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When constructing a chicken coop, it is advised that you watch the guidelines below for a successful endeavor.|
|Element #1. - Appearance and Design:|
|Study out your design on a sheet of paper before you do anything else. Think of the colors you will paint the roof and chicken coop walls. Constantly keep in mind that if your chicken coop is clearly visible to your neighbors, (unless you live in a farm it will most likely be visible to your entire neighborhood,) it shouldn't ever serve as a distraction or defacement of its utmost surroundings.
So make sure to design an aesthetically looking chicken coop so that your neighbors do not complain of its detracting appearance. Once finished, always remember to remove and dispose of any types of garbage or weeds from around your chicken coop. Try to maintain an appealing landscape around it to enhance its overall appearance.|
|Element #2. - Using Hearty Judgment:|
|When planning your chicken coop structure, you must use sound judgment in almost every aspect of the way.||For instance, you want to use building materials in which the cleaning and disinfecting procedures will be quick and easy. The doors you install should open inwards, not outwards. You don't want your chickens roosting on your windows, so it is best to install sliding windows.|
|A question many people ask is how to build a chicken coop who's floors are easy to hose and spray down without much puddling? Well the secret to that is to slightly slope the flooring toward the door. This way, when you spray out the chicken coop, the water will flow out, hence solving your puddling problem.|
|Element # 3. - Protection from Unsafe Elements:|
|Thus you desire to learn how to build a chicken coop with maximum protection?|Then listen up.||As you may know, a well built chicken coop will protect your chickens from hazardous elements such as bad weather (heavy rain, wind, hale, snow, cold climates, etc,) but they will also protect them from hungry predators, theft and injury.||So how do we achieve that?|
|Easy. You want to make a draft free chicken house with windows and doors that can be opened and closed as needed. Make sure the windows and doors both have proper screening systems installed in them such as a heavy gage mesh wire. Making the chicken coop on a high yet well drained area with ensure the least amount of moistness of the coop. Be sure to construct your chicken coop in an area that faces the sun which will help warm and dry the soil and coop itself after it rains.|
|To protect your chickens from predators, the best thing to do is to bury your outside runs with chicken wire all around the coop about 1 foot deep. This will prevent some very hungry predators such as raccoons, cats and even dogs from digging underneath it.|
|Strategy # 4. - Coop Ventilation:|
|You may be wondering how to build a chicken coop that will not only keep your chickens locked up and well-kept from bad weather and predators yet receive the decent ventilation it needs. If so, then you already see the importance of draft free air movement from within the coop. Chickens, much like humans, need fresh air and oxygen. The same goes for the removal of undesirable excessive moisture and carbon dioxide. A chicken coop with great air movement and correct ventilation will help remove the ammonia build up and moistness that may grow inside its walls.||Speaking of walls, the chicken coop walls should have proper insulation installed which will help keep the chickens dry. As long as chickens are dry, they can handle cold climates very well, but humidity plus cold weather will cause health issues for your poultry. Thus, insulated walls are a must!|
|Strategy # 5. - Light Source:|
|If you want a sound source of light and warmth for your chickens during the cold months of the year and a solid source of ventilation during the hot months, then be sure to install the chicken coop windows facing the southside where they will receive direct sunlight throughout the day.||On another note, if your goal is to raise chickens that will produce great eggs all year round, then you should look into an electrical source of light. You should be able to easily install an electrical light at the height of the chicken coop's ceiling which will help keep your chickens warm and help them lay better chicken eggs throughout the year. One ceiling light should be enough for a small scale chicken coop, for larger chicken coops though, try to install one electrical ceiling light per every 30 - 40 feet.|