Who doesn't want to add some chickens to their backyard menagerie? They are a great source of eggs and, if you are so inclined, meat. Even if all you want to do is admire them as birds, they can still work for you – eating up nasty bugs and working over your compost, turning it into nutrient rich soil for your garden.
The real question isn't why you would want to get chickens, but where you are going to keep them once they arrive.
Obviously you are going to need to build a chicken coop. But what sort of material do you need? What will work best when you design a chicken house?
First and most important is the wood you'll use. Use four by four inch boards to lay out the frame, and then either six by one inch flat boards or panels (often four by eight feet) to construct the siding.
You'll pay a bit more, but be sure that the wood you use is treated – if you are not sure, ask before you lay down that credit card. Your chicken shed must be water repellant – nothing will get a flock of laying hens sick faster than too much dampness and moisture.
If you do buy untreated lumber, then treat it yourself with water sealant.
You will also need a lot of chicken wire – this will serve as fencing for the chicken run (which is the outdoor space that your chickens use) but it should also enclose the hen house itself. Why? Because it is another wall of defense against the many predators who will target your chickens. Always buy more chicken wire than you think you are going to need.
Consider outside paneling and shingling for the roof. This need not be fancy, but should protect against drafts and leaks. Chickens need to be warm during the winter months.
Finally, be sure that your chickens have some exposure to natural light. A good window or two goes a long way to keeping your birds happy and healthy. If they open, they can also provide an important source of ventilation.
Don't skimp when it comes to materials for your chicken coop – you and your birds deserve the best!
Check Out Chicken Coop Deals At Amazon
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Ware Manufacturing HD Chick-N-Hutch Chicken Hutch List Price: Sale Price: $152.22  |
DescriptionThis chick-n-hutch is a heavy duty house for pet chickens featuring a full-size folding front door, easy access egg door in back, wind-guard design and adjustable roof. Accommodates 2-4 chickens and is perfectly sized to attach a chick-n-rabbit pen for expansion... |
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Ware Manufacturing Premium Plus Chick-N-Villa Chicken Villa List Price: Sale Price: $425.07 |
DescriptionThis chick-n-villa is a premium quality home for pet chickens featuring a covered screened porch for a safe free-range environment. Made of rust proof galvanised wire. Its covered screened porch provides a safe free-range environment also easy to assemble... |
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Chicken Coop, Portable, for 3 to 5 hens List Price: Sale Price: $399.00 |
DescriptionDesigned for the backyard and urban farmer, the Portable Chicken Coop is an affordable and space efficient home for your backyard chickens. Modeled on the classic chicken ark that has served British hen-keepers for decades, the coop provides a healthy, predator-proof home for up to 3 medium laying hens or 5 Bantams... |
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***Saddle Style***Oasis Poultry Water Nipples, 5 Pack, Sanitary Water for up to 15 Chickens, Turkeys, Geese or Ducks Sale Price: $14.25 |
DescriptionLove your poultry but tired of changing that stinky old water tank every morning? Let the Coop Queen help! With these 5 poultry nipples you can build your own system to deliver clean, non-poopy water to your chickens using ordinary hardware store parts, that can be re-filled from outside your coop! Complete instructions included for how to put this together... |
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Raising Chickens In Your Backyard: A No-Fluff Guide To Chicken Breeds, Coops, Runs, Tractors And More |
DescriptionChickens are great, low maintenance pets. They don’t need to be brushed, walked, or entertained. Happy chickens just need you to gather their eggs once a day, feed and water them a couple times a week, and change their roost bedding once a month... |
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