Different Types of Chicken Pens

by chicken on May 17, 2011

Rearing chickens will require that you buy or build chicken pens. This is an essential structure whether you’re in involved in commercial or domestic purpose. Chickens can’t stand bad weather and you must protect them from predators. In the past years, the pens have changed greatly and today, there are different types to choose from.

Basically, there are two types of pens. The first one is made from wood and the other is from plastic or Eglus. The most common varieties today is the wooden pens or coops but still, you can find them in different sizes, design, and shapes. Ready-made pens can be bought but if you prefer to work on the pens on your own, you need to purchase all the materials such as nails, wood, screws, and shingles.

If you’re wondering how to build chicken pens easily, you have nothing to worry about because the internet offers a wide range of plans that you can choose from. Small chicken pens are the easiest to build and you will need fewer materials. This is ideal for those who simply want to rear chickens as a hobby.

Aside from the chicken pens, you also have to purchase chicken wire or wire mesh. You will use the material as fencing on your yard. You probably don’t want your chicks to wander off on other yards, right? Going to back to the small chicken coops, by choosing the wooden type, you should be aware that over time the wood will rot. If you want a pen that will last longer, you can go for the plastic type.

Eglus is the name of the pen because it takes its name from the igloo. The pens look like igloos or small tents. The design of the pen is quite effective in keeping away predators. If your backyard is small, you will benefit from the plastic type pens. If you live in the city and you want to rear a few chickens, this is the ideal choice.

The wooden and plastic pens are not the only choices that you have. In terms of design, you can opt for the classic houses, chicken arks, and the portable poultry. The latter is also known as mobile chicken pens. These portable pens can be moved from one place to another, similar to the chicken tractor. If you live in the countryside, you can take the chickens out on open grass where they can eat seeds, bugs, and get some sunlight.

If you want to confine the chickens because of potential harm by the predators, the ark design is the best choice. The classic coop has been well-loved by many chicken growers. This is made from wood and wire mesh. If you have lots of chickens, this will surely meet your requirements.

For a cost effective option, you can go for the poultry shed. This is effective in keeping predators away and it also provides for water containers, nesting boxes, and feeders. If you build your own chicken pens, you can customize the design that will best suit your needs. Choose the right type today and give your chickens a good home.

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Choosing What Type of Chicken Pen You Require

by chicken on February 26, 2011

Choosing the right type of your chicken pen can be tricky sometimes, especially now, when there are many types of chicken pen plans you can follow. That’s why understanding which one perfectly matches your needs is crucial for getting optimal results. Because you are going to spend some money on building materials, it only make sense if you know what are your greatest needs.

chicken pen fixed

 

There are some main factors you should consider before deciding what type of chicken pen to build. The following tips will help you with this important task of choosing the right type of chicken coop, that will make you happy, once it is build.

Appearance

Do you know already what you want your chicken pen to look like? What overall appearance you are looking for? There are many different ways you can build the chicken house that will impact the overall design of your poultry house. It will also have an impact on costs, so make sure you’re working within your budget. There are surely some cheaper methods to build a coop, so understanding the whole process in detail is definitely a smart move.

Size

The size of your future chicken coop is very important factor you need to consider before moving on. There are small ones, like chicken tractor and the big ones, like chicken house with huge chicken run attached to it. Don’t panic, there are medium size also :) . And each one of them can accommodate a certain number of chickens. Be careful to not put too many hens into small coop, because they won’t feel comfortable and they will produce less eggs as a result. Keep it in mind that it is better to have much bigger chicken pen then the small one. You can always add more birds later on.

Portable Versus Fixed

portable chicken pen

Another factor to consider is whether you want to have portable chicken pen or you would rather have the fixed one instead. Mobile chicken pen will give you more flexibility, as you can move it wherever you want. It is also easier to clean this type of chicken house as well. So if you don’t have a big farm and you’re not thinking about raising lots of chicken for meat and eggs, this is a way to go.

On the other hand, if you are a fellow farmer, or maybe you just starting out, but you’re thinking about raising some more backyard chickens in the future, you may want to consider solid chicken ranch. This will provide more space for your inventory as well as some structural integrity to keep you happy ;)

So, make sure you follow these tips as you decide what type of chicken pen you are going to build. Keep it in mind that getting the information up front before you start to build will help save you hundreds of dollars over the long run. Good luck!

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Finding Right Place for Your Chicken Coop

by chicken on February 22, 2011

In this post we will give you some ideas about best places for your chicken coop. It is very important to find the perfect spot on your yard for your chickens’ house, because you want to be happy with it for years to come (especially if you are not going to have portable chicken pen). Consider it from a variety of angles because many things are going to be impacted by where the coop is located.

Here are just a few ideas to consider:

Protection

First of all you need to think about predatory animals. Keep it in mind that you’re going to encounter digging animals as well as the ones who can jump quite high. Are any of them in close location to your farm? While you want to have a good ventilation in your chicken coop, you don’t want to have it too far away from your house. The idea behind this is that you may want to place your chicken house along with a chicken run close enough to keep an eye on it and ensure they are safe.

Climate

Another factor that needs to be considered with the location of your chicken coop is the climate. Is your area rather sunny or rainy? If you’re getting a lot of rain on regular basis, you may want to build the chicken pen next to some trees, to reduce the amount of direct rain it gets.
Also, make sure you build the coop far away from any ponds and stuff like that to avoid flood in your chicken ranch.

You don’t want to have too much wind on regular basis going through your chicken pen so make sure to place it in quiet location.

Sunlight

Lastly, since your chickens need lots of sunlight exposure, try out and construct your chicken coop in an area that’s well lit and faces the sun.

So, make sure you follow these simple guidelines as you go and find the best location for your chicken pen. If you do, you will surely enjoy the numbers of fresh eggs you will get every day! :)

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Chicken Pen – why is it necessary to have one

by chicken on February 21, 2011

You are probably thinking why everybody is talking about chicken pen or chicken run thingy – you name it! Well, it is probably because people got aware of the popularity of natural, home made products last days and their positive impact on our health.

So without further ado, lets see why building a chicken pen may be a good thing:

  • It is not wise to keep backyard chickens inside a chicken coop all the time – that’s for sure. It is not natural at all and the lack of sunshine may have a bad impact on their life
  • Chickens will be much healthier because of fresh air and a daily portion of daylight. Your hens will lay more eggs on regular basis as well
  • Because of more free space they will be stronger which will give you much better meat as a result :)
  • When you allow them to go out of the chicken house they will have an opportunity to dig up the soil and get necessary daily intake of worms and minerals
  • It will be more fun for you and your kids to watch them outside rather then inside

There is also one very important thing I have to mention – make sure you build your chicken pen correctly, otherwise you may find your precious hens eaten by some hungry predators pretty soon!
 

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