Chickens are some of the easiest animals to care for. They are an affordable pet that provides very low upkeep to take care of. The benefits of keeping chickens as pets is that families can have delicious and tasty eggs for breakfast every day. When keeping chickens a person will need a chicken coop for the chicken to call their home. A person can either buy a chicken coop or build one themselves.
It is more affordable building a chicken coop than buying one. When building a chicken coop the coop should be built near the main house. This is so that the occupants can keep an eye on their chickens without needing to walk long distances. It also helps chicken owners to ensure that their children are not letting the chickens out to roam free in the yard.
Chickens are the main menu for many predators, so keeping the chickens close to the main house is another added benefit. The chicken owners will need to find a piece of flat and level land to build the chicken coop on top of. Some other mindful things to be aware of when building a coop is rain and water.
If the chicken coop is built in an area that gets a lot of run off water the coop can be carried away along with the chickens and the eggs. The sun is also a concern for chickens. Chickens need to be kept cool during the summer heat. Building the coop where there is a lot of shade would be best. The chicken coop should always have a lot of space for the chickens to move around in.
The approximate size should be a four foot square coop for each chicken. A chicken coop can be built out of any left over lumber that a person has around their yard. Items such as, timber, piping, pavers, and bricks can be used. If a chicken owner has a large drum they can use some parts from that. As long as the coop is built out of wood that will usually suffice.
Wood has a tendency to last a lot longer than many other materials. Hardware stores also carry wood if a chicken owners does not have any handy. The chicken coop will also need fasteners, chicken wire, and nails. The chicken coop, which is also called a nesting box should be placed in a corner that is semi dark.
The coop should be raised up off the ground only about a few inches. Around four or five hens can fit into a nesting box. This nesting box is what will help the chickens to lay eggs.
When the chickens sleep they are going to need a roost pole or a beam. A tray will also need to placed under the pole or beam to catch chicken droppings that can also be used as a fertilizer for a field.