| When I first started building chicken coops many | | | | flooring. This will permit the chicken droppings to drop |
| years ago I made my share of mistakes. My very | | | | through the wire flooring as a substitute to building |
| first chicken coop was built in an area with poor | | | | up within their home. It will eliminate the necessity of |
| drainage, making it unacceptably muddy whenever it | | | | constant cleaning and keep the poultry away from |
| rained. Not only were the chickens less healthy, but | | | | their droppings. |
| the eggs were always dirty and needed washing. It | | | | Mistake #2: Not Building the Chicken Coop in a Good |
| was also about 5 times larger than necessary which | | | | Location |
| made it 5 times as expensive to build. | | | | One of the most universal mistakes is building chicken |
| Nevertheless, through trial and error, it was not long | | | | coops in inferior backyard places. Selecting an inferior |
| before I was building chicken coops that were cheap | | | | backyard place can cause diseased and unproductive |
| and trouble-free to maintain. I was having so much | | | | hens. The hen house ought to be where there is |
| fun I started raising a lot of unique breeds of | | | | great drainage. Lacking adequate drainage you can |
| chickens, hatching eggs in incubators that my own | | | | end up with a concoction of muddy water and |
| chickens had laid. Plus, I started raising other varieties | | | | droppings. Ingesting this dirty water or tracking it into |
| of birds including turkey, guinea, quail, duck, and a | | | | the nest and feed area will most likely have the |
| number of others. Constructing well-designed and | | | | consequence of a smaller number of eggs, health |
| functional hen houses turned my hobby upside down; | | | | disorders, and even fatalities among the flock. |
| it became lots of fun. If you expect to reap some | | | | The chicken housing should be built in the vicinity of |
| rewards from your new hobby, do things properly on | | | | an easily accessible water supply. This will allow you |
| your initial try and circumvent critical beginner | | | | to add simple automatic watering practices and |
| mistakes. | | | | eliminate the need for you to provide fresh water |
| Mistake #1: Not Properly Planning Ahead | | | | each day. |
| With a little advanced planning you will boost the | | | | Mistake #3: Not Providing Enough Light |
| odds of ending up with an enjoyable hobby. At a | | | | Hens should have at least 14 hours of sunlight per |
| minimum you must sketch a rough diagram of how | | | | day to lay eggs dependably, so locate your chicken |
| your hen house will look. You will ideally include where | | | | housing facing south for the greatest sun exposure. |
| the doors, walls, windows, poultry feeders, poultry | | | | Furthermore, it will keep the chicken housing drier |
| nests, and water fountains will be positioned. By | | | | which will help it stay cleaner. If you are planning to |
| developing as meticulous of a diagram as you are | | | | gather fresh organic eggs throughout the times of |
| capable, including measurements and proportions, you | | | | the year where there are fewer than 14 hours of |
| can accurately estimate the amount of wood, wire, | | | | sun per day you will have to provide artificial lighting |
| and other supplies that will be needed for the job. | | | | using low-wattage light bulbs. Placing your chicken |
| Money will be wasted if you buy too many supplies. | | | | shed near an available electrical supply is helpful in |
| When coming to a decision about where to situate | | | | these situations. |
| specific items in your poultry house, try to position | | | | Mistake #4: Not Providing Proper Ventilation |
| them in areas that will be most handy for you. For | | | | Without windows or openings there will be inferior |
| example, building a small hinged door in the right spot | | | | ventilation. Chicken droppings are the source of |
| will make egg gathering a quick job. Build the poultry | | | | strong and unpleasant odors that are damaging to |
| nests on a wall with a tiny outside-accessible door | | | | their physical health if permitted to build up. At least |
| just a bit above the height of the poultry nests. | | | | one window, but if at all possible two, will be |
| Building coops in this fashion will permit you to gather | | | | positioned in areas that will permit suitable air |
| fresh eggs from the outside without having to enter. | | | | circulation. With better ventilation the chicken shed will |
| Try to employ a plan where the chicken shed is two | | | | stay drier, and therefore cleaner, which will usually |
| feet above the ground with chicken wire for the | | | | help prevent diseases. |