Thinking of raising chickens? You'll need a coop that provides a safe, dry place for the chickens to nest. Coops come in different sizes depending on how many chickens you plan to house, from 2 hens up to 10 or more. There are also different styles to choose from such as traditional barns or coops with attached runs. When choosing a location, select a flat, dry area away from trees to protect against predators, and place it close enough for easy access but far enough from your home to avoid noise and smells.

1. Thinking of raising chickens in your back yard for fresh eggs or meat? You
will want to be sure your hens have a good house to nest in. Happy
chickens are healthy chickens. So where do you start?
If you are not handy with tools, you may be considering purchasing a home
for your flock. When choosing a coop, you need to decide how many
chickens will be nesting in it. 2? 4? Or maybe 10? The number of residents
has a big impact on how big their house should be just like us humans.
Now that you have decided how big your fowl's abode will be, what design
do you like? There are many designs and styles to choose from. If you
reside in an urban environment, you may want to choose a home that will
blend with the surroundings. If you reside in the country or more rural
areas you may want to go with a traditional big red barn or maybe a larger
size home with a run attached so your chickens can free range.
When researching chicken coops, we have found the best built designs are
Amish crafted. The Amish are very well known for their hardworking ethic
and meticulous attention to detail. Imagine how gorgeous a chicken house
crafted for your backyard by the Amish will be!
Where to put your new residents? When selecting where to put your hen
house, make sure to place on a flat, dry area. A little slope is good
because the rain will run off but you don't want to place it in an area where
the water runs too because that will cause a sloppy mess for your
feathered friends.
It's also important to avoid wooded areas because predators have a
tendency to follow the tree line and keep to the shadows where they will be
least suspected. Locking your chicken coop up at night will also add
another layer of protection. Also, do you live where it snows? How far do
you want to walk to feed your backyard flock in the winter time? Place your
henhouse in a close enough place to easily feed but far enough away to
not disturb you in your home. Keep in mind that a well maintained chicken
coop will not overwhelm you with odors. Consider putting your coop on
poles to allow air to flow beneath. This will help also keep the area odor
free.
If you still have questions about the best type of chicken house or where to
place it, just ask one of our sales guys at Waterloo Structures