Build From Free Chicken House Plans, or Buy it and be Done?

Chicken Coops; Build a Backyard Chicken Coop

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Find the best free Chicken Coop Plans and construction tips with advice to help you build a chicken house to be proud of.

Discover simple and extravagant chicken house plans, and view tons of pictures to get the best idea of what you need!

If you are going to Build a Chicken House you will want to have it done by the time your hens grow out of their adolescent pen.

There are many free chicken coop plans on the net that you can use to design and construct from. Building the enclosures yourself can be very fun and rewarding, especially if the whole family can work on it together.

You know why they call'em Old Wet Hens? Because it's true!

There is nothing like a ticked off hen of advancing age when she is wet and rained on. Chickens don't like water, except to drink massive quantities of it year round.

Beautiful Chicken House Designs

Courtesy of Aunt Owwee

Should you build your own from free chicken house plans, or buy one? The answer depends on you and your situation. If you have reasonable carpentry skills and some time on your hands, then you can have a great time designing one that suits your taste.

Some great designers started their careers with a fancy chicken house designs at home. You can make yours quite simple, just meeting the basic needs of your hens, or you can go all out and build majestic, nostalgic or downright humorous chicken coops.

When Raising Chickens keep in mind that the chickens do not care if you build their chicken coop from free chicken house plans, or if you build them a palace. Chicken coops are fun to construct as you can go all out on the chicken coop designs to suit your personality.

People do care though, so the more you put into it the more enjoyment you and your family will have through the years. No time and no carpentry skills? Don't let that stop you.

You can buy some mighty pretty chicken coops online or in feed stores. They are more expensive, but consider the costs of building materials right down to the last detail, then factor in your time involved. Then you will know. You can also find some chicken coop plans for free online!

For the truly frugal, let's think about alternatives. You can build a free chicken house plan yourself the cheapest, or you can shop Craigslist for an extra large doghouse, a shed, an enclosed wooden structure of almost any sort, or even a chain link dog kennel with a tarp roof can work.

As long as you meet the critical needs of your chickens, you will have happy hens and lots of wonderful eggs to gather.

Courtesy of Joe Photo

Here are the elements to consider when providing a chicken coop for your chicken flock.

Shelter and Safety

The coop and the run needs to be enclosed with wire netting to protect your foul from furry predators like raccoons and coyotes, dogs, cats and even wild birds that will make off with the young chickens, and may intermingle with the flock, introducing and spreading diseases.

Dig the wire down 2 feet at an inward angle to prevent dogs, rodents, fox and raccoons, to name a few, from getting in.

Our two chicken coops were built from free chicken house plans we got from an online Chicken Supplies store. It has a tiny chick door and a big people door. During the day we pop it open and the girls can run inside to safety at the first sign of trouble.

Usually the Rooster is watching carefully and sends them running, even when it's just the wind blowing.

Free Range or Not?

Courtesy of Linda N

Truly free range domestic chickens have a good life. If you have a farm or a fenced yard you can let them out everyday to scratch, eat your bugs and other pests, fertilize the area well, and eat your weeds too. During the winter months you will need to supplement with commercial Organic Chicken Feed.

Consider too, that Free Range Chickens allowed out are very friendly creatures and they will flock to your family, entertain you and make you feel a little happier than you thought possible from a lowly chicken perspective.

It is easy to get them to go in the hen house without having to catch chickens every evening. Just bring dinner and feed them in the coop, everyone will come running.

On the nights I am late with dinner my chickens just put themselves to bed for me, as they are not crazy about the nighttime crowd out there. Just remember to walk over and close the house up until morning.

Sun, Storms and Wind

Courtesy of Jakesmom

Depending on the type of free chicken house plan you use, you will want to have your coop oriented away from your draft and wind patterns. in the summer they will need to seek shade so factor that in as well.

Water

Chickens drink a lot of water year round, so you will want to orient the hen house near a spigot. You can get by with a large gallon bucket kept filled at all times. Better yet, set up an automatic waterer when you build from your new chicken house plans and save the chore.

Feeding

When you can use either a hanging feeder, an automatic feeder or scatter method. If you like to leave for the weekend you will want to hang a feeder on the wall that dispenses a certain portion each day. You can also get these for grit or oyster shell.

You will want to keep the food in a secure container reasonably close to the coop. You may build a separate storage area in your hen mansion, or just use the metal garbage can method with a tight fitting lid.

Courtesy of Raelene G

Light

Hens respond to light by brooding and laying eggs. This is why, if your family needs plenty of eggs, you will want to set up a 100 watt bulb in your chicken coop and leave it on for 14 hour increments. Congratulations on building from your new chicken house plan!

You will save money if you put it on an automatic timer. 14 hours including the night, off in the bright of day, assuming your chickens are outside in their yard during this time.

Don't need a Chicken Coop? Check out these Chicken Tractor Plans

Chickens are safer at night in a Properly Built Chicken Coop

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