Chicken coop enclosures

Of course, there are many factors to consider in building a chicken coop, but one thing many people neglect to think about is how much space to give chickens in their yard.

Some backyard chicken owners allow their chickens to roam their whole yards, which is good for the soil and helps control insects and weeds. But chickens will also eat the plants in your garden, and many people prefer to build a chicken run or enclosure outside the coop, which can protect both chickens and plants

Free Range Or Contained?

One of the primary concerns in building a chicken enclosure is space. The chickens need enough space to exercise and feed. Your enclosure should be no less than ten square feet and depending on the number of chickens you raise, you should allow plenty of space to roam.  It is also a good idea to cover the top of your enclosure, which will protect your chickens from some predators, such as hawks.

Tips For Enclosures

Like your coop, your enclosure should be in a well drained area. You want the water to run off from the enclosure, which will help avoid puddles. This will keep your chickens healthy and allow them to use the entire run. In addition, like the coop, the run should receive as much light as possible. Chickens lay eggs much more often when their environment is well-lit.

It is also important to think about where your run is placed in relation to your coop. Some people choose to build their coops inside their chicken runs, which helps ensure that the chickens stay inside them but also requires more wire netting to build the enclosure.

Others build a chicken run that is entirely separate from their coop, though it can occasionally be difficult to lead the chickens into the enclosure in these cases.

The most common form of enclosure is connected to the chicken coop, so that the chickens can walk out their chicken door directly into the run whenever they choose.

In order to make your chicken run last for the long term, many people suggest splitting it in two parts, so that while chickens scratch in one area for awhile, the other will have time to recuperate.

To learn more about all of these options as well as get construction plans and materials lists for a variety of different enclosure designs, I recommend that you get Bill Keene's book with plans and several bonus offers.  To check that out and take advantage of our limited time special bonus offer just click here.

This helps ensure that there are insects and worms as well as grass or other plants for your chickens to eat at all times. By switching the chickens’ enclosure regularly between the two, you will have a happier garden and happier chickens, as well as healthier eggs.

  Valuable Help For Your Chicken Coop Project

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