The trend of raising chickens in the garden is becoming more popular now a days. With the organic foods making their way into our kitchens, now people want organics eggs too.
Buying eggs from a store is a costly affair and you are never sure about the quality. So keeping chickens in the backyard and building a coop to house them is the first step towards those farm fresh eggs.
when designing homemade chicken coops for your backyard the first thing you must plan is the place where you want your coop. For this you have to keep in mind that you need a spot where your flock will be safe from external attacks from coyotes and other predators. You should plan to build a coop that must
* provide comfort,
* provide security to the birds.
* be easy to clean (chickens are messy creatures),
This step is necessary as it is the place where your chickens will lay eggs and spend most of their time.
Discuss with your family about the number of chickens you need to have. Based on this you can choose a plan that suits your needs. When the size of the coop is estimated then consider following
1.Design the coop to allow enough space for waterers and feeders.
2. Building the nest boxes along with the coop will save you time.
3.Keep provisions for roosts and perches. The chickens need perches to sleep at night. So your coop must have enough for all of them.
4.Position the coop in an area where it gets enough sunlight and is not in the direction of the wind.
When building a coop it is important to note that insulated walls are a must as they dry fast and help keep the coop dry. Your chickens may get diseases if they live in humid surroundings. They can dry themselves fast if the coop is not damp. This will save you a lot of trouble in the future; trust me on that.
You will never know the difference between the eggs bought from the store and those you get from your own chicks unless you taste them. Be prepared for a BIG surprise here. Just keep in mind a little tip that never wash the eggs after you take them out of the coop. In this way they can be stored for a long time with proper refrigeration. Some people even store them for months.
People often get confused that if they should hatch or not- if you have this doubt in mind then make your decision based on the following:
1.If you want to grow the size of your flock then hatch.
2.Hatching takes time, can you wait for that period.
3.You can sell the little chicks to poultry or a store.
4.Your hens will not lay eggs forever. You need more birds after a couple of years.
5.If you are raising chickens for both meat and eggs then it is recommended that you start hatching. (you will need a rooster for this purpose.)
It’s not difficult if you have quite a few birds in your flock. This will enable you to enjoy fresh meat and eggs for a long long time.
Get tips on homemade chicken coops from a poultry expert here.
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Tags: build a chicken house