Chicken Runs and Coops

May 28, 2011

Build Your Own DIY Chicken Coop

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: building chicken coops, chicken coop plans, chicken coops, chicken runs and coops, hen houses, keeping chickens, raising chickens, raising hens — Penny @ 11:10 pm

Build Your Own Chicken Coop?

Many people pay far too much for having chicken runs and coops built. Some of you may feel the only option is to buy expensive ready made hen houses.

I’ve found a much better way. (In a hurry - Click Here to get the full story).

If you think that building a chicken coop is too difficult you should think again. Even those of you who struggle to put up a simple shelf will be pleasantly surprised at how much can be accomplished when you have the proper plans and straightforward instructions.

Although this can be an easy and satisfying project, there are a few important tips to remember.

(Remember too how much money you are saving by building your own chicken coops.]

You’re building a chicken house? Great! Here are some tips:-

Size

Work out the size of coop needed before construction. Chickens really need a minimum area of 4 square feet each to be comfortable. Check the size of your backyard, the area the hen house will take up and the remaining free space. You need to be sure that the chicken run and coops fit in with the backyard and don’t take up too much of the space.

Location

Your neighbours will appreciate it if you position your chicken coops so as not to intrude too much on their view. A few shrubs or a fence with climbing plants might make a useful screen. However, the DIY Guide has plans for really good-looking chicken houses. Click here to visit the web site and see.

Security

The chicken runs should be securely fenced to keep your poultry safe from predators like raccoons and weasels. The wire fence should be buried well into the ground and if possible netting should be used to cover the runs to guard against possible attacks from the air by predatory large birds.

Chicken coops of course should be lockable by night should there be any danger of human predators! They should obviously be watertight but also allow sufficient fresh air to circulate.

You may have considered a pre-built chicken house as an alternative. These arrive un-assembled, have to be re-assembled from plans and can be very expensive indeed. An excellent and much cheaper alternative is available.

Click here to visit the website.

Building chicken runs and coops with the aid of DIY plans is a great option. You get the help of an expert who can assist in choosing the right coop for your needs, the correct materials to use and also tell you where you can find them.

Click here to go to the website where all your questions can be answered.

You’re on your way to raising happy, healthy chickens!

If, however, you just don’t have the time to do the work yourself and you’re in a hurry to have your chicken house you may like to consider this alternative

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Find Ways To Create A Chicken Coop

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: building chicken coops, chicken coops, chicken runs and coops, chickenrunsandcoops, hen houses, keeping chickens, poultry, raising hens — Penny @ 10:03 pm

Find Ways to Creat a Chicken Coop

There are many people who keep chickens on their property. They may keep them in large fancy hen houses, or smaller portable stations. A Chicken coop build can be managed with the right plans. There are some great ways to find a work plan that may help you build a hen home in the backyard.

A blue print and a plan can be found in a few different ways. There are reputable websites that offer information about the chicken homes they sell and how to build them. There may be some information about personal experience when it comes to creating the right building from the site creators.

When you are searching through information about plans you may think about what you need in a particular building. If you have a large property, then you may have more flexibility when it comes to size and location. A smaller yard may only have room for a certain size. There may also be laws about how far away from a property line a coop can be placed. These should be checked.

Learning what the laws in the area are, and figuring out where a good spot would be to place a coop, may factor in what size of unit can be made. When the size has been decided, you can then think about the layout and features of the design.

The bottom of the coop can be constructed in two ways. There may be an open bottom with a sliding tray or there could be a closed floor with bedding. Both styles will work and will depend on the time you has for cleaning out their hen cage. The sliding tray will simply slide out and get dumped. When it is hosed off it is placed back under the coop. The bedding works well too, as the hens will bury their own matter, however it will need to be cleaned out regularly to prevent a smell.

Windows, ramps and doors are all part of the features in a hen home. Some people may choose to have a few windows and ramps to get in and out. The size of door will also factor in any predators in the area. Special fencing may have to be put around the home as well as some wire, to keep pests out.

Creating a building from a plan may take some time and careful planning. Each formula will discuss the materials and tools needed for the job. This will be useful information when you head into a hardware store for your supplies.

Chicken coop ideas can be found and will help you build your own structure. There may be lots of ideas about sizes and features that will make each one unique and different. The size and aspects to the coop may reflect the yard size and the number of hens who will be living in the unit. When a great idea and plan is found, it will allow you to acquire the right materials and build the structure with a hassle free approach. Easy to read instructions and a clear blue print may be what is offered and what you should look for.

Author: Michael Fort
If, however, you just don’t have the time to do the work yourself and you’re in a hurry to have your chicken house you may like to consider this alternativeing

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How to Prevent Mice Entering my Chicken Coop

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: chicken coops, chickenrunsandcoops, hen houses, how to keep mice from chicken coops, poultry, raising hens — Penny @ 10:02 pm

How to Prevent Mice in Chuicken Coops

I love backyardchickens but I’m definitely not a fan of mice and rats. Just because you have chickens in your backyard, doesn’t mean you also have to have mice or rats in your chicken coop. In most cases, it’s the spilt grain that attracts mice into the chicken coop. Once inside, the mice may discover that there’s also fresh water and may conclude that your chicken coop is actually quite cosy place to live! While both mice and chickens love grain and seeds, chickens are actually omnivores, which means they also eat meat. This means that a mouse that is a bit slow running through the coop, might find that he becomes a light snack for one of your chickens. I wouldn’t however, rely on your chickens to keep your mouse problem under control. There are several preventative measures that should be undertaken to keep away these undesirable visitors.

