+ What are the benefits of having your own chicken coop?
Well the obvious reason would be, you get to have fresh, organic eggs daily. What most people dont know is that chickens make great fertilzer and will eat just about anything you throw at them. If you let the chickens roam your yard they will eat insects, weeds, leaves, and other pesky inects. Did I mention chickens are very social animals? They make great pets!
+ Is a chicken coop the same thing as a hen house?
Most people think these are the same thing but in reality they are very different. A chicken coop is basically a place you keep your chickens to protect them from predators and other elements. A hen house is specifically designed to aid in encouraging the chickens to lay their eggs. Usually hen houses have nests or roosting boxes to collect eggs.
+ Should I put a heat lamp in my chicken coop?
As long as the chicken coop is free from drafts, a heating lamp is not required. The best thing to do would be to place the chicken coop facing the sun with atleast one window.
+ Where I can find chicken coop plans?
We offer some of the best step-by-step video instruction guides available. You can find our top guides by scrolling down this page.
+ Will you save money building your own chicken coop?
From my experience, for a 12ft long by 4ft wide A-Frame style chicken coop the price for materials averages around 200-250$. Of course if you have spare timber around your house this cost can be cut considerably. Also asking friends and neighbors for materials they might have laying around their house is always a good way to cut cost.
If you were to purchase a 12ft by 4ft chicken coop from an online retailer you would be looking at around $500-600, excluding the very pricey shipping fees.
So if price is an issue, building your own chicken coop is definitely the way to go.
+ How big should my chicken coop be?
This really depends on a few factors. How big is your yard? How many chickens do you intend on having? Do you want the coop to be portable or stationary?
Of course having a big chicken coop is the way to go if you have the land, materials, and can afford it. Chickens need plenty of space to move around in order to stay healthy and prevent injury.
A good rule of thumb is to have 4ft square feet for every chicken.
+ Why do chicken coops have 2 doors?
Because if it had 4 doors it would be called a chicken coop Sedan! Only kidding ... A lot of chicken coops plans offer a smaller door for the chickens to access, and a larger door for people to walk through. Its a simple as that!