Why You Should Consider Building Your Own Chicken Coop

I have a vivid memory from my childhood, my mother and father operated a small farm, and part of my chores was gathering the eggs from our chickens. We lived a fairly simple life, but it was one that was wholesome and full of love.

As I grew older, I left our small farm, went to university then joined corporate America; I wouldn’t have thought that my life would come full circle, and that my son would be the one going to gather the eggs for breakfast.

Life is full of changes, and in the current economic climate, people are looking for a way to live more natural healthy lives and to interact with their families in a more genuine manner.

However, what I’ll describe below is not limited to those who live on a farm. If you live in town, you should certainly check your city or town building codes. Raising chickens can be done relatively inexpensively, and makes a fun family project.

If you’re considering raising chickens, you’ll certainly want to think about the following factors…

Where will your chickens reside
What will your neighbors think
How will this affect your life in general?
There are multiple building methods. There are plans available for the do-it-yourselfer, and building your own chicken coop shouldn’t be considered a difficult project.

Since many today are concerned about the economy, the first step in saving money is to build your own chicken coop. They are certainly available as completed items, but you’ll likely pay twice as much than if you build it yourself. Additionally, this is an excellent weekend project for family, friends and children.

You’ll certainly want to consider how many chickens you’ll need to satisfy your family’s needs, and whether or not you plan to sell excess eggs. While not a hard and fast rule, the general advice is that each chicken requires 4 square feet, which allows them adequate movement, and a healthy environment; failure to provide enough space, will not only affect your chickens health, but also the production of eggs.

NOTE: Your chicken coop should be constructed in an area that receives adequate ventilation and daylight.

When considering the placement of your chicken coop, and particularly if you build your own chicken coop, be mindful of your neighbors, since an inadequately cleaned chicken coop can produce an aroma offensive to some.

This is easily remedied by keeping your chicken coop clean, ensuring adequate ventilation, and designing in multiple windows (ones that are small in size) to ensure your chickens are healthy, happy, and produce all the eggs needed.

Building your own chicken coop, doesn’t require an experienced carpenter, most any do-it-yourselfer can easily do it as a weekend project. There are multiple plans available that should allow you to easily complete the task.