Raising chickens was a normal part of everyday life for centuries. Most American yards had a chicken or two for the first two centuries of American nationhood. It became highly unpopular for several decades in the 1900s, but now a cultural shift has occurred. People care more about their food today than they have in many years and where it comes from is critical. Self-sustainability is not only good for the planet, but it’s also popular. Backyard-raised eggs are healthier, tastier, and less expensive than purchasing organic eggs from the supermarket. If you’d like to join the backyard chicken movement and raise your own flock, you’ll have to start with one big decision: are you going to purchase a chicken coop kit or are you going to build your own from scratch?
Chicken Coop Kits
When buying a chicken coop kit, you can simply decide on a design you like and place the order online. Kits are readily available from a wide array of companies and come in hundreds of designs. A week or two later, your chicken coop will arrive in a large box of pre-cut pieces, hardware, and step-by-step instructions. It doesn’t get much easier than this. There’s no guess work involved. There’s no cutting or measuring. You don’t have to be a woodworking expert. With basic building skills and perhaps the assistance of a friend or neighbor, your chicken coop can easily be built within a weekend.
A chicken coop kit is a great option for someone who wants to build their coop, but doesn’t want the hassle of purchasing pieces piecemeal. It can be a daunting task! Chicken coop kits provide a no-hassle, easy way to achieve the do-it-yourself experience.
Building Your Own Chicken Coop
Building your own chicken coop is rewarding and often less expensive than purchasing a chicken coop kit. Get out some paper, a pencil, and a ruler. Measure and design to your heart’s content. This method gives you the most control over your final product and also requires the most work. Consider which materials you’ll need to purchase and how much. Which tools will you need? Do you have them already or will you need to purchase or buy them? What is your overall budget? Your chicken coop could be as intricate or as simple as you desire.
A simpler way to build your own chicken coop is to find a design you like online and to purchase the design. Websites like mine will allow you to choose from a variety of attractive coop designs. Once you choose a design that fits your needs, you’ll get a complete list of materials to buy at your local hardware shop, step-by-step instructions to follow for easy construction, and lots of diagrams and full-color illustrations to make the process easy-to-understand and do-able for even amateur builders.
When you build your own coop, you are in complete control over what materials you use. Some chicken coop kits consist of cheap wood (not all, but some… check before you order!). If you build your own coop, you have control over what type of wood you use to construct you chicken’s new home. The quality of the materials determines how long and how well your coop will last. Building your own coop is rewarding and guarantees that you’ll get the exact back-year chicken coop you desire.