Small Kitchen Garden Tips and Tricks » chicken coop

Hints On Guide On Where To Get Chicken Coop Plans

Isaac Wood — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 09:17:32 +0000

If you have decided to keep chicken in your compound, you will need a chicken coop for them. A chicken coop keeps chicken safe from predators, gives them shelter at night and in extreme weather and also give them a place to nest which is important for egg-laying chicken. Step one for building a hen coop is getting chicken coop plans.

This is easily solved by getting free internet plans which should have some basics. A coop should be placed on the upper rather than lower end of a slope so that water does not collect around it. When it comes to size, each chicken needs four to six feet of its own space with two extra feet allowed for nesting hens.

Wood is mostly used to make the place for hens, although almost any kind of material can be used. You can also use scrap lumber, convert an old shed or camping trailer. New lumber may be expensive and it is not absolutely necessary. You can reuse glass for the windows too.

Ensure that the plan you pick has a window and door and the windows face southward. This is to provide ventilation more so in warm months and enough sunlight in colder and darker seasons. The plan should also have a nesting area and provide from six to 10 inches for every hen to perch.

The floor is a big deal because of the droppings. One option is to have a hen wire floor with a container underneath to collect droppings. You can also use the deep litter method where four to eight inches of wood pellets, sawdust or wood shavings are placed on the floor. The droppings are stirred to the top into the bedding below. Decomposition will begin and the bedding will start reducing at which point more is added. Then the coop has to be emptied and cleaned out just once or twice a year and you will have some compost for the garden.

When it comes to construction, the frame goes up first followed by the sides and then the roof. Slope the roof a little so water never gathers on it. See also that the doors and windows are secured using hen wire. Put latches on the door and then put in the nest boxes and perches.

Next, the feeding bowels and watering should go in. Place them such that they are at the same level as the chickens backs. Hens tend to scratch a lot and they will scratch against them but away from the water and food to avoid contamination.

You may have a different idea such as a movable place. These are also called chicken tractors. No floor is placed on them and they are easily moved from spot to spot which ensures no part of the lawn gets flattened. This is also a good solution for urban dwellers where space is tight. For the lawn, there is the benefit of free and frequent fertilizing and for you, the need to clean up droppings is eliminated. Whatever plan you have exactly, you can find chicken coop plans on the internet and at no cost.

There are a lot of places to get that chicken coo plans but ours are really easy to comprehend. We can tell you how to build a chicken coop the correct way.

Chickens: Why Raise Them?

Robert Jay — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 10:58:39 +0000

Of all the animals that people can raise as pets, chickens are unique in the sense that they produce something edible compared to other pets like dogs, horses, cats and fish. In fact, raising chickens for pets pay off in the long run as they are a source of fresh meat and eggs unlike what you normally buy in the supermarket.

Organic, organic, organic – it’s all you seem to hear about. With your own backyard chickens it is very easy to produce your own organic eggs and poultry meat – all you have to do is feed your chickens organic chicken feed (which you can find easily). The best news? Organically fed chicken that roam freely, eat grass are proven to lay eggs that have higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin E while having lower cholesterol content!

Chickens Have Personalities Too – Did you know that? It’s true – each chicken has their own distinctive and endearing personality traits. Aside from this, chickens are very pleasing to look at because their assortment of colors and patterns; they also come in all sizes and shapes. You will certainly be tempted to over-spoil them, pick them up and hug them to show them off to your friends and give them their individual names as you get familiarized with their characteristics.

Chicken Raising Contributes to Environmental Care

Hens love being able to freely go on the range. By letting them range freely, you get 2 very tangible benefits in return – they would gladly eat any garden bug they see and help you with your lawn mowing. They love to eat grass as well. As an added bonus, they’ll turn all make fertilizer! All you have to do is sit down on the porch and watch them as they happily go about their daily routine.

Most people are not aware that chickens can eat almost anything people can, even leftover foods. Although you may reconsider feeding them onions and garlic as they would make their eggs taste funny.

Chickens are the best producers of black gold soil their waste is a naturally nitrogen-rich. Chickens also thrive on leaves, weeds and grass clippings – they actually help people get rid of their garden/farm refuse instead of simply getting rid of them.

Chickens are Low-Maintenance Pets

Chickens need little maintenance. All you have to do is make sure their food and water containers are freshly filled on a daily basis. And once they start laying eggs, then you have to get the eggs daily as well. Cleaning their coops daily or every other day is good enough and their beddings have to be changed once every couple weeks depending on weather conditions.

Do you love hens and chickens? Be sure to visit Free Hen House Plans and get helpful tips and a free guide.

Okay, I want to turn a garden shed, or ‘workshop’ into a chicken coop….where can I get the cheapest sheds?

