Chicken Coop Kits

While keeping chickens is no longer the important activity it was in the past there are still some very valid reasons to raise and keep chickens. Before jumping into poultry ranching as a hobby or a financial resource an aspiring rancher must do some research. The wide range of activities in this field requires specific preparations including not least where you are going to keep your chickens. One hen being kept simply as a pet needs very little space but you will still want to keep her somewhere out of your living space or be prepared to clean up after her.

A Mini Coop

A short internet search found over 30,000 listings for “chicken coop kits”. The available kits range from units intended for 8-10 birds to larger plans for barn-like structures for hundreds of birds. Commercial operations use large specialized structures holding several thousand birds each with automatic feed systems, temperature regulation and built-in clean-up processes. The range of prices for chicken coop kits varies with the number of hens and the space allocated for them. You may find many websites with various offers regarding assembled and delivered coops in just about any price range and if your budget supports you can go for even more expensive options. You will also come across various e-books of coop building instructions in a convenient price range.

Chickens require more than just a coop so you need to do your homework and adjust your chicken coop kit budget to allow some funding for accessories. You will need nesting boxes for about 20% of your hen population, feeding and watering equipment and some arrangements for cleaning up after your chickens. One interesting sideline is fertilizer. When I raised chickens I often had gardeners coming around asking for the droppings. It makes a very effective fertilizer.
A chicken coop must provide a safe haven for your chickens, especially at night but the coop should not be the only space the chickens have to live. It is important that a coop not be over crowded and those smaller, mobile coops can be moved around you yard to keep the “fertilizer” widely spread and give the chickens form fresh grass. If you limit the space where you chickens live they will quickly eliminate any grass or ground cover and dig more holes than you would believe.

A small flock of chickens can be a rewarding hobby. Depending on your personal preferences you can also enjoy a few fresh eggs and even an occasional chicken dinner. For children (and adults, too) there are many very fancy ornamental birds that are great fun. Do your research and make your plans before diving in. Select the proper chicken coop kit, buy your chicks or grown birds, and enjoy. Do not try to go too big too soon, though. The amount of work required for a medium to large flock can rapidly overload one person.