Hen Houses

If you are considering building hen houses by hand then it is certainly an excellent idea as you will no doubt save a lot of money when compared to buying hen houses from a retail merchant. With manufactured buildings, you are constrained by the overall design and the materials used in producing it. Before you construct any hen houses it would be wise to consider and decide on the size of your hen houses, which will be ultimately determined by the number of hens you wish to accommodate. If you intend to raise just a few hens then small hen houses are ideal for this purpose.

Listed below are 3 important points that you should remember in the course of constructing hen houses.

Hen Houses – Planning Ahead

It will always pay to plan ahead before building hen houses. You should make notes on paper of the design features you want, such as the shape of your hen houses, the number of windows and doors, the type of construction materials for the base, sides and roof along with the other arrangements including lighting, ventilation and feeding apparatus etc. With this plan, you are in a better position to fulfil the requirements of building successful hen houses. Take your time when designing – if possible come back to your plans a few days later and think how your original design could be improved. It is amazing how successful this can be after a bit of brainstorming. If your hens will have access to their own outdoor run, you may want to allow for a minimum of 2 to 3 square feet per hen inside the building, and if possible you should go for about 4 square feet per hen in the run. Be particularly careful that your plan does include considerations in respect of visual impact and appearances of the design of your hen houses in relation to the surrounding area, for example, your garden or paddock. Please also bear in mind that hens like shade, so any hen houses should ideally be placed in shaded positions.

Security Of Hen Houses

An important feature of hen houses is naturally the protection of your hens. Therefore, it would make sense no to negate the quality of the construction materials used on hen houses, for example, using cheaper and thinner softwoods rather solid softwoods. All hen houses should be robust and well built to protect hens against the sun, rain, wind and snow, unauthorized tampering from unwanted visitors or children and predators such as dogs anf foxes. Ensure that all windows, doors and gates can be appropriately locked by using quality door locks and catches from the inside of the hen house. To protect your hens from predators who burrow, it is imperative that any