Chicken Coops

Keep Your Chicken Coop and Chickens Healthy
If you are lucky enough to live in an area zoned agricultural, you may have room for a chicken coop and consider raising a small flock of chickens. Providing shelter for a small flock is not difficult and there are many different types of chicken coops to meet your needs. Chickens can be fun and educational for the whole family, and provide eggs and meat as well.
Chicken Coops
A chicken coop can be as simple as a hand-built wood frame with chicken wire walls, or they can be prefabricated buildings designed with all the comforts a group of hens could dream of. What type of coop you decide on will largely depend on how much space you have, and how many birds you plan on keeping and your budget for the building. Another consideration is how much time you can spend taking care of the flock, as some of the pre-fabricated chicken coops come with features that take the work out of raising chickens. Automated water and feed dispensers can simplify your life, although letting your kids take care of the flock by hand could be a valuable lesson in responsibility.
What Does a Coop Need?
If you plan on keeping your birds year round it would be best to have a permanent house for them. Make sure to put the coop in a place that has sufficient air circulation around it. The ammonia build up that chickens naturally produce with their urine needs a way to get out of the chicken coop. Failing to have adequate ventilation can enable bacteria growth and cause illness in your flock. If your climate has extreme weather fluctuations you will need a way to keep them warm in the winter and cool in the summer. A small space heater that can be hung up out of their way is a good investment. For the hot summer months a misting system and fans will help keep your flock from overheating. Chickens need to roost, so there should be some type of slats up off the ground they can climb up on. If the birds are heavy, a plank to help them up might be necessary. Nest boxes should be built along the wall and away from the ground so that egg eating predators, such as snakes, do not disturb your hens. Food and water dispensers should be of the variety that prevent contamination from feces or dirt kicked around by the flock.
Raising any type of animal has its ups and downs, and chickens are no exception. Making sure you have the proper equipment in your chicken coop will be a big help in making sure your flock is healthy and happy.