Chicken Housing

When you finally make the decision to raise your own chickens it can be quite exciting. There are many things to consider and many things to plan. Your first concern is probably going to be about where you will keep them and what sort of chicken housing you will provide for them. This is key to raising happy and healthy birds, but just as important in regards to your own happiness with your chicken raising experience.

There are many chicken housing choices available, of course, but most fall under two main categories “stationary” and “portable”. There are benefits to both types, so it really comes down to what will work best for you. With a portable chicken coop you will have much less clean up, plus as you move it around your yard, you will have a free fertilizing system for your lawn, keeping the grass much nicer. Stationary chicken coops, on the other hand, can provide much more protection for the chickens from predators. There is also the added benefit that these can be built near a water source, making automatic feeding and watering of the birds a possibility.

If you choose to go with permanent chicken housing, you will want to pick a slightly shaded area of your yard or build a coop that will provide the hens with some shade itself. Also, chickens don’t like to drink warm water, so you’ll need to make sure that the area where their water is kept is shaded as well.

Click Here for How to Build A Chicken Coop Blueprints!

The size of the coop you will need for chicken housing is really dependent on how many chickens you hope to keep in it. Usually you will want to have 1.5 to 2 square feet for each chicken in your coop; however some areas may have stricter rules about the amount of space per bird. If you are not sure how many you would like to have, it is generally a good idea to check with the local authorities in regards to the rules and regulations regarding livestock in your area. They will be able to tell you the amount of space that is required per bird for your coop. This is good information to know before you start designing it.

There are pre-made chicken housing available for purchase if you are not inclined to make one yourself, but they can be much more costly than one you might build on your own. Most of them come in a flat pack form so even if you didn’t intend to, chances are that you’ll still end up assembling it yourself. So, making one to your own design might be more cost efficient and satisfying. If you are worried about how to design your own chicken coop, don’t. This website has many articles and resources plus we have reviewed the top chicken housing plans to help you make up your mind.

If you’re ready to build a chicken coop check out this complete guide and design plans.