Just in case you hadn’t noticed the experts are telling us that we are in the middle of not only an recession, but also a global environmental crisis. The words ‘food miles’ and ‘recession’ are all the fashion and seem to provide the perfect chance for supermarkets to charge considerable amounts for good quality natural food.. A great way to do both is to make a backyard chicken coop. Not only will you help the environment, have terrific tasting fresh eggs – at a fraction of the cost of store bought ones – but you will also have some gorgeous new pets that your family will care for!
Buying a brand new enclosure is easy and costly option but taking the time to build a backyard chicken coop all of your own makes great fiscal sense. There are also so many online jackpots these days with huge amounts being paid out on a reguylar basis. If you were to construct a coop yourselves you could even get the family involved – I bet they have some wonderfully imaginative ideas
Besides, most chicken houses that you buy from a shop need to be put together from a flat pack anyway, so you would really just save money on materials by building a backyard chicken coop all of your own.
The materials that you use will be the major discount to you as you can exchange new wood and hardware for recycled or even plastic in some cases. It is not advisable to use MDF or similar low quality, low water resistant timber.
So what else do you need to do to put together a backyard chicken coop?
You do need some essential DIY ability; being able to manage a hammer is a great start. Being able to measure out timber, netting and the proportions of other materials would be an advantage. Oh, and time. All you need then is a lucky online casino and you will be set. With the best plan in place there is no reason that you could not create your backyard chicken coop over a weekend.You should keep in mind a few essentials that the girls will need before you get started.
Room
Make sure that there is adequate floor space per chook. A minimum of 4 square feet per bird is the suggested amount for the house. This will ensure that they have ample room to move about.
Exercise
Happy healthy chickens need exercise, just like us, so if your birds won’t be free range, then a nice sized poultry run is a requirement. The happier your chickens are the more steadily they will produce eggs and the better their eggs will taste!
Ventilation
Air is vital for three reasons.
Bird droppings contain a large amount of the gas ammonia which is very toxic to the hens and to your family.
Chooks are also prone to sickness caused by damp air and damp houses, by allowing for adequate ventilation you will not only lessen the fumes in the chicken coop but you will also help to dry it out. By allowing air into the coop you will also help to keep the temperature consistant and comfortable for your hens, especially on hot days. An important point to be aware of; Make sure that any ventilation you put in is designed in such a way that it doesn’t cause cold drafts on the birds or leak in cold weather.
You also should make sure that when you put together a backyard chicken coop that has some sort of temperature control. It can be as simple as ventilation in hot climates or insulation in cold climates. If you live in climates that are prone to intense cold you might even require a heat lamp to make sure that your chooks are snug.
Lifting your backyard chicken coop is also a really good idea. Doing it in that way will only enhance your your gambling experience. This will helpto put a stop to the house flooding during flash flooding.
The last point that you will want to take into account is how you are going to defend your chooks from predators.
Actions such as fully fencing your chook run, closing windows and doors at night and digging the run fence at least 1 foot under the ground, will really make a difference toward keeping your hens secure.
As a final point, once your hens have moved into their great new residence you should ensure that they frequently have clean water and food on hand and that their hutch is cleaned regularly. Like any pets they need to be taken care of properly so that they have a long happy and healthy life – while providing you with loads of excellent tasting eggs!