Hens are very good at detecting a lack of affection towards them. We presume, therefore, that you will wish to assemble the best possible chicken coop to keep them happy. To do that you have to have a plan.
Your breed of hens will guide the design of coop, such as how much heating or cooling will be needed, the space required, and whether they are being kept for eggs or meat. The size of the hen house will be based on the quantity of birds – 8 to 10 square feet per hen is a good guide. You must also make sure that your coop is adequately protected against predators common in your area.
Look into any neighbourhood laws or regulations about keeping chickens in your backyard, usually available from the local planning or government offices. If your hen run is only for your own use you should not have any significant problems with these.
Remember to let your neighbors know your plans as well.  Don't assume that everybody shares your love of chickens crowing in the early hours! Perhaps some fresh eggs from time to time might help ease any potential objections.
Once you have decided on the chicken shed layout you will be ready to start to make the best chicken coop you can. Now is a good time to look at a range of designs for chicken coops and to perhaps include other people's ideas, particularly if those people are already expert in keeping poultry.
There are a many, many plans for chicken coops out there. It is quite possible to download drawings for free, and some of these are good. But the best chicken coop plans are seldom free.
Wherever they come from, make sure that the plans include clear assembly drawings and a comprehensive list of all materials needed, so that you can cut all wood accurately and get all other parts and hardware before you start the build.
It helps, if you are a novice woodworker, to have some step-by-step assembly instructions as well. Hen houses are often very basic structures but it is still remarkably easy to miss critical items, put things together in the wrong order and have to do it all over, finally getting completely dejected.
Much better to get it right the first time around.
The best chicken coop plans will provide you with a good range of designs and also have all the features we have discussed to assemble the coop easily and accurately. Â
The best costs no more in either effort or material than a thrown-together hen house, but a good set of plans makes all the difference.
Your breed of hens will guide the design of coop, such as how much heating or cooling will be needed, the space required, and whether they are being kept for eggs or meat. The size of the hen house will be based on the quantity of birds – 8 to 10 square feet per hen is a good guide. You must also make sure that your coop is adequately protected against predators common in your area.
Look into any neighbourhood laws or regulations about keeping chickens in your backyard, usually available from the local planning or government offices. If your hen run is only for your own use you should not have any significant problems with these.
Remember to let your neighbors know your plans as well.  Don't assume that everybody shares your love of chickens crowing in the early hours! Perhaps some fresh eggs from time to time might help ease any potential objections.
Once you have decided on the chicken shed layout you will be ready to start to make the best chicken coop you can. Now is a good time to look at a range of designs for chicken coops and to perhaps include other people's ideas, particularly if those people are already expert in keeping poultry.
There are a many, many plans for chicken coops out there. It is quite possible to download drawings for free, and some of these are good. But the best chicken coop plans are seldom free.
Wherever they come from, make sure that the plans include clear assembly drawings and a comprehensive list of all materials needed, so that you can cut all wood accurately and get all other parts and hardware before you start the build.
It helps, if you are a novice woodworker, to have some step-by-step assembly instructions as well. Hen houses are often very basic structures but it is still remarkably easy to miss critical items, put things together in the wrong order and have to do it all over, finally getting completely dejected.
Much better to get it right the first time around.
The best chicken coop plans will provide you with a good range of designs and also have all the features we have discussed to assemble the coop easily and accurately. Â
The best costs no more in either effort or material than a thrown-together hen house, but a good set of plans makes all the difference.
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