A Complete Beginner’s Guide to Why and How to Make Chicken Coops

In today’s era, we live in an age where there is a strong demand to move towards natural, rural living. There is a massive trend of farming nowadays. People are fond of different animals. They raise sheep, goats, hens, rabbits etc. Raising chickens can be a rewarding and fulfilling habit. Chicken farming has enormous benefits. Before their meat is ready, their eggs are a source of income. Whether raising chickens for fun or wanting eggs and meat, you will enjoy the whole process with the cute little chickens. However, there can be several challenges in raising chickens.

Challenges in Raising Chickens:

Chickens give farmers a lot of benefits, but there can be several challenges in raising chickens. They require a neat and clean space to grow. A proper diet is necessary for their development. Most importantly, they need protection from predators. If they are not protected from predators, how can they grow? The other factor is protecting them from harsh environments, How to Make Chicken Coops climate changes, sunlight, frost, etc. They are not capable of tolerating extreme conditions and protecting themselves. So, they require a shelter to live in. This shelter can be a house made for them or simply a cage, a chicken coop. Farmers mostly prefer to build a chicken coop by themselves. In this guide, we will discuss all the essential things about the chicken coop and why it is better to build one for your farm than buy it.

DIY Chicken Coops vs Custom-Made Chicken Coops:

When you need to protect your chickens, there comes the need for a chicken coop, and there are two options. Whether to buy custom-made or make one for your farm. Many factors play a part in deciding which coop is best for your chickens and the farm. You have to evaluate the cost, time you have and most importantly, the quality it offers. Our primary concern is the protection of the chickens. When you choose DIY chicken coops, you need a lot of time, investment and tools to make it. Pre-build chicken coops offer quality and save time for those who need more time to make one for their farm.

These are the same factors which we consider when choosing a chicken coop.

Time: DIY projects tend to take more time than expected. They require a lot of planning, designing and building on your own. Many factors can also affect the timeline. For example, unexpected weather may delay your project. If you can work every day fast, you can streamline your project. Otherwise, it may take a lot of time. On the other hand, custom-made chicken is always available in the market.

Price: While custom-made coops are expensive, DIY chicken coops can be cheaper than expected. If you lack the tools to build the chicken coop, you must buy them.

Quality: You can make a high-quality coop for your chicken while building the DIY chicken coop. You can control every aspect of quality because you can choose materials and tools and decide which quality you want.

Customization:  In building DIY chicken coops, you can customize them according to your needs and preferences. It may depend upon the weather, number of chickens and predators in your area. You can make every detail according to your needs. If you buy custom-made chicken coops, it does not offer the customization option.

Benefits of Building Chicken Coops:

Building chicken coops offers several benefits, as it offers an affordable option with a lot of customization. It provides you with high quality. More importantly, you can enjoy the whole process if you love handmade things. This is a totally worthwhile time-spending journey.

How to Make a Chicken Coop:

Make Chicken Coops Making a chicken coop is a rewarding project. It will show your creative side. But there is one thing you need to know before building a chicken coop. You have to follow the rules and regulations of your area. It would help if you got a permit to build a chicken coop.

Step By Step Process to Build a Chicken Coop:

Here is the process to build a chicken coop for your chickens.

Plan Selection:

How to Make Chicken Coops Many plans for building the chicken coop are available for beginners and seasonal farmers. It would help if you chose the plan according to your needs. Whether you have extensive land or use your yard for farming, choose a plan according to your demand. When selecting a plan, consider its functionality and whether it is feasible for cleaning, protecting chickens, etc.

Selection of Materials:

After selecting a plan, you have to choose the material of your choice. Wood is easy to work with, but you have to consider whether it has pest protection quality. Typically, redwood has this quality. You also need measuring tape, hammer, saw, nail, drill and framing square.

Preparation of The Ground and Foundation:

Make Chicken Coops Before building the chicken coop, clear the ground and remove any vegetation your selected place has. And dig deep the trenches. Keep this simple rule in mind: The larger the coop, the deeper the trenches should be.

Building the Chicken Coop:

First of all, start building the frame of the chicken coop. Then, make the outer covering and insulate it. Then, it will be turned to the roof and nest the boxes for laying eggs. Install the windows and litter trays. Also, install a door from where the chicken coops should enter and leave.

Following these simple steps, you can build your chicken coop quickly, even with little or no experience working with wood.

Bottom Line:

Chicken coops are easy to build. In just simple steps and with no prior experience, you can create a comfortable and cozy place for your chickens that is safe and protected against predators. This is worth investing in, and you will love the process. There is no going back once you are in the creative work habit. You will love giving your time to this habit.

Enjoy Building your chicken coop. Best of luck!