5 Important Things to Consider before Buying or Designing Your Chicken’s Coop

When people initially consider keeping chickens, they wonder what sort of housing they will need. It’s possible to keep chicks in brooders for a few weeks. But once they begin to fully feather, around 6 to 8 weeks, you will need something bigger for your flock to call home.

If you want to keep your chickens healthy and happy, then you’re going to want to keep them outside in a chicken coop. Whether you decide on a Roost and Root coop or not, we've included our top must-have requirements for your chicken coop.

 

Security:

Protecting your chicken coop from predators is the main concern of all chicken caretakers day and night. But don't worry, with a few tips it’s easy to prevent breaches from unwanted predators! In the long term, it’s a primary advantage to keep your lovable chickens in a safe and structurally sound coop rather than something flimsy.

 

An example of an important consideration when selecting a secure coop is the type of wire mesh used, it's best to go for at least a 5” in by 1” in wire mesh opening to prevent any undesired guest from visiting your flock. Anything small enough to make its way through the openings won’t stand a chance against your flock members.

 

Ventilation:

As we all need ventilation in our homes, it's a must to have a correct source of ventilation in your chicken's coop, as chickens are more prone to attract respiratory ailments. It is advisable to maintain an open vent every season, these vents should be located at a high point of the coop and not directly exposed to the roost area. For colder seasons, it’s best to cover any large wired airways, one method we use during the cold season is our winter storm/snow panels that easily clip to any wired sections of the coop, offering both wind protection and slight transparency for the occasional sunny winter day.

Cleanliness:

We all know by nature that chickens are messy creatures. Therefore, it’s important to keep an eye on the cleanliness of your chicken coop regularly. We know that sounds like a lot, but a clean and comfortable coop will result in an overall more enjoyable experience for your hens and you when it comes to egg collection. Bird droppings can accumulate quickly, so a small amount of cleaning on a regular basis can go a long way.

 

The Right Number of Nesting Boxes:

 

Nest Boxes give a safe and private area for your chickens to lay their eggs. Did you know? During much of the year, depending on the breed, a hen will lay an egg almost every day of the year. Nesting Boxes should be designed to be elevated from the coop floor, but never above the level of their roosting space.

 

Run Area:

The run area of your coop should be at the minimum, 4 ft² per averaged sized bird assuming they experience a day where they are unable to get free range time. It’s also important to remember the space taken up by placing both a feeder and waterer inside the coop. Our coops for example, allow for an overhead waterer and a space considerate gravity feeder.

We hope you found these tips helpful as you decide on your chicken's future coop. Have questions or comments regarding anything mentioned in this article? Please feel free to email us at support@roostandroot.com or give us a call at 877-741-2667.