4 Essential Things to Consider When Picking Plans For Chicken Coops

One of the first things a new backyard chicken enthusiast must decide is the type of chicken coop in which to house the new flock. There are two options when it comes to the new coop.

The first is to find a retailer that sells pre-made chicken coops. The big positive to this is that the coop gets delivered to your door, already assembled and ready to go. One of the problems with buying retail is that the coop will cost an arm and a leg. The other problem is that the coop will be a one size fits all design; it is difficult to customize or adjust.

The other option available is to build your own coop. Most coops do not require that the builder be a master carpenter. The trick to getting a coop built is picking the right plans. What should be looked for is the quality of the plans. If the plans consist of blurry images and poorly written descriptions, they will not do anyone any good. The other thing to look for is completeness. If the plans are not an a-z step by step system most people will not be able to follow them. There are certain things to look for when picking plans for a successful coop build:

(1) Look for the straightforwardness of the plans. Can the average person read the plans or does it consist of complicated schematics that need a University degree to interpret?

(2) Look for a material list and clear instructions. Do the instructions walk you through the plan one step at a time?

(3) Look through the plans from front to back. Look to see if the pictures are clear and include clear measurements and a picture of the finished product.

(4) Do the plans require specialized joints and advance carpentry techniques? Do the plans require specialized tools like joiners and routers? If so, then plans involving common wood working tools might be a better option.

Depending on skill level it might be best to avoid plans that require specialized tools and carpentry techniques as this will only frustrate the builder and ultimately result in abandoning the project. Reviewing more than one set of plans will greatly increase the chances of locating the right plans for your skill set.