The Introduction
Most people shy away from DIY projects. Therefore, buying a chicken coop for your flock becomes a necessity. You see, your fowl look to you for their safety and security. Providing for their basic needs, ensuring their health through cleanliness, nutritious food, and fresh drinking water, and guaranteeing secure shelter are all must-dos when keeping a whole bunch of chickens.
But, when it comes to chicken coops for sale, there are many elements to consider before placing an order. So, we’ve prepared a list of things for you to keep an eye out for when choosing a chicken coop.
Factors To Consider When Buying A Chicken Coop
When setting up a chicken coop, you have to take in mind the comfort of your birds. But, you can’t forget that the design should be practical for your needs too. If you happen to be a first-timer, make a list of the key points that should not be part of every chicken coop.
Every chicken coop must have:
- pop door
- ventilation
- perch
- nesting boxes
- area for feed
- attached run area
- storage space
- easy access to cleaning
These are the basic requirements of any decent chicken coop. Now, here are the considerations that you shouldn’t overlook.
1) Quality of the coop
It’s common for most owners to buy chicken coops based on looks and price alone. Many like the look of a chicken coop, and rather than checking for the essentials, they pay up. A few months out in the elements is all it takes for these substandard quality chicken coops to break apart. So, it’s obvious that that is a mistake.
You need to check on the sturdiness and thickness of the wood. If the wood is less than 10mm in thickness, it’ll warp easily after being out in the sun for some time. Moreover, make sure that all the hinges and hardware are rust-proof. So, that you won’t have to replace them within the next few weeks.
In addition, there should be no gaps between the boards, as the birds can catch a chill in winter, where a draft may come through. And, be sure that the locks are of good quality.
All of the mesh areas should be sturdy and rust-free. Predators will waste no time trying to gnaw their way into the coop, so you have to be definite that the mesh will be strong enough to survive the elements as well as the chewing and scratching of the wildlife.
And, you need to look at the size of the chicken entrance, so that it’s not too confined. Furthermore, there should be plenty of ventilation, perch for each bird of at least 1 ft, and nesting boxes. Not to mention, it should have easy human access for cleaning. Plus, feeding space within the coop, so the feed doesn’t get wet in the night outside.
Don’t buy anything with harmful paints and stains that give off toxic fumes. Also, the windows and vents need to be with hard wire mesh too.
2) Size Of The Coop
Ideally, each bird should have 4 square feet of floor space for a standard bird. Bantam birds should have 2 square feet. Confined space between birds leads to antisocial behavior such as pecking.
Moreover, if the birds are going to be in the coop, not just for sleeping and laying eggs, then there needs to be a run area and perches as well.
The larger the coop, the more accessible it should be for cleaning, as the frequent cleaning becomes vital for the well-being of the birds.
3) Mobile Or Static
Now, it’s a smart move to get a static chicken coop if you enjoy mild weather year-round. Or, if you have space where the birds will be safe from the elements, both in winter or summer. However, if you have concerns about your garden grass, or too much sun in summer and too much wind in the winter, then you can go for an ark or tractor design that can be wheeled about to provide shelter from the harsh weather.
But, you don’t own an ATV or riding mower, then you’ll need to check if the coop isn’t too heavy for you to haul around.
4) Price Of The Coop
Naturally, you care for your birds, and you’d like to go for the best option as far as security and comfort go, but it isn’t always a possibility to do that. However, there isn’t any need to be disheartened.
Chicken coops come in a variety of sizes available at affordable price tags. And, if you buy something that’s the bare minimum, you could add to some of the features yourselves. You see, it may appear to be difficult, but building a chicken coop from scratch isn’t that complicated at all.
Moreover, there are umpteen DIY videos on the net that’ll give you step-by-step directions on building a chicken coop from scratch. And, if you think that it’s not your forte to construct things, then you can always enlist the help of a friend or family member to assist you.
Just keep in mind, if you plan to build a chicken coop, always make a list of all the things that you need to have in the shelter before starting up the project.
5) Number Of Chickens
It’s paramount to keep in mind the number of birds you have to begin. You don’t just count the birds you have at the moment as you need to think about the headcount after the eggs have hatched. With a run area, nesting boxes, and perches, the coop can become too constricting if you don’t calculate ample floor space for each bird.
In Conclusion
If you happen to be new at keeping chickens, then you need to do the necessary research to ensure the wellness of your flock. There are plenty of websites that can help you achieve that.
Just bear in mind that your flock of birds is your responsibility, and if you aren’t careful, then they may be in grave danger, not only from the weather but the wildlife surrounding them.
