Chicken Coop Plans

How To Build A Chicken Pen 4 Needful Elements Of Chicken Pen Plans | Chicken Coop Movable

How To Build A Chicken Pen 4 Needful Elements Of Chicken Pen Plans

If you would like to know how to build a chicken coop plans, it is leading to understand that there are various must-have elements which should be carefully when construction any coop, regardless of its size.

1. Size

If your hens are likely to be kept inside the coop for most of the time, then the size of the coop is of crucial importance. You need to give the hens adequate space to move around conveniently as well as to sleep and nest in. Any good plans should clearly state the whole of hens a singular establish is suitable for. As a rule of thumb, you should allow "indoor" hens 3-5 quadrate footage of floor space in the nesting/sleeping end and up to 15 quadrate footage each in the run. Obviously, you can be more flexible if you allow your hens to free-range for part of the time, but you must ensure they can sleep comfortably.

2. Ease Of Cleaning

It is no use at all having the nicest looking coop if you cannot keep it properly clean. This is of vital importance for a integrate of reasons. Firstly, hens are susceptible to Red Mite, which is a tiny, spider-like parasite. This can lead to feather loss and extreme hurt for the hens. Your chicken coop plans, you should look for those which integrate dual passage into the nesting/sleeping area. This should be both from the run and from the rear of the coop and it means that you do not need to get passage via the run for cleaning the nesting area which can get very messy!

3. Security From Predators

If looking at how to build a chicken pen, it is crucial that any plans you effect have clearly taken this into catalogue by suggesting materials and strategies which will forestall attack by foxes and raccoons. Foxes are extremely cunning and will use any means to get your hens. Any mesh you use should be heavy gauge and all doors and openings should have the means to be strongly secured-especially at night. Look for plans which either have a means of preventing "tunneling in" by foxes - this could be by having a mesh fastened to the lowest or by having the mesh extending below the lowest of the coop as this can then be "dug in". Although some citizen advise that cats can be a problem, I have personally not found this-indeed my cats are quite afraid of my hens, who have no qualms in eating their cat food with the cats looking on in a bemused manner!

4. Lighting and Ventilation

You should reconsider "lighting" if you are keeping your hens for egg production. During the winter months, egg yield plainly declines as the hens hormones are regulated by the whole of hours of daylight they receive. In winter, hens often stop laying altogether, as I found myself this winter, and will not begin laying again until the whole of daylight hours exceeds 12. It is potential to integrate artificial light into the pen and some chicken pen plans will give guidance on how this can be done. It would not be kind to keep the hens in light 24 hours a day, but boosting the light by a few hours in the dark winter months can keep the hens laying. With regard to ventilation, there should be plenty of large-bore holes drilled in the nesting/sleeping area on the pen as not only does this allow for the circulation of air which prevents moisture build-up, it can also help diffuse the harmful gases which are formed from the hens waste products.