hen houses – YouTube – How to Build a Hen House – Delta Waterfowl

Okay, let's try that again….(I had to delete my previous identical question b/c it was somehow double-posted, so sorry if you answered.)
How do I get my chickens to stick their heads out of their coop? I can only get one of them to do it; the others are hidden from view. I've seen other coops where all 4 chickens are looking out from the coop.
Thank you again!

Raising your own chickens can be a lot of fun and is something that the whole family can get involved in. There is nothing better than having fresh eggs for breakfast that have just been laid. If you are going to raise chickens you are going to have to provide them with a home that will keep them safe from the many predators that will prey on them and give them a place to get out of the weather. If you have the extra money you could buy a prebuilt coop, but if you are going to raise your own chickens then you should consider building your own homemade chicken coops.

Why do they need a Coop?

Chickens are birds that have only limited flight abilities and have almost no means of protecting themselves. They need to have a place that they can be safely kept at night where their natural predators cannot get to them. For centuries homemade chicken coops have been used to provide this protection. Sturdily built on site these coops can be built to fit in with your environment or to fit into the space you have to work with.

During the winter months when it is cold and windy you will need to provide your chickens with a home that can be kept above freezing so that they do not get sick. If you provide them with a warm dry place to live and keep laying eggs for you. Most chickens are not happy about laying eggs just anywhere and certainly not on the open ground, when you look at homemade chicken coops you should factor in nesting boxes so that your hens will have a place to lay their eggs and keep you well supplied.

What You Need to Know about Homemade Chicken Coops

If you are planning to build your own coop then there are certain things you need to know about them. You will need to take a close look the area you plan to use and make sure that you have room for the one you plan to build. The area you choose should be level, have good drainage and if possible a good southern exposure to help keep your chickens warm.

You will need to provide a way in and out not only for your chickens but so that you can get in and out of the coop to collect your eggs and to clean it out frequently. Inside most homemade chicken coops you will need to install nesting boxes so that your hens will have a place to roost and lay their eggs. You should consider installing an electric light to provide warmth in the winter. Unless you live in a very cold climate a single light bulb should provide enough heat.

Check the interior when you are done to make sure that there are no nails sticking out that your hens can get injured on and leave the inside unpainted so that they do not eat the paint. You may also want include several perches for your hens to roost on to help keep them off the cold floor. Homemade chicken coops do not have to be anything fancy; all they really need to be is a warm safe place for your hens to live in when they are not out in their run.

For expert and detailed step by step instruction on how to construct your own Chicken Coop visit How To Build A Chicken Coop

Buying a Chicken Coop can be quite costly, and you can easily build one for a quarter of the cost of buying…plus you have the satisfaction of knowing that you did it yourself. Check out how to build it now at How To Build A Chicken Coop

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