When you first start your research on how to build a chicken coop, you may quickly find out that it can be one of the most confusing tasks facing the beginning chicken farmer. There are thousands of different variations, along with a myriad of factors that need to be taken into account before you decide on a final design. And thats just for the chicken coop plans not any of the other factors such as material choices, construction methods, or placement of the coop to just to name a few.  Below youll find three of the most important concepts that can help you before you get started.
Chicken Coops Provide Shelter and ProtectionThe main purpose of a chicken coop is to provide protection to the chickens.Chickens need to be kept warm, dry, and sheltered from the elements, much like their human counterparts! Rain, snow, and wind can all be detrimental to the welfare of the chickens. This can lead to decreased egg or meat production and unhealthy chickens. Not something youll want to deal with when youre first starting out. Keep in mind that the chicken doesnt care what the coop looks like.It only wants it warm, dry, and comfortable.You on the other hand may want to make it look as good as it can, and theres nothing wrong with that.Some people have designed their chicken coops to look like a childs playhouse in order to fit in with the surroundings of their property, while others have built bare bones coops out of scrap wood and pallets.As long as the chickens needs are met, the sky is the limit as to what you build. But as a first timer, youll probably be better off using commercially available plans that have been tested over time.
Protection from PredatorsWhile this certainly falls under the shelter and protection part above, its so important that it needs to be emphasized. Chickens are basically defenseless animals that need to be completely protected from predators.Chickens are especially vulnerable to attacks from raccoons, coyotes, foxes, hawks, and even some dogs. Your chicken coop needs to be an impenetrable fortress for the chickens, providing them complete safety from any of these predators. There isnt much worse than finding that your flock has been ravaged by a predator.Keep them safe!
Clean Chickens are Happy ChickensNot only is it true for humans, its true for chickens too.You need to design your coop so that it provides easy access for you to perform frequent cleaning. In order to provide a place where chickens are healthy and happy, they need to have clean surroundings. This means that youll need access in order to change their bedding and clean up after them on a regular basis. This is often the most important design detail that youll need to consider since its effective implementation benefits you directly.If its hard to clean out the chicken coop, the less likely you are to do it, and in turn the less healthy and happy the chickens will be.Keep them clean and their production will increase.

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Wood Shed Plans 4 Critical Factors You Must Know Before Picking Your Wood Shed Designs!

Wood Shed Plans

Choosing the right kind of wood shed plans can prove quite a challenge. There are a number of factors which need to be taken into consideration beforehand to ensure that you select the right sort of wood shed plans for your specific needs. Below we offer some tips that you may find useful in determining which of the many wood shed designs available is going to be right for you.

Tip 1 - What Will You Be Using Your Wood Shed For?Will you be using your shed for the storage of garden equipment? Will you be using your shed to provide you with a space to work? If you intend to use yours as a workspace then you should ensure that you choose plans where there is plenty of space inside to allow freedom of movement for you. However, if you intend to use your shed for storage purposes only again make sure that it is large enough that you have easy access to everything stored in it.

Tip 2 - Where Should You Locate The Shed?Most people like to put their sheds in a position away from the house because then it wont detract from the look of their garden. However, you need to make sure that the area of ground it is going to be located on is large enough to accommodate the size of the shed chosen. Also, you need to make sure that the land is level, if it isnt then you will need to spend time making sure that it is.
Another thing you need to think about when deciding on the location of where the wood shed is to be situated is what you intend to use it for. If it is purely to be used as a storage space then you are not limited to where you put it. However, if you are going to be using yours as an office or workspace then you need to make sure that you locate it close to the things that you need such as power. This may well mean you locating the shed close to your home or garage to run an electrical supply to it easily.

Tip 3 - What Facilities Should It Have?When looking at various types of wood shed plans to determine which one is best for you, again you will need to take into consideration how it is going to be used. You will need a shed with large doors on it should you be using yours to store large garden equipment such as a riding mower, as this will allow you to move it in and out easily. Whereas if the shed is going to be used as a workspace look for those wood shed designs that have some windows in them to allow plenty of natural light to come inside.

Tip 4 - Do You Need Planning Permission?When it comes to deciding which of the many wood shed plans you are going to use, you need to think about whether or not you need to get planning permission to erect yours. If you are going to go with one of the large wood shed designs, say that measures over 100 sq ft, then you may need to speak with your local authority first to determine if planning permission is required or not. If you erect a shed of this size or larger without getting the relevant permissions to erect it you may well find yourself being asked to take it down.

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