Several factors have to be taken into mind if you are going to build a chicken coop that is sturdy and safe. One of the factors you need to think about before you start your chicken coop is the design and size. Do you want a small chicken coop or a large one? Moveable chicken coops are popular as you can easily move the coop to fresh ground every other week. Decide how long with chickens will stay in their coop. If they will be in it full-time or able to roam on open land. Keeping the chickens ventilated for the changing weather is vital, you might want to think about how you want your doors and windows to operate, on a hinge or sliding? How will you lock them at night for proper protection?
The next factor is the location of your coop. Unfortunately many people tend to side step this step and they end up with flooded coops. Constructing your coop on higher ground near a drainage system will save you from hassle down the road. Building your coop with a slight slope towards the door will allow for built up water/waste to drain properly also. Litter collection is another design element to avoid diseases, pine shavings and saw dust seem to be the most popular as they are cheap and absorb odors quickly. Daily stir the mulch as a way of recycling used mulch for the more fresh much at the bottom. Build your coop 10 sq ft per chicken to avoid overcrowding this will make your litter control more controllable.
Many backyard chicken coops need heavy-duty chicken wire to keep harmful animals away from nesting chickens. Digging a hole one foot deep is the minimum depth required to build a chicken coop. This depth will ensure safety from snakes and other borrowing predators. To keep other animals such as dogs and foxes from getting under the fence, placing cement bricks at the base of the chicken wire is a good deterrent. Do not forget your roosting post that must be 4 feet off the ground and preferably dark, it makes it a calm environment for your hens to lay their eggs. The size of the box depends on the size of your hens, they should be able to stand up in the box with no effort.
Lastly if you reside in a climate that tend to change in seasons, insulating your coop is a must. To keep the cost low cardboard and a warming light is great for the winter months and straw in the warmer months to freshen the smell, and maintain the temperature. Recycling old structures works too if you are pressed for time and money. Have an old shed or baby gates? You can easily use them to build a chicken coop in one day using the same steps. Chicken coops tend to be easy to build so do not worry an expert hand is not needed, just patience, and the right tools.
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