When searching for chicken coop designs online it doesn’t take long to become overwhelmed! You wouldn’t think there would be such an abudance of information on chicken coops but as of late raising chickens in your own backyard has become very popular. You may be tempted to try some of the free and inexpensive designs available but in the long run they will only end up costing you money. The cheapest route is hardly ever the best option–especially when it comes to construction and taking care of living creatures. If this is something you’re really serious about doing, you should be willing to invest at least a small amount of money.

You can certainly purchase a chicken coop that’s already been pre-assembled but you can expect to pay between $500 and $1000 for some of these kits. Building your own chicken coop using your own materials can save you a lot of money, BUT only if you know what you’re doing. Luckily, there are many people who have done this already and are willing to share their experiences with you.

You would also be surprised at what little space you need to raise chickens. A lot of people assume that you need to have acres of land in order to have space for a chicken coop but that’s certainly not the case. Of course, the more room you have the more chickens you can raise. But having a small yard shouldn’t stop you if you’re really interested in raising chickens. Just make sure that your city, township, or county ordinance approves it.

There are a few things to keep in mind when formulating your plan to build a chicken coop. First: the location. This will probably be the most important decision you make. Make sure you place your coop in an area that has proper drainage. You don’t want to build your chicken coop in an area on your property that collects a lot of water, such as near the bottom of a slope. Make sure that any water will be draining away from your chicken coop, not towards it. Remember, you’re raising chickens, not ducks.
Also, you want the coop to receive enough sunlight to keep the chickens warm during the winter months, but not too hot during the summer months.

Other considerations you’ll want to keep in mind include things like ventilation, lighting, and maintenance. You’ll want to build a chicken coop that will be easy for you to maintain in the future. A simple thing such as a floor that slopes downward can make a big difference when it comes to easy cleaning. When looking at different chicken coop building plans you should ask yourself: How easy will this be to clean?

Also, it’s important to have windows and doors in your chicken coop which open and close easily. This allows for proper ventilation which is especially important during the warmer months. Windows will also let in warm sunlight during the colder months. You will also need to install adequate lighting which will allow you to keep in eye on your chicken after the sun goes down and will also keep them warm during the winter.

As previously mentioned, there are a lot of things to take into consideration but as long as you have a proper plan to follow building a chicken coop really isn’t all that difficult. You don’t even need to have any special tools or construction experience.

For a selection of different chicken coop designs you can construct yourself with only a minimal investment of time and money you should check out: How to Build a Chicken Coop in 3 Days