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They don't need a big fancy hen house but they do need some basic things for you to take into account when you are deciding on a chicken coop.
Protection is the most important.
Chickens need protection from extremely harsh winter winds and rain.
And they need protection from predators.
A well ventilated coop is extremely important too so your flock will stay healthy.
Whether you have small chicken coop plans or large ones there are lots of creatures that love chickens and protecting them from weather and predators is your job as their keeper.
Again it doesn't matter if you are building a small coop or a large coop; the inside of the coop should still have plenty of room for nesting boxes and enough space for a roosting area.
Having a light bulb in your coop is a good idea too.
Not necessary but helpful.
One reason is for egg laying.
Chickens will slow down there egg laying when there's less than 14 hours of sunlight.
Laying fewer eggs in the fall and winter months.
Now of course you wouldn't keep this light on constantly but if you did decide to use artificial light to supplement sunlight it's best to do it in the early morning hours.
Your hens need to come home to roost at the end of the day, when the sun is setting.
When thinking about where to put your small chicken coop look around for some shade.
If it is from a tree or a man made shade cloth doesn't really matter, just having shade for your chickens will be good for them and some say it will help keep the color of their feathers bright.
There are so many small chicken coop plans to choose from.
Knowing what your chickens need to be safe, healthy and happy is the first step to deciding what plans are right for you.
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