Build a
Chicken Coop
How To Build A Chicken Coop For Keeping Free Range
Chickens
What better way to prepare for your new
flock of free range chickens than to build your own chicken
coop. It’s an enjoyable, cost effective and fun way to
ensure you create the perfect accommodation, which not only
suits your flock, but also is easy and practical to
maintain.
Weather you’re a complete amateur, or
seasoned pro with the woodworking tools, building your own
coop can be achieved in as little as a single
day.
Click Here For Step By Step Instructions
On Building Your Own Chicken
Coop
Remember that the well being of your
chickens is the primary concern when coming up with a
design. So with that in mind you will need to consider the
following points:
So lets get started!
When you have decided on your final design
and layout you will need to source some materials. You wont
need anything that can’t be sourced easily and cheaply from
even the smallest local hardware store.
Wood should preferably be pressure
treated. This will ensure you have minimal maintenance to
carry out and that your coop will last for years, even in
the most hostile weather conditions.
If you are using untreated wood and plan
to treat it later, remember to treat the insides of the
joints before you
put the joint together. This will greatly extend the life of the
joint and the chicken coop overall. Remember also that some
common would treatments such as creosote are highly toxic to
animal and plant life and are best avoided. Always check the
can before you brush!
3x2 or 2x2 rough sawn timber is ideal for
making the framework as it’s easily screwed or nailed
together and light enough for a portable coop while still
being strong enough to keep your chickens in, and predators
out.
Your choice of mesh should be a simple
one, buy the best
you can afford!
Simple half-inch chicken wire is fine but welded mesh is
even better. It is far stronger, easier to work with and
looks great. Your priority when choosing and using a mesh
should be to keep predators out, rather than just keeping
your chickens in. Predators such as foxes and mink are
extremely determined when it comes to finding a way into
your coop and it’s always with devastating results. The use
of half-inch mesh may seem unnecessary considering the size
of a chicken but remember you may have newly hatched chicks
running around at some stage!
A useful tip is to paint the wire mesh
with matt black paint after it’s been applied to the
framework. This has the effect of reducing the light
reflected from the surface of the mesh and makes it much
easier to see through to your chickens. The simplest way to
do this is to use a short pile roller, like the mini 3-inch
types used for painting doors and such. This has the effect
of making the wire appear almost
invisible.
When choosing a roofing material the
choice is vast and varied. If cost is an issue you wont get
much cheaper than using a standard mineral felt and bitumen
primer. Alternatively, have your hardware store cut some
aluminum roof sheeting to your specified size. It can easily
be screwed or nailed to your roof structure and trimmed out
with wood.
Cedar shingles also make an attractive
roof if you are being a little more creative and are
conscious of the aesthetics of the finished work. This can
be particularly important in urban settings where your
chicken coop tends to be more visible.
Lastly, be
sure to finish your chicken coop with some quality hardware and
fittings that will stand the test of time, ensure your coop is
secure at all times and keep access and maintenance stress
free.
For step by step instructions,
comprehensive drawings and detailed dimensions for
building your own chicken
coop
Click Here To Download Your Copy
Today
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