the coop

the coop is also a very important part of your chicken establishment. the coop has many purposes: sleeping quarters, protection from rain/cold, food, laying eggs, perching, and protection from predators during the night.

things to have inside the coop are:

1) nesting boxes-place where the chickens lay their eggs. need one nesting box for every two-three chickens. should be at least 12'' by 12'' by 12''. mine are 14'' by 14'' and 14''. if you have banties (miniature chickens) them shrink the box size a couple inches. inside the nesting box put plenty of hay or wood shavings for the chickens to nestle in when laying the egg-this also prevents cracked eggs. most nesting boxes are built into the coop and provide easy access to the eggs by the outside of the coop. if there is a lot of

poop in the boxes replace the shavings-but that should not occur much at all. i have replaced the shavings only once so far this year.

2) perches-must be at least two feet above the ground in a coop people can stand in, but no more than four feet high. and make sure the highest perch has the most room, because they will all want to be on the highest "branch". and make sure they have plenty of space to fly or jump down. for standard chickens have the perch be around three-four inches wide.

3) feeders- need a water feeder and a pellet feeder inside the coop safe from outdoor elements. clean water frequently, i clean the water once a week and i have si

x chickens. make sure the feeders

are off the ground at the height of the chicken's shoulder. you should have at least one food and one water feeder for every 10 or less chickens

4) ground-it is best to have mulch, or dirt on the ground for chickens to be able to scratch and take dust baths on during rainy days. and makes poop easier to clean. you can have a wood floor, but make sure there is some kind of bedding like hay on the wood so you can clean poop. 5) protection- make sure the coop is securely sealed to protect them from weather and predators. my coop is all wood with small welded wire windows. and has a latch for the door. 6) ventilation- make sure the coop has access to oxygen during the day to air out the ammonia and smell, and frequently clean poop from the previous night everyday. i use a hand shovel and hand broom to scoop poop inside a bucket that i empty every week into the compost. ALWAYS wash hands thoroughly after doing this!!! and wear gloves.

7) doors-there must be a small opening (1'x1' at least) for the chickens to enter and l

eave between the coop and run throughout the day. you have a choice of securing

that doggy door at night, or if the run is completely secured then you can leave it open. make sure you can secure the human doors to the coop and run completely so no predators get in.

8) coop size-there are all different coop sizes and styles to see on the Internet that will fit your lifestyle and chicken quantity-remember, the simpler the better! each chicken should have at least 1.5'x2' of space in the coop.

i have drawn a typical backyard coop for 2-4 hens. this one is not a walk-in coop. and can be propped off the ground or not. the picture is one that is, because it is most common for small coops. you may see other coops that are very nice-like a person could live in them- or very complicated looking. dont worry about this! the chickens dont care, so you can make the coop as simple and minimalist as you want, but still fits their needs.

or you can go to

http://poultryone.com/articles/housing.html

http://www.backyardchickens.com/coopdesigns.html

to help you design your own coop