Constructing Your own Backyard Chicken Coop

Before you get started on your chicken coop construction project, the first thing to do is survey the location where you intend to place the chicken coop. Consider whether or not your chicken coop is going to be portable (movable), semi-permanent or permanent.

If you want to discover how to easily build an attractive and affordable chicken coop that protects your chickens from predators, maintains their health, and delivers more delicious eggs, you’ll want to take a look at:

Building A Chicken Coop

Irrespective of the kind of backyard chicken coop you are going to build for your chickens, you must ensure that you provide them with the best possible level of comfort, hygiene and security, seeing that this is where your flock is going to sleep and lay their eggs.

This is where your chickens will eat and sleep so your coop must also keep them protected from potential predators. You are able to purchase a pre-made chicken house and that is a great alternative for you if you have the money and do not have the time for chicken coop construction yourself.

Pre-Planning and Site Selection Fundamentals

1.	Decide on the appropriate Plan and Design: Depending upon your family discussion regarding the number of chickens you propose to have, you already have an idea as to how large the chicken coop needs to be and exactly what kind you would likely build.
2.	Other Factors to take into account: When you have chosen the suitable plan and design, you also have to take into consideration the following factors so as to make the construction phase much easier for you.
	a)Allocate four heads of chicken for each feeder and waterer.b)Build the nest boxes at the same time you undertake the chicken coop construction in order to save time.
3.	Place the Coop Strategically: In deciding on the best location for a semi-permanent or permanent chicken coop, ensure that the area will have the proper amount of sunlight and is not directly in the direction of the wind. Risks from predators must also be kept to a minimum.

Getting Construction Materials

You are now ready to purchase your construction materials and supplies. To lower your expenditures, it is recommended that you buy your chicken coop building supplies from second hand stores. You never know the kind of bargain that you are likely to find in these stores.

Check the chicken coop plan you’ve selected and copy the list of materials of the plan. If you will have fewer than four chickens in the coop, the size of the coop will be adequate, however for future expansion purposes and also to avoid having to construct yet another coop after a year or two, it may well be best to double (or triple) the original dimensions of the chicken coop.

Be sure that all of the fundamentals are taken care of before buying a single piece of lumber.

Should you take our advice to make use of used lumber in constructing your chicken coop, then one of the difficulties you will face will be finding all of them in the same lengths – do not be concerned, you can always cut them to size. However, to avoid unnecessary joints, keep in mind that the shortest piece you get needs to be at least the size of the smallest piece in the chicken coop plan.

In selecting your lumber pieces:

1.	Pick out wood which is larger or longer than the actual measurements specified (you have to sand them clean yet) which means they will become a bit smaller.
2.	Select lumber that you could cut in half to create two equal pieces of the same length.
3.	Do not concern yourself with the cracks in the timber, the age of the wood guarantees that they are dry and will not split.
4.	Purchase as much as possible of the materials you will need from the second hand store, and you will learn just what a bargain (not to mention fun) backyard chicken coop construction can be.