Breeding Chickens and Building Coops
Raising chickens is a great way to provide food for your family or as an income selling eggs and meat at your local farmer's market. Before you start your flock, you should consider which chicken breeds would be the best fit for your wants and needs. When making your selection, keep in mind your primary goal in chicken keeping, as well as which breeds will thrive in your climate.
Within 7 weeks, chicks will outgrow the brooder and will need to be moved outside to a coop. You now have two choices: buy a coop or build one yourself. Aside from being a sometimes-costly endeavor, you will have to "take what you get" and have little say in the design, details, and so on with the former. You can ensure that it is exactly what you require based on your budget, chickens, and circumstances with the latter. However, it is not as simple as designing and constructing a structure and putting a few hens inside. When constructing your own coop, there are a few critical factors to consider.
In most cases, a small coop will be permitted without the need for anything special or permission, but larger coops may necessitate the acquisition of a permit before you can legally construct it. Convenience is important, but other factors such as noise and odor should also be considered. Choose a location that allows the chickens to benefit from the morning sun without being overheated in the afternoon, is sheltered from excessive wind and weather conditions, has some shade from trees if possible, and is not too close to you or the neighbor's house to be a nuisance.
Another critical factor to consider is proper ventilation in the coop. Again, more is better, especially during the winter months when the difference between a sick flock and a healthy flock can be intense. You must ensure that there is adequate airflow within the coop without making it cold in winter.
When it comes to coop construction materials, the sky is the limit. We’ve seen coops built from a variety of materials, and one of the most popular and recommended is Automatic Chicken Coop Door with Light Sensing for Smart Home from Etyn Online LLC.
This is a great help for chicken breeders because it’s an automatic chicken house door opener that will surprise you with its waterproof function, sturdy design, light sensor, simple user interface, and most importantly light sensor to make you feel free to range at night and during the day. It’s very easy to use and it takes no more than 10 minutes to install the door. It’s also easy to operate means that your door will work on its own when the sun rises and close when the sun goes down. It has one-year battery life and is suitable for chicken up to 10lbs.
Whatever materials you choose, make sure it is strong enough to protect your flock from inclement weather.