A Free Guide On How To Improve Your Chicken Coop With DIY Projects

A Free Guide On Ways To Improve Your Chicken Coop To Make It The Best Chicken Coop For Your Chickens!

Change of chicken coop plans? Looking for a way to change your chicken coop design? Here’s a multi-step guide to improve your coop to keep your hens happy and healthy.

Not only is this a rewarding project, but it also ensures that your feathered friends have a safe and comfortable home. Before you get started, let's break down the process into manageable steps to ensure success. 

Building Interior Features

Elevate your chicken coop to new heights of functionality and comfort with all or some of these enhancements.

• DIY Automatic Waterer: Create an automatic waterer by repurposing a large plastic container, such as a bucket or bin, and attaching poultry nipples to the bottom. Hang the container from the coop ceiling or a sturdy support, allowing gravity to dispense water as needed. This reduces water spillage and keeps the water clean and fresh for longer periods.

• Chicken Swing or Perch: Hang a chicken swing or install additional perches inside the coop to provide entertainment and exercise for your birds. Chickens enjoy swinging and perching, which can help reduce boredom and stress, leading to happier and healthier chickens. Easiest option is to get a sturdy wooden dowel or branch (untreated pine or hardwood for example), cut your wanted length and tie a piece of rope to each end of the wooden bar you just created. Hang it on your desired position and you're all set!

• Eggshell Calcium Supplement: Crush and grind eggshells into a fine powder to provide a natural calcium supplement for your chickens. Sprinkle the powdered eggshells into their feed or scatter it in the coop bedding to help prevent calcium deficiencies and strengthen eggshells. This is also a great way to minimize any food waste!
  Should your chickens not enjoy crushed eggshells, you should definitely try our BRAND NEW release. The Black Soldier Fly Larvae. Packed with calcium and protein, they're the perfect alternative to crushed eggshells and a great complementary food for a balanced diet.

• To add an extra level of entertainment and nutrition for your chickens, consider making your own peck block. Read more about it in our other blog post.

Add Enrichment and Stimulation

When your hens can't roam freely in the garden, it's important to keep them mentally stimulated and entertained in their run. You don't have to spend a fortune on enrichment; you can repurpose everyday items or gather natural materials from nature walks.

Consider creating tunnels and walkways using hollowed-out logs or large cardboard tubes. Chickens enjoy exploring these tunnels, and it provides them with a sense of adventure and novelty. Be mindful of using safe materials; opt for natural options like giant bamboo to avoid any potential toxicity from pecking behavior.

Mirrors. Believe it or not chickens love to look at their own reflections, attach a mirror to the inside of your run and they will spend hours gazing at themselves. It’s wonderful to watch as well.

Fencing the Run

Let's wrap up your chicken coop upgrade with a crucial step: fortifying the outdoor run to keep your feathered friends safe and sound. Opt for heavy-duty hardware cloth or even better; strong wire mesh to create a secure enclosure that allows your chickens to roam freely without worrying about predators. Take the extra precaution of securely attaching the fencing to your coop and burying it underground to avoid any diggers from getting inside. With this added layer of protection, you can rest easy knowing your chickens are free to enjoy the great outdoors while staying safe from harm. Whether you're just starting out or a seasoned pro, this upgrade is a must-have for every chicken farmer looking to provide their flock with the best possible care.

If you have a chicken coop without run, you can still use the Plastic Wire Mesh for protecting windows, vents, etc. Depending on how big of a chicken coop you have, consider how much material you need to reinforce the entire coop.

Conclusion

Upgrading your chicken coop is a rewarding project that requires careful planning, attention to detail, and a bit of elbow grease. By following these step-by-step instructions and selecting quality materials, you can create a safe, comfortable and fun home for your chickens. Embrace the process, enjoy the satisfaction of building something with your own hands, and look forward to happy days ahead with your feathered friends!