Hello All!
I am a chicken "amateur". I am moving to the country...one of the first things I want to do is build a good chicken house. I would like to raise chickens for eggs and food. If anyone out there knows where I can find out how to build the "ideal" chicken house, please let me know. I would like to have different varieties and alot of them! I want a chicken coop that will be spacious, and comfortable, and safe. Will someone please tell me where I can obtain some information that would help me in building this chicken coop? Thanks a Million! Lisa H.

Well if youre in the UK there are some good books go to your library, and see what theyve got. Its well worth getting the right coop for them cos it saves lots of trouble later. Cleaning it etc. You can buy ready made coops or build your own there is some info on feathersite about that. Mine live in a normal garden shed which is fine except its harder to clean. Its well worth thinking in advance about things like composting their bedding, getting to and from the coop on rainy winter days to collect eggs, if free ranging (which is best) how messy they can make your land. I wish I'd organised it better to start with. But you learn and its brilliant fun learning.

My Son is in FFA for the first time. He is going to be raising 7 chickens. I need some Help on how to build a chicken house. Also i dont know if this matters but i have 2 dogs . How do i keep them from getting into the pen?? Please help me.

Thanks,
Vincent Phillips

Plan on a minimum of four square feet of floor space for your birds, and this must allow for feed barrels, feeders, fountains, etc. Ventilation and light are a must. Your extension office may have publications to help, and I noticed the new issue of Countryside magazine lists reprints of old farm books on building things in an ad. Storey Books publishes this kind of thing, too. You might also look for old farm books in antique shops and used book stores, or in a library. Hope this helps.