| Your chickens need a home. Should you build your | | | | the benefits. If you're going to have more than just |
| own, purchase a kit or buy a prebuilt coop? There | | | | a few chickens, then a kit can offer more choices of |
| are a number of things you'll want to consider before | | | | larger coops than prebuilt. Assembling a kit will |
| you make this decision. Let's look at some of the | | | | generally require less in the way of both tools and |
| pros, cons and costs of each of these options. | | | | skills than building your own. If you're not comfortable |
| The prebuilt coop | | | | with construction projects and handling tools such as |
| The easiest and fastest way to provide a quality | | | | a power saw, then a kit may be just the ticket for |
| home for your flock is to purchase a ready-made | | | | you. Because you provide the labor for assembly, the |
| coop from a local farm supply store. There are a | | | | cost for a kit will generally be less expensive per |
| wide variety of designs available and most of these | | | | square foot than a prebuilt coop. The kit can be |
| will have all the features and amenities you and your | | | | shipped directly to your home, so you may avoid the |
| chickens will need. A "ready to use" coop that | | | | issue of transporting a coop yourself. |
| requires no assembly is most likely going to be a | | | | Build your own coop |
| small structure, most suitable for only a few chickens. | | | | The third option for your backyard chicken coop is to |
| The size limitation is simply due to the fact that it is | | | | build your own. This is generally the most time |
| impractical to ship, handle and move a large fully | | | | consuming, but is usually the least expensive way to |
| assembled hen house. If you live in an urban area and | | | | get your chicken house. Building your own hen house |
| will likely never have more than a few hens, then this | | | | "from scratch" gives you complete freedom of |
| is a great choice. Additionally, most ready-made | | | | design. If there are some design features you want, |
| coops are going to look good. That's important when | | | | you just build them in! You will need to have some |
| it comes to "neighbor relations" in an urban setting. | | | | basic carpentry skills and own or have access to the |
| The bottom line pros are: easy and fast, nice | | | | appropriate tools. You also need to have the time to |
| aesthetics and design, secure and functional. The | | | | acquire the materials and do the actual construction |
| cons are: cost - this will be the most expensive | | | | of the coop. One option that people often overlook |
| option per square foot of any type of coop, the | | | | is that of hiring a handyman to help you out with |
| selection or choice of designs will be limited to what | | | | some of the construction skills and labor. Because of |
| your local stores can provide, transport and | | | | the cost savings of a build your own project, hiring |
| placement - you will need a vehicle capable of | | | | some help for part of the project can still result in a |
| transporting the coop to your location, and probably | | | | lower cost than purchasing a prebuilt or kit coop. A |
| some help with loading and placing the coop. | | | | critical element of a DIY coop project is to start with |
| Chicken coop kits | | | | a good plan. There are a number of books and plans |
| Next let's look at buying a kit that you assemble | | | | available on the web. Unless you have a lot of |
| yourself. These are also available from your local | | | | experience with chicken houses and the mind and |
| farm and feed stores, but the internet really opens | | | | skills for detailed design, you would be wise to make |
| up your options for selection and price. It will take | | | | a small investment in some good chicken coop plan |
| additional time to ship your kit to you, but most will | | | | materials. |
| consider that a fair trade-off when weighed against | | | | |