How to build a chicken coop.
How to Build a Chicken Coop! I thought it might be time to throw out some homesteading tips since that is the actual purpose of this blog! One of the first animals most people get when they buy some land or decide to try their hand at homesteading is chickens. They are the starter animals. If you can succeed with chickens you have the good chance of doing well with raising your next animal. Plus they have the benefit of providing plenty of eggs for the family and depending on how many chickens you have you might have enough to sell to family or friends or co-workers. This helps the self sustainability by allowing the chickens to pay for their own feed.
The first thing you need before you get the birds is a place for them to live. There are plenty of options for chicken houses but you can find some plans here. Some ideas that I have personally used have been a hoop house made with cattle panels, a bit of chicken wire, a tarp and some 2x4's That was a easy, couple of hours and under $100 project. I'll try to add some pictures here. For the more fancy ones look at how to build a chicken coop.
If you decide to get chickens you want to decide if you start with adults, half grown pullets or chicks. Sometimes for beginning chicken keepers, starting with adults is a good idea because you can by-pass the tricky, fragile chick stage. However you have the downfall of not knowing exactly how old those hens might be, plus most chickens egg production starts to fall off after the second year of laying and then you have to decide what happens to those hens. Are you strong enough to turn them into chicken stew or do they become pets and you feed them till they die of old age? With half grown pullets, you'll most likely have the highest cost per bird since you will know how old they are and they will be getting ready to start their peak production. You will be able to get lots of eggs from them before they need to be retired. Chicks are lots of fun, but much more work. They require special feed, heat lamps, and a brooder house but they can bond to you (as much as a chicken can) and they get to know you and can become very friendly and gentle. Plus it's always fun to raise up a little chick and then the proud moment when they lay their first egg. The most important thing though is safe and secure housing for them.
There are many things that love to eat chickens. Skunks, Opossums, Raccoons, Foxes, Owls, Coyotes, Stray Dogs and Cats and probably more. Those are what I've dealt with in my chicken keeping. Providing a safe enough coop for them is important, or else you might lose your favorite hen or have to keep replacing them which ends up costly and sad.
Much success to you on your chicken coop building!
The first thing you need before you get the birds is a place for them to live. There are plenty of options for chicken houses but you can find some plans here. Some ideas that I have personally used have been a hoop house made with cattle panels, a bit of chicken wire, a tarp and some 2x4's That was a easy, couple of hours and under $100 project. I'll try to add some pictures here. For the more fancy ones look at how to build a chicken coop.
If you decide to get chickens you want to decide if you start with adults, half grown pullets or chicks. Sometimes for beginning chicken keepers, starting with adults is a good idea because you can by-pass the tricky, fragile chick stage. However you have the downfall of not knowing exactly how old those hens might be, plus most chickens egg production starts to fall off after the second year of laying and then you have to decide what happens to those hens. Are you strong enough to turn them into chicken stew or do they become pets and you feed them till they die of old age? With half grown pullets, you'll most likely have the highest cost per bird since you will know how old they are and they will be getting ready to start their peak production. You will be able to get lots of eggs from them before they need to be retired. Chicks are lots of fun, but much more work. They require special feed, heat lamps, and a brooder house but they can bond to you (as much as a chicken can) and they get to know you and can become very friendly and gentle. Plus it's always fun to raise up a little chick and then the proud moment when they lay their first egg. The most important thing though is safe and secure housing for them.
There are many things that love to eat chickens. Skunks, Opossums, Raccoons, Foxes, Owls, Coyotes, Stray Dogs and Cats and probably more. Those are what I've dealt with in my chicken keeping. Providing a safe enough coop for them is important, or else you might lose your favorite hen or have to keep replacing them which ends up costly and sad.
Much success to you on your chicken coop building!
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