square feet per chicken, no matter what adaptations to chicken coop designs you consider. Avoid having a crowded chicken for they might not lay eggs and will stress them.
Some chicken owners adapt chicken coop designs by adding skylights to let natural light in and warmth. Some might add a loft for the nesting boxes, so they can easily reach in from the back without bending over. Extra windows are good for ventilation, so they may alter chicken coop designs to add closeable and lockable shutters over the mesh for night and bad weather.
You can adapt chicken coop designs by adding a chicken run, where you allow an opening for an outside, strong meshed fenced, chicken run. This lets the chickens be protected, yet have a place to stretch their legs and get fresh air. You also need protective fencing for an open chicken yard, if you are looking at chicken coop designs that are fixed, on stilts and concrete footings.
You want to allow enough distance off the ground to keep the chicken coop from flooding and some people want them fairly high to keep predators, such as dogs out of range. Some houses are built on concrete footings into the ground but have a slight vent for drainage.
Whatever adaptations you make to chicken coop designs, you need to write them down, so that you will remember as you are building the chicken coop. It would be easier to include them while building the chicken coop than to add them later. In most cases, you have to assemble your chicken houses even if you purchased a kit, so better yet make a notes as you assemble them for any adaptation plans you have. Raising chickens is a sure fun hobby and aside from enjoying you’ll also get fresh eggs for your needs. The chicken coop designs you decide on can make your chickens happier and make your life easier.
Read the rest »
Tags: 
