Sturdy and functional hens coop can last a long time if we use good materials at the building stage. But now the price of a ready made hens house can be horrendously expensive. At at times like this, buying a ready made hens house is not an option.
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 be fenced up 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 would 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. 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 included, and build it yourself.
My experience with the hen house plans have been very pleasant. The guidebook provides a comprehensive step-by-step guidelines to build several types of chickens houses. In the end, my newly completed hens coop was chosen to be the most functional and sturdy in the neighborhood.
After discussing with my husband and children, the family decided to build our own hens house, and that everyone would chip in. I found a comprehensive yet easy to follow guidebook with lots of hen house plans included. The whole family talked and chose a simple plan that would save us a lot of money doing it ourselves. I am glad we decided to build the hens house ourselves. Not only we now own a cheery and functional hens house, but I feel the family have bonded even closer.
I am proud to say that building the hens house has been the discussion point during many dinners. I am thankful for stumbling the guidebook that I found online. Besides being easy to use, the guidebook also has a good collection of hen house plans. The guidebook is also very user friendly. Click here http://www.squidoo.com/plans-to-build-chicken-coop for more detailed information.
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