Chicken Hen House Basics: Part 2

In Part One of Chicken Coops and Hen House Basics, we looked at some of the general issues you need to consider when looking for plans. In this section, we will address some specific concerns you will need to keep mind as your look for chicken coop plans.

Chicken Coop Protection:

Whether you live in the city or in the country, your chicken coop or hen house must provide your birds with various types of protection. You will want to find chicken coop designs that have already taken this into consideration. Just to name a few of the predators that your coop must keep out: cats, foxes, snakes, rats, and vermin.

Quality chicken coop plans will have protection issues as part of their design. These might include such things as wire-covered windows and ventilation holes, above ground foundations, and even instructions on fences and chicken runs.

Flooring for Your Chicken Coop:

One mistake novices often make is putting their chicken coop or hen house directly on the ground, using the dirt as the floor

This is a poor choice as it almost guarantees that rodents and other predators will be able to get into the coop. A dirt floor is also very hard to keep clean and may become muddy if it rains hard.

As you shop for chicken coop designs, take a moment to examine the type of floor that is being used in the particular coop. The two most common flooring materials are concrete and plywood. As you might imagine, concrete costs more, but it will last a long time and is very easy to keep clean. Plywood is the least expensive and is the most popular choice among those who raise chickens.

Hen House Nests:

If you plan to raise hens for eggs, you will have to find chicken house plans that include nest boxes. Nesting boxes are not needed for other types of chickens.

Generally, a good size for a laying nest is 12×15 and 13-14 inches deep. A good tip for those new to raising hens is to put your nest on the floor for the first couple of weeks so the hens get used to them. Then you can put them up higher, about 18″ above the floor.

Chicken Coop Roost:

When you look for chicken coop plans, take a moment to examine the type of roost that is recommended. Most people will find that a simple wooden dowel will work just fine. Depending on the size of your chicken coop and the number of birds, you may have to put in more than one roost.

Chicken Coop Doors:

Normally, you want to find chicken coop plans that allow for two doors: One for you, and one for the birds. This, of course, will depend on the size of your coop.

Chicken Coop Watering Systems and Feeders:

We have saved one of the most important issues for last. Your chicken coop must have a watering system and a feeding system for the animals.

Quality chicken coop plans will have this information included which makes it easy for you to get the right set up. It is important to remember that the more birds you have, the more watering points and feeding points you will need.

We hope our articles on chicken coops and hen houses have been of help to you. We encourage you to find the best designs and plans available for your chicken coop as this is one way to get off to a great start quickly and easily.