While trying to find chicken coop plans that can be used to build a cheap backyard chicken coop, you should look out for a couple of factors that would further reduce the cost. Making these part of the process right from the planning stage will not only reduce costs but will still yield the results you are looking for. Before we begin, check out this video of a well built chicken coop. Now, here are a few important cost cutters.
Small chicken coop plans
It is not magic, generally a smaller coop is cheaper to build compared to a larger on of similar design. With a smaller coop you will use minimal building materials, plus the added bonus that it will be easy to maintain.
However, you should only be building a small backyard chicken coop if you have a handful of birds. Do not build a small coop only pack it with chickens. This will affect the chicken productivity and will also make it hard for you to maintain.
Make use of scrap material
Scrap material is not just scrap, the right scrap is as good as any new material. Look at anything you have lying around, you may have built a shed or taken one down and still have the material. Use it if it fits the plans.
Another likely source of scrap material is your neighborhood. Ask around, you may be surprised at what you find.
Think of a portable chicken coop
Again, if you are building a small coop why not make it portable. A number of things can be shaved off with a portable coop. A portable coop may not need insulation if you can place it under a shed, barn or in a garage when it gets cold. Thus cutting down on the building costs. You can place it in an already enclosed area if there is any and that would keep the predators away with no special design on the coop.
Maintaining a portable coop is also and added bonus. You can haul it to any place where it would get a quick and easy thorough clean up(Think dosing it with fast water).
For more information on building a backyard chicken coop, click HERE.
Building A Backyard Chicken Coop Book
Discover How To Easily Build An Attractive And Affordable Chicken Coop That Protects Your Chickens From Predators Maintains Their Health And Delivers More Delicious Eggs.
Building a backyard chicken coop will be one of the best investments you'll ever make. Not only will you have a self sustained miniature-farm that produces fresh organic eggs everyday, recycles your food scraps and provides high quality fertilizer, but you'll be proud to know that you made something with your own two hands. (More...)
Here is a nice video of a newly built chicken coop, just before the finishing touches have been made to mask some of the details.
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Once you have decided that you are going to build your backyard chicken coop, you will need a plan to work from. If this is your first project, then you may not be confident about designing the plan all by yourself. You therefore have to find ready made plans and choose one that fits your needs.
But, how are you going to decide which plan is good for you? Here are a few helpers to guide you towards the write decision.
The size of coop you wish to build
There are plans for all sizes of backyard chicken coops. Whether you choose a plan for a small, medium or big chicken house, your decision will be based on how many chickens you plan to keep and the size of your backyard. How much of it are you willing to surrender to a chicken coop. You have to figure out before hand if your backyard is big enough to accommodate a chicken coop big enough to house the number of chickens you want to raise.
What kind of structure do you want
Do you want a brick, wooden or metallic coop? Not all plans accommodate the three types of materials. You may have unique plans for each of the types. All have advantages and disadvantages. Are you in the tropics? Brick may be good for you. Outside the tropics? Wooden and possibly brick. Are you in a forested area? In this case you can even consider a metallic coop!
How firm or wet is the ground
This should not be overlooked, especially if you plan to build a wood chicken coop. If the ground is always wet you will want a plan that keeps the wooden flow far from the ground as possible. And if it is not firm, you may need to do some land scaping so as to have a stable coop.
Click HERE for more information on how to build a backyard chicken coop.
But, how are you going to decide which plan is good for you? Here are a few helpers to guide you towards the write decision.
The size of coop you wish to build
There are plans for all sizes of backyard chicken coops. Whether you choose a plan for a small, medium or big chicken house, your decision will be based on how many chickens you plan to keep and the size of your backyard. How much of it are you willing to surrender to a chicken coop. You have to figure out before hand if your backyard is big enough to accommodate a chicken coop big enough to house the number of chickens you want to raise.
What kind of structure do you want
Do you want a brick, wooden or metallic coop? Not all plans accommodate the three types of materials. You may have unique plans for each of the types. All have advantages and disadvantages. Are you in the tropics? Brick may be good for you. Outside the tropics? Wooden and possibly brick. Are you in a forested area? In this case you can even consider a metallic coop!
How firm or wet is the ground
This should not be overlooked, especially if you plan to build a wood chicken coop. If the ground is always wet you will want a plan that keeps the wooden flow far from the ground as possible. And if it is not firm, you may need to do some land scaping so as to have a stable coop.
Click HERE for more information on how to build a backyard chicken coop.
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It is important to consider a few issue before you begin your backyard chicken coop construction project. Skipping some of these may land you into a couple of undesired situations, which you could well have avoided.
