COVERED CHICKEN
The 4 Steps to Building a Chicken Coop
Do you know what these four important steps are? This article will give a complete understanding of what they are, and when you’re completed you will be ready to take things to the next stage, getting the plans and breaking out the hammer and nails.
Before we go any further we need to decide how big we are going to make the coop. This has a direct effect on the number of birds you can hold and is often one of the first mistakes beginners make. From there you will be able to choose a style that you will be happy with and more importantly fits the location you have chosen for it.
Once you have this information, you will want to look at building both a safe and health coop. Safety is important and something you won’t want to neglect. Step 3 goes into more detail about covering this part of building a chicken coop.
The final step will cover the importance of building an aesthetically pleasing chicken coop. I bet you will be surprised when you learn why this step is so important, and one you don’t want to skip.
I can already hear some of you breaking out the toolbox, so I will get started and show you how to build a chicken coop.
Choosing The Size That’s Right for You
You may think that this is a given, that anyone building a chicken coop with know this without question. The reason is simple… You know where you want to put the chicken coop and you know how many chickens you want, isn’t that enough? The answer is quite simply, no! Even if you already have a location in your yard picked out, this doesn’t mean it is a match made in heaven. To put it simply the chickens and the size of your coop might just be incomputable. And if your hope is for fresh health eggs every morning, there is a very good reason why you will want to avoid over crowding your roost.
Each chicken requires at least 3 square feet of room inside of the chicken coop. Going by this you will now have a better idea of the actual coop size, and if it will fit where you originally planned to build it.
As you can imagine, if the chicken coop becomes too crowded, your hens will spend the majority of their time fighting for room rather than laying eggs. Since most people build chicken coops for the eggs, this would turn out to be a waste. So now you are in the perfect position, you can now decide how many chickens you really want to house and build the appropriate coop.
Thought this is rather unlikely, if you end up building too large a chicken coop you can always add more birds later.
Portable Or Fixed, The Choice Is Up To You
Maybe you already know this but there are two types of chicken coops to choose from. The first style we’ll talk about is a portable one, which is often referred to as a chicken tractor. The other type of chicken coop is fixed to the ground, this makes finding the proper location absolutely crucial. Let’s look at the two types and you can get a better idea of what best suits your needs.
For starters why don’t we take a look at the portable chicken coops. Portable chicken coops have several advantages over the fixed versions, let’s take a look and see what those are. Maintenance is definitely much easier on the portable chicken coops. With that said it is also needs to be done more frequently. Rather than dragging all of your tools out into the yard, you can pull the chicken coop into the driveway and fix it there. Cleaning the coop is also easier with portable hen houses.
However, there is a downside to building a portable chicken coop and we will need to look at that, too. Chicken tractors aren’t built to last a long time so don’t get your hopes up when it is finished. It should be clear that you will have to preform a lot of maintenance, and eventually completely replace your coop, if you choose mobility rather than stability. Portable chicken coops are not nearly as stable as their fixed counterpart.
Strength and security is the major advantage a fixed chicken coop has over the portable versions. Planing is a big part of building a fixed chicken coop, so choose wisely. Once you have your chicken coop fixed to the ground it will be a nightmare if you ever need to move it to a new location.
Here are a couple of tips for you when you build a static chicken coop. First, chickens need a lot of sunlight. Be sure to position your chicken coop so that it gets the most sunlight possible each day. With that said I should also mention you have to position the coop so it gets the most protection it can from the elements. If you have strong storms in your area you will need to build your chicken coop under a couple of trees or parallel to a bigger building.
A beginner’s mistake, especially if this is the first chicken coop you’ve built, is placing it on a low spot in your yard. I always recommend that you build the chicken coop on the highest spot in your yard. That way you can (usually) rest assured that you hens will stay dry. Strong storms may cause your chicken coop to flood. If this happens, you’ll learn what the expression “madder than a wet hen” means.
Keeping Your Chickens In And The Predators Out
One of the most important aspects of learning how to build a chicken coop is keeping your birds safe.
Chickens can have a way of drawing predators, and unless you are careful you may find you’re chickens have been eaten. The cats and dogs in your area an be just as much of a threat as the less likely threats such as rats. Of course rats are one of the smaller threats, if you live in the country you might also have to contend with larger predators.
These can include the likes of: foxes, coyotes, and badgers. You will want to assure that you use strong enough fencing to keep the more determined wild animals out. You will also want to bury your fence deep enough underground. Some animals will try very hard to dig their way into your chicken coop, make sure that doesn’t happen!
Just like the danger from below there can also be a threat from above. Hawks will also prey upon chickens, to keep this from happening you can cover the run with more fencing or with a roof.
Build A Chicken Coop To Impress The Neighbors
Learning how to build a chicken coop can be a really fun experience which also makes a great family project.
Well built chicken coops should be both functional and comfortable for your hens. However, it should also look nice. Even if you think the chicken coop you’ve built is the cutes thing you’ve ever seen take a step back, what would other people say? Many people, especially when they’ve learned how to build a chicken coop for the first time, are blind to how their coop really looks. Is the coop really as nice as you think?
It part of building a chicken coop is also one of the most rewarding. Because at this step you are putting the finishing touches to your chicken coop. It would be a shame not making the most out of it, and add a unique element to your yard’s landscaping. One that will have your neighbors talking for all of the right reason, and your family supplied with fresh eggs every morning for breakfast.
Besides the fact you don’t want to look at a mess chicken coop you might also have to contend with city ordinances. These ordinances might play a direct role in how your chicken coop can look.
About the Author
Building a chicken coop doesn’t have to be a head ache, and in fact when you follow real plans it won’t be. Ready to get your hands on a set? Click here to learn how to build a chicken coop and get your hands on some plans! Still hungry for more? Click here for more information.
COVERED CHICKEN Q & A
what is the recipe for onion chicken from tai show in massapequa?
It is chopped chicken covered in some type of sauce and covered with cheese and stuffed into the outside skin of an onion. Trying to find out the sauce they use, it’s delicious!!!
Onion Chicken in Balsamic Sauce
Ingredients
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 onion, chopped
* 2 chicken leg quarters
* 4 cloves garlic, chopped
* 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
* 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
* 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
* salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and reduce heat to low. Allow onion to caramelize, stirring only enough to prevent sticking and to be sure that all sides are fully cooked. Add garlic and saute briefly.
3. Increase heat to medium. Add chicken hindquarters to skillet and brown on both sides. Remove chicken, onion and garlic and place in a 9×13 inch baking dish.
4. Combine the stock and vinegar. Deglaze the skillet with this mixture, then bring to a boil and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened. Pour mixture over chicken and stir in the sun dried tomatoes. Cover dish tightly and bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken is done and juices run clear.Serves 2
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