Guest — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 16:26:21 +0000

Question by Amber C: Okay, I want to turn a garden shed, or ‘workshop’ into a chicken coop….where can I get the cheapest sheds?
Instead of building a big wood chicken coop…I want to just buy a shed/garden storage, and convert it to a chicken coop…so where can I find the best deals on them…I can’t afford anything over $ 1000, and preferably not over $ 800. Has to be atleast 8′x8′, pressure treated wood, sturdy, etc. I’m in Charlotte, NC

Thanks
I don’t like any of the chicken coops online, they are way too small, & have little or on access. I want something kind of like a mini barn…so that I can go in their with the chickens & I want to store their food in their.

Best answer:

Answer by skeptical
Why convert a shed? Buy a chicken coop!

They are all over the ‘Net, just do a search.

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How long do I have to wait to plant my vegetable seedlings after fertilizing the soil in my garden?

Guest — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 23:02:10 +0000

by Topsy at Waygood

Question by Holly Lyn: How long do I have to wait to plant my vegetable seedlings after fertilizing the soil in my garden?

I fertilized with the winters worth of droppings and shavings from my chicken coop. I was thinking that it needed to sit longer than fertilizer from the store so that it wouldn’t ‘burn’ my seedlings. Is this the case?

Best answer:

Answer by eve
You have to look up your zone, here in Iowa we are zone 4 and generally plant after may 10th, you can listen to the weather and if the soil temp is consistanly 50 degrees give it a shot. Some seeds can be sown as soon as you can work the ground, read your packets

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Self-Sufficient-Life.com

Guest — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 17:46:32 +0000

Self-Sufficient-Life.com
Keeping and raising Chickens and Poultry. Build A Chicken Coop. Growing your own fruit and vegetables. Beekeeping (Honey bees). Herbal Remedies, Herbs, Remedy. Hydroponic Gardening, Hydroponics Garden. Building Your Own Greenhouse.
Self-Sufficient-Life.com

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Build a chicken coop for 3 chickens?

Guest — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:09:28 +0000

Question by Sam B: Build a chicken coop for 3 chickens?
I live in the UK and want to get 3 chickens. I have to build a chicken coop. I want it to be quite big so that i could keep about 5 chickens in so my chickens have lots of room. It needs to cost around £50. The chickens will be about medium size. They will be all hens no roosters.

Thanks. Sam B

Best answer:

Answer by stonefieldhill
Do a google search for “chicken tractor”. There are some simple and ingenious ideas for small, mobile housing for your coop. For 5 birds, the coop itself does not have to be very big, but they will need a yard to scratch and socialize in.

If you are trying to keep expenses down, look for recycled material. PVC piping makes great, lightweight framing material to stretch chicken wire over. Get some old pallets if you want to build the coop out of wood (BTW, I have a friend who has taught me that you can construct anything out of old pallets – including barn stalls!)

You might even consider free ranging and just having a coop to secure them in at night. I let our entire flock free range, and they’re terrific at eliminating bugs in the garden. You can clip wings to keep them from roosting in trees at night (or you can get breeds that are flightless, like silkies).

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Does the White House have a chicken coop on its grounds?

Guest — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 10:08:03 +0000

by UhDuh

Question by Amanda Kerry: Does the White House have a chicken coop on its grounds?
I know they have a white house garden and Knowing Michelle’s prefernce for fresh food I was wondering.

Best answer:

Answer by John Obama
Yes, it is next to the melon patch.

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what can I put in a chicken coop to keep the smell down?

Guest — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 03:32:52 +0000

by Varanos

Question by Jaqueline: what can I put in a chicken coop to keep the smell down?
I don’t want it to hurt the chickens, obviously.

Best answer:

Answer by Jimmilto
Clean it!

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How can I prevent myself and family from getting histoplasmosis from my chicken coop?

Guest — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 02:09:48 +0000

by kittygutz

Question by teetzijo: How can I prevent myself and family from getting histoplasmosis from my chicken coop?

Best answer:

Answer by bactiman63
The histoplasmosis will be present in the chicken poop in the hay or straw on the floor of the coop. You can prevent yourself from getting the fungus by not stirring up the hay or by wearing a mask. Take special precautions if you are immunocompromised.

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Anyone care to please post a pic of their chicken coop?

Guest — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 00:50:09 +0000

Question by digger: Anyone care to please post a pic of their chicken coop?
One of these days, I’d like to get some chicks and a baby rooster… To help with ticks, and to have fresh eggs…

Best answer:

Answer by Tristyn B
http://www.stonyfield.com/weblogarchives/BovineBugle/ChickenCoop2Nov2005.JPG

There you go, I like to make them “homey!!!!!!”

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