Are you planning on keeping only one or two chickens? Then you won't have to build a chicken coop. Building a chicken hutch is all you'll need. It will be much cheaper and take less time. If this is what you choose, a hutch is much easier to take care of.
If you're just getting started with raising chickens, this is a perfect option.
Things you need to know when building a chicken hutch
A Good Sized Door
Since you need to give your chickens easy access inside and outside of the hutch, it’s important that you make sure you’re building a good sized door.
If you build a tiny door, the chickens struggle to get in and out. You’re better off creating a larger door and then attaching a wooden door flap. This keeps them protected from predators but allows for easier access on their part.
Raised Off The Ground
Chicken coops are built right on the ground, but if you choose to build a chicken hutch you need to raise it off the ground.
Usually you'll want it raised somewhere about a foot off the ground, but don’t be overly concerned if it isn’t exactly this measurement. As long as it’s not placed right on the floor and your chickens can access it with a ramp if it is higher, that shouldn’t be a problem at all.
Easy Open Lid
Finally, the last thing is to make sure that you can easily open the lid to give you easy access to the chickens if you need it and also for cleaning purposes.
Since it is a much smaller place where your chickens are going to stay, if you aren’t cleaning it regularly you are going to run into problems with how it looks overall, so taking the time to clean it weekly is a very smart move.
If it’s harder for you to actually access the inside of the hutch though, the chances that you do decide to clean it regularly will be a great deal lower.
For more tips on taking good care of your chickens, Click Here!
