20 Items To Consider When Building Chicken Runs And Coops

20 Items to Consider For Building Runs and Coops

Here are some important things to consider when getting ready to plan your chicken coop project. Raising chickens takes much more that just a chicken coop run to ensure they are healthy and thriving. Take these tips into consideration when building a chicken coop.

For the best building plans from Building a Chicken Coop click here

Create a hiding place for hens low on the totem pole in pecking order, and also to hide from hawks. The hens will run under a box with holes cut out at both ends, or an old satellite dish or tilted hubcap. This gives them a place to hide from aggressive hens and stay safe.

Provide entertainment. Hens and roosters like to get on things outside. Put an old log outside, or try a turned over galvanized wide pan. You can install some roosting bars outside, just make sure they are sturdy enough to last through wind and rain.

Get an automatic door latch set for am opening. Unless you plan on opening the door latch 365 mornings per year to let chickens out for the day, you might invest in an auto door opener that is set on a timer. It springs the latch and chickens can push their way out for the day. Of course a live person has to close up the door securely each night.

Try natural branches installed for roosting. Chickens prefer different levels and widths of roosts to perch on. It is a more natural habitat and more comfortable for overnight roosting.

Types of bedding for coop that are easy to clean: pine needles, wood shavings, peat moss and wood chips.Whatever you choose, make sure it is absorbent and won't allow liquid to pool. It should be lightweight for easy shoveling.

Nesting boxes made from recycled bookcase or drawers are easy to find at any garage sale and sometimes even free. Make sure the book case is deep enough for room to hop in. Fill the drawers with straw for cozy nesting.

Dust bathing is a community activity in flocks of hens. Build a shallow box for their daily activity. Dust bath sandbox for chickens should be filled with loam soil.

For a shade cover over the run, use a cloth or plastic tarp to partially or fully cover the run. It gives protection from sun and exposure.

Electricity for a security night light and auto watering system is important to provide light, heat and automatic water systems especially when you have several chickens.

Provide adequate ventilation for summer and winter. Ventilation can be in the form of windows, or regulated systems.

Insulation in walls is critical for a coop in freezing winters. If you have a coop that moves or a chicken house, options are available when building chicken coops.

Make sure your simple chicken coop is easy to keep clean. You will be doing some cleaning daily, some weekly. Make sure you have good 'people access' to get into the coop.

Coop size should fit well in the environment. Think of how many chickens you want to take care of before building a chicken coop.

Wire or cloth netting should be attached over the run to protect from predators ensures safety. It is important to cover the run with wire if there are hawks in your area, as they hunt from above.

Nesting area has easy access for hens to hop into. Make sure there are enough boxes per chicken, but chickens often share. Make them easy to access.

Do you want a floating floor or a chicken coop to rest directly on the ground?
If you have a coop that is built on an earth base, make sure it is level and has sufficient water run-off. Floating floors will often stay dryer, but need to be cleaned and disinfected often. Building a chicken hutch means you can move it around, and you don't need a floor at all because it rests on the ground.

Gravel and bark mixed into run keeps ground from becoming mud. Keep drainage flowing away from the run area. Chickens can become sick from constant wet conditions outside, so make sure there is high ground in the run for them to gather on.

Non-toxic epoxy coating over floor is a good waterproofing option. If you are building a chicken coop of larger dimensions, that has a permanent floor consider this option to keep cleaning easy.

Plant some bushes in the run for protection and nibbling. Chickens love to use these natural hiding spots. You can also use potted bushes and move them around with the chicken hutch.

Lean a piece of corrugated tin or an old plywood board against coop as a hiding spot for hens. This also offers a shady spot to get out of the sun.

When building a chicken coop, think about some of these practical editions to make life better for your chickens. Chickens enjoy scratching and nibbling outside during the day, so make sure a chicken run plan is part of your project. You will be rewarded with healthier chickens, better egg production and fewer predator attacks if you use these points to your coop.