Build A Hen House or Buy?
With the increase in popularity of chicken farming and farming your own eggs, there seems to be a raging debate amongst novice chicken farmers over whether to build a hen house or to buy a ready-made one.
Buying ready made is an incredibly convenient way to go and they do an OK job in most situations.
But it would also be fair to say that as with anything ‘off-the-rack’ there are a few drawbacks.
- They still need some sort of assembly, so don’t throw away your DIY kit just yet.
- They are very much, one size fits all. So you will have to alter your plans for flock size, landscaping, or the terrain that it is going on to suit the house.
- It also pays to make sure of what you are getting. There are a few pre-made hen houses out there that are quite expensive, but that look dirt cheap once they are assembled, so make sure that you do your homework!
By comparison it is simple to build a hen house but the results can range from outstandingly successful to downright disastrous – which outcome depends entirely on the quality of the plans that you use.
If you use a good set of plans when you build a hen house, use good quality recycled materials and are even a little bit skilled with a hammer and nail then it is highly likely that you will actually create a great coop for your chickens that will last. This will be the most cost-effective and rewarding alternative to buying ready-made.
However if you choose plans that are inadequate for your flock and area, or (gasp!) don’t use any plan at all, or you use materials that won’t last past the first gust of wind then chances are that you will be heading straight for disaster.
The biggest advantage when you build a hen house yourself is that you are free to farm as many chickens as you like, wherever you like, with whatever style house that you may like. This makes the whole experience that much more enjoyable.
Fortunately there are a great selection of plans for when you want to build a hen house that contain all the essentials and give you easy peasy step by step instructions. This makes building your own fantastic chicken house a breeze – In fact I bet it even makes your neighbors jealous and your eggs taste better!
