You’ve got your coop plans but have you thought about how you are going to build chicken coop accessories?

As you know, when you want to build a chicken coop there are many things to be aware of. The early stages of planning your hen house will have involved the important questions about protection, light, air and space.

But you have sorted them all out, your structure sound and easy to work with and I bet that you are just hankering to get your hens moved in and laying. I’ll also bet that one of the last things that you want to be thinking about is having to build chicken coop accessories right?

It is such a relief to have finally completed the chickens new home that to find out that you now need to accessorize it can be completely frustrating! I recollect thinking “how bad would it be if we didn’t bring in a nesting box or two?” and “what the flip is a roost?”. “Why should they have a water trough or feeder? Can’t they simply dine off the floor and doze on the floor? They are just birds after all, why should we bother with trying to build chicken coop accessories”. Despite my hissy fit, they obviously need these things for a reason, so I calmed down and thought about it a bit longer.

Yes they are chooks which is precisely the rationale behind why we have to respect their requirements. Chickens are animals and their needs are basic. They follow their instincts which tell them to nest, sleep and eat where it is safe and comfortable. Easy Peasy. If you wish for their eggs, then you have to make them relaxed so that they will freely provide you those eggs with as little drama as possible.

So when you build chicken coop accessories try to envisage that you are a small, almost flightless animal and ask yourself where you would feel most safe. I bet that ‘up tall’ should feature quite highly! With that in mind here is a break-down of a few of the essential accessories for your hen house

Nesting Boxes;
Nesting boxes are for your chickens to lay their eggs in – If you thought that they were for sleeping in, you are just like I was when I first started! These can be made out of anything that you may have lying around. But just ensure that if it absorbs water and is biodegradable that you replace it regularly. They can be filled with straw, paper, shavings or hay, but this also has to be replaced on a very frequent basis.

I recognize that we mutter about girls wanting their space, but when it comes to the nesting box they certainly like it cosy, so allow for 4 or 5 chooks per box rather than planning separate nests.

The Roost;
The roost is where the sleeping is done.
This is the equivalent to a high branch in a tree, so it really only needs to be a tough shaft. So long as it will hold the mass of the chooks and they can wrap their talons around it firmly most anything will do. An important note when you build chicken coop roosts is that just as in the wild, chickens will brawl over the highest branch, so make all the roosts the matching height. This is one area that your hens will like their room, so make certain that there is sufficient area on the roosts for all your hens. This will prevent major arguments and help encourage a peaceful setting.

Heads up!; Do not situate your nesting boxes or any other accessories underneath your roosts! Hens do the majority of their pooing while they snooze – now I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t be that keen on laying an egg in a dirty nesting box!

Feeders and Waterers;
These are pretty self explanatory there are a excellent range of programmed systems around that will make certain that your flock have a complete stream of fresh food and water.

Sand Baths;
Sand Baths are just about the only indulgent item’ in the enclosure. Most people put sand in the bottom when they build chicken coop runs – which acts as flooring as well.

Heaters;
If you live in really chilly areas then these may well be installed in your coop with comparative ease. There are several heaters available, but many also present a huge fire hazard so installing a heater in your hutch should really only be done if extremely necessary.

For a great selection of hen house plans – including accessories that will save you time and money head to www.HenHousePlansOnline.com