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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.

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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.

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