Requirements for Constructing A Chicken

Coop

A coop is what you usually call a chicken’s house. It’s their kingdom! A hen’s

castle. So you have to be certain to keep their home well maintained, for this

may help the chickens grow healthy and happy. Therefore, to maintain it the

best way it should be, there are specific requirements to consider when build

a chicken coop that will satisfy both you and your chickens. You, the poultry

owner, of all people should keep this in mind.

Requirement 1

Concerning its design, the chicken coop should be secured from any kind of

predator. Every single angle in the pen - sides, bottom and top, should be built

to resist predators who are always looking for a free meal. When selecting a

wire mesh, be certain it is the right one. Predators are more than one. They

may lurk within the area of your coop unnoticed simply waiting for the time

after they can attack. You must be sure that the coop is impenetrable, and that

predators have no access.

Requirement 2

In reference to requirement number one, this is a continuation. Apart from

predators, you must keep the coop secure from nasty rats. They burrow

through the ground and enter from below. If the coop floor is not blocked,

these rodents will slip into the hen’s quarters. Rodents are attracted to the

food you’re giving your chickens and the chicken droppings.

What is even more devastating is that these pesky rats love eggs. So at any

time when laying season comes, they collect too. Wish to get rid of them? Good

idea. However prevention is much better than a cure. That's the reason

stopping them from coming into the pen is better than eliminating their

presence completely. All you need to do is assemble a floor inside the pen. You

can also bury a fence about 12 inches deep around the chicken coop. Make

certain that the materials that you use for the fence or floor are thick enough

that the rats cannot chew through..

Requirement 3

Weather is an important factor to consider when keeping chickens. The

chicken coop should have adequate ventilation, yet not be too drafty. Seasons

will change and so will the weather. That is why your coop should have

adequate ventilation to stay cool in the summer, and adequate insulation

against cold in the winter.

Requirement 4

Roosting bars have to be provided for your chickens to sleep. It must have an

approximate 2-inches wide, with rounded edges. You should have an 8 to 10

inch space between each bird. Put nest boxes in the chicken coop to encourage

egg laying. One nest box is needed for every 3 to 4 hens. Situate the nest boxes

above the ground, and don't let it touch the soil. Place these nesting boxes

somewhere non-public where nobody can bother the hens while they are

laying.

Requirement 5

Your coop has to have plenty of room for each chicken. You should have at

least three square feet for each bird. There must also be space where the

feeder and the waterer can hang which is 7-8 inches above the ground.

Requirement 6

The coop must be accessible for the owner and the chickens ONLY. Predators

and rodents not allowed. Easy accessibility may help you clean the coop every

so often, so that bacteria and bugs do not fester.