Commercially designed hens house can set you back a few thousand dollars. But they can also be very functional and very good to look at. It’s okay if you can afford it! But I come from a not so rich family and we worked hard for our pay. So, building the hens house ourselves would be the only option we have.
If you are one of those people who prefers to build his own hens coop, then you not only save a lot of money, but also enjoy the fruits of your labor by building your own. You can add in your creative juice and improvise to make your hens coop more functional. You will be the envy of family members and friends.
All the same, before you embark on a backyard project to build chickens houses for yourself, it is important that you consider these five tips.
Tip #1 – Appearance of the Hens House
The look of the hens house must be pleasant-looking and appeal to the surroundings. This is to encourage the neighbors to feel at ease with your hens house and not give them reason to complain.
Tip #2 - Design and Usability
The design of the hens coop should cater for easy cleaning and disinfecting works. The floor of the hens coop should slant towards the door for easy hosing down and prevent puddling in the coop. The doors and windows can be opened or closed as needed.
Tip #3 – Protection for the Hens
Beside the elements of weather, the hens should be safe from attacks of predators like foxes, badgers, raccoons and even dogs. Thus chickens houses should be built on a slightly higher ground to prevent sudden flooding. The whole designated area should we bounded by chicken wire which is buried a foot deep into the soil to prevent the predators digging to get in.
Tip #4 - Coop Ventilation, Light and Heat Source
At times of bad weather, the hens will be locked up in the hens coop. There must be adequate airflow throughout the coop for good ventilation. For chickens houses in colder regions, the wall of the hens house must be insulated.
For the chickens to be good layers, they should not encounter stressful environment. The hens coop should remain warm and airy so that the hens can lay lots of eggs throughout the year.
Tip #5 – Waterers and Feeders
Waterers and feeders should be placed appropriately to give easy access to your flock. A happy chickens are those that are well fed, well housed and well protected.
Given all the tips for a successful rearing of chickens, you would now have to consider what would your chickens houses be like. Whether you want to spend lots of money on ready-made coops, or buy a reasonably priced guidebook with hen house plans and build it yourself.
One quiet night I sat in front of the computer and spent a few hours searching for a good and comprehensive, but easy to use guidebook. I was fortunate to stumble upon a guidebook that also provides several plans for various hens house designs. What was even better was its price! It was definitely worth ten times more.
Now I own a hens house that my children and I built ourselves guided by the simple instructions of the guidebook. Our completed hens house look just as good as the thousand dollar ones. I would recommend the guidebook to my familiy members and friends. Click here http://www.squidoo.com/plans-to-build-chicken-coop for more details.
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