Can I physically keep mice out of my chicken coop?

The first thing that you might think to do is to try to physically keep mice out of your chicken coop. This, however, is quite difficult to actually achieve. Mice can fit into spaces we would never assume they would be able to gain access. If you have a fixed chicken coop made with iron walls, a concrete floor and fine mesh, you may be able to keep them out. But if you’ve got a mobile chicken coop or you regularly free range your chickens, there’s likely to be a tiny gap somewhere for these determined creatures to find their way in. So physically keeping mice actually out of your chicken coop may not be really possible, but there’s still other ways to keep them under control.

Preventing spilt grain

One of the main ways to prevent mice coming into your chicken coop is to make sure that your chickens are not spilling feed onto the ground. As owners and manufacturers of mobile chicken coops, we regularly had customers asking for suggestions about how to prevent their chickens from scratching lots of grain onto the ground. Chickens can waste a lot of grain by scratching it onto the ground, which costs a lot of money and also attracts wild birds and rodents.

To be honest, we were also having issues with our chickens wasting lots of feed. We were determined to overcome this problem and so decided to design our own feeders. We’ve designed our feeders with special dividers in the middle of the feeding tray that discourage chickens from ‘swiping’ the feed onto the ground. Chickens will naturally try to sort their grain mix to find the tastiest piece of grain or seed. We’ve found that these feeders significantly reduce the wastage of grain. The chickens are forced to peck at the feed to eat it, rather than ‘explore’ the grain mix and make a great mess in the process.

We’ve found that having a feeder that prevents feed wastage is a key factor in keeping away the rats and mice. So while they may physically be able to come into your coop, if you can get your spilt grain under control, you’ll also have your mice problem under control.

Scattering Grain

To help get a mouse problem under control, you might decide to take away the chicken’s self-feeder for a period of time and simply scatter grain each morning. Unfortunately, chickens do much better if they have a regular, continuous supply of feed that they can access throughout the day. Self-feeders are really the only easy way to ensure they have a continuous supply available. Rather than taking away the self-feeder all together, it is much wiser to invest in a feeder that limits the amount of grain spilt.

Keeping your supply of feed away from mice

You also need to make sure that your grain or pellets are stored appropriately in a sealed container. Rats and mice can be fairly determined if they sniff out some food that they’re interested in. Several years ago I discovered a lost Tupperware container in our garage, hidden behind a cupboard, that was completely chewed through for the mice to gain access to the food that was hiding inside. Tough plastic or even wood is not a problem for rodents. Be sure to purchase a strong container, ideally made of metal, to store your grain.

Author: Kerry Mundt

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Four Unique Types of Chicken Coops

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: building chicken coops, chicken coop plans, chicken coops, chickenrunsandcoops, hen houses, raising chickens, raising hens — Penny @ 10:01 pm

Four Unique types of Chicken Coops

Keeping chickens has been a part of civilization for centuries. Throughout the course of American history alone, there have been many people who have raised chickens and, as a result, many different types of chicken coops. Here are four unique types that will give you an idea of which type is right for you.

Chicken Coop #1 – The A-Frame

This unique design gets its name from its close similarity to the shape of the capital letter”A”. This type of coop is very popular especially for portable coops for keeping chickens on a small scale. They are not very heavy, and, as a result, they are very easy to move to different locations on your property. The A-Frame usually includes scaled-down perches and nesting boxes to fill the needs of the small flock.

Chicken Coop #2 – The Chicken Ark

If you are keeping a medium size flock, it is very possible that the A-Frame many not be sufficient. Enter the chicken ark. This type of chicken coop tends to be larger than its A-Frame counterpart, and therefore heavier and more difficult to move. To accommodate moving the coop, it is often outfitted with small wheels to facilitate movement. The real difference is the appearance of the chicken ark in that it has a more square structure.

Chicken Coop #3 – The Poultry Shed

The poultry shed is larger than both the A-Frame and the chicken ark. It usually appears in two different varieties, permanent and portable. The portable version is usually built on sleds that make it possible to move it with a tractor or other large farm equipment when necessary. As a result, the poultry shed is sometimes referred to as the “chicken tractor”. The permanent version is usually built on post that lift the floor of the coop off of the ground.

Chicken Coop #4 – The Chicken House

If you are looking for a large chicken coop that is durable and easily maintained, then the chicken house is the option for you. The chicken house is usually large enough to provide a large run giving the birds plenty of space for fresh air and regular activity without giving them full access to the yard. The large size of the chicken house makes it very easy for keepers to get inside for regular chores such as cleaning the coop and gathering eggs. By far, the chicken house is the most durable of all the types of coops that we have discussed.

The Finishing Touches

No matter the unique type of structure you may choose for your chicken coop, the decor and color of your design are entirely up to you. The finishing touches are what make your coop unique. Just remember that the most important part of your decision is building the type of coop that fits you and your flock.

Author: Wilbur Perkings
, however, you just don’t have the time to do the work yourself and you’re in a hurry to have your chicken house you may like to consider this alternative

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