Among other things, you should look into these issues
Proximity of the coop to the main house
You may need to build the coop a little further away from your main house. Put it too close and you may have some odors sipping through into the house. You surely don't want a mixture of chicken droppings and chicken food odor in your house. Chicken houses may have a distinct smell which you may not categorize as awful, but it still belongs only and only in the coop.
Coop lighting
What will the source of light be. Natural, artificial or both. Chickens need light to feed well. If you can plan your coop to let in sun light during the day, that would be great as it is the preferred option. If it is not possible, then an artificial source should do.
Feeding mechanism
Choosing the desired feeding mechanism for your chicken coop should be done at the planning stages. This would enable you to choose the right design in advance hence avoiding a common bad habit in do-it-yourself projects of hacking things into place. Plan everything before hand. Think of how high you will want your feeders to be.
Predators
Take into account predators. Foxes, wolves, coyotes, raccoons all these can be a menace, especially raccoons. Make plans to keep them at bay, far far away.
For more information on house to build a backyard chicken coop, click HERE
Among other things, you should look into these issues
Proximity of the coop to the main house
You may need to build the coop a little further away from your main house. Put it too close and you may have some odors sipping through into the house. You surely don't want a mixture of chicken droppings and chicken food odor in your house. Chicken houses may have a distinct smell which you may not categorize as awful, but it still belongs only and only in the coop.
Coop lighting
What will the source of light be. Natural, artificial or both. Chickens need light to feed well. If you can plan your coop to let in sun light during the day, that would be great as it is the preferred option. If it is not possible, then an artificial source should do.
Feeding mechanism
Choosing the desired feeding mechanism for your chicken coop should be done at the planning stages. This would enable you to choose the right design in advance hence avoiding a common bad habit in do-it-yourself projects of hacking things into place. Plan everything before hand. Think of how high you will want your feeders to be.
Predators
Take into account predators. Foxes, wolves, coyotes, raccoons all these can be a menace, especially raccoons. Make plans to keep them at bay, far far away.
For more information on house to build a backyard chicken coop, click HERE
If you are looking for an inexpensive way to build a backyard chicken coop, you will have to do it yourself. Perhaps the best thing about having a chicken coop in your backyard is that caterring for it is very easy. Afterall it is adjacent to your house.
However before you build it there are some things you need to know.
1. What is your weather like
Your local weather may determine a few things about the design of your chicken coop. For example if it gets very cold, you will have to consider installing some good installation to make your chickens comfy and productive. We all want that, don't we? If it rains or snows a lot, then it must have a roof and not just an enclosed coop.
2. Predators around your home
Even your dog is a potential predator. ever seen or have heard about in you local area and make your the chicken coop is built to in a way to keep all these other animals out and your chickens safe. Snakes can be creepy and tend to fit through tiny holes, make sure your coop keeps them out. You will have to examine all kinds of animals you have
3. Backyard space around your windows
Time is money. Having a chicken coop in a place where you could just look through your window to check their well being saves a lot of time and takes the chore out of monitoring your chickens. Imagine the confort of being able of glance at your chickens through the kitchen window.
4. Land elevation and characteristics
Make sure your coop is on one of the most flat locations around your backyard. This reduces the shakes(and possible tumbles) it may get from the wind and possibly keep any other animals and insects from burrowing in the crevices between the coop and the ground.
Having your own backyard chicken coop is fun, building it is cost effective. Click here to learn more about building a chicken coop.
However before you build it there are some things you need to know.
1. What is your weather like
Your local weather may determine a few things about the design of your chicken coop. For example if it gets very cold, you will have to consider installing some good installation to make your chickens comfy and productive. We all want that, don't we? If it rains or snows a lot, then it must have a roof and not just an enclosed coop.
2. Predators around your home
Even your dog is a potential predator. ever seen or have heard about in you local area and make your the chicken coop is built to in a way to keep all these other animals out and your chickens safe. Snakes can be creepy and tend to fit through tiny holes, make sure your coop keeps them out. You will have to examine all kinds of animals you have
3. Backyard space around your windows
Time is money. Having a chicken coop in a place where you could just look through your window to check their well being saves a lot of time and takes the chore out of monitoring your chickens. Imagine the confort of being able of glance at your chickens through the kitchen window.
4. Land elevation and characteristics
Make sure your coop is on one of the most flat locations around your backyard. This reduces the shakes(and possible tumbles) it may get from the wind and possibly keep any other animals and insects from burrowing in the crevices between the coop and the ground.
Having your own backyard chicken coop is fun, building it is cost effective. Click here to learn more about building a chicken coop.