Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
For more protection from the elements, simple existing or newly purchased structures
can be modified with insulation and paneling of some sort on the inside. Take care not
to use plywood or wood materials that have a lot of glue and can come apart easily
when damp. Poultry produce a lot of moisture from breathing during the winter months.
Pressed board is not strong enough for housing; your buildings will crumble in a few
years.
A prefab building that is 6 feet wide, 10 feet long, and 8 feet high (1.8 × 3 × 2.5 m)
can easily accommodate a small backyard flock. This 60-square-foot (5.5 sq m) building
can accommodate up to 24 chickens or guineas, up to 12 ducks, or perhaps a half-dozen
turkeys or geese, although it will be somewhat crowded, and turkeys, ducks, or geese
would need some outside access. In many cases, these manufactured structures will sat-
isfy most building and zoning requirements.
I do not recommend the above structure for turkeys, ducks, or geese if the birds
do not also have outside access.
Guineas would not be very happy but would do okay.
Chickens or bantams are best suited for such a building if there is no outside access;
however, I would reduce the number of adult chickens to no more than a dozen.
Even the crudest of designs will accommodate poultry. A structure such as the one
described here can be made with limited expense and will keep its occupants quite con-
tent.
Basic Coop Construction
A fairly simple structure can be made using 4×4s (10×10 cm), 2×4s (5×10 cm), nails,
and sheet metal, all of which can be obtained at building supply centers. The materials
can be hauled easily in most pickup trucks and will cut down on your costs considerably.
It's best to start with 4×4s (10×10 cm) that are 10 feet (3 m) long and 8 feet (2.5 m)
long. These will afford you a 7 × 8-foot (2.25 × 2.5 m) building of 56 square feet (5 sq
m). Your shed will be the right height for entering and exiting, and also will allow your
birds plenty of room.
Again, before you start digging, make sure you've carefully considered the path of
the sun relative to the placement of your building. I prefer to situate my structures so
they are facing south, where they will catch the winter sunlight. An east-facing shed is
my second choice. West-facing sheds can cause problems in the summer when the sun is
in the birds' faces during the hottest part of the day, making them overheat. If a shed is
facing north, the sun alone will not provide adequate light. Your choices may be some-
what different depending on where you live (see the earlier discussion regarding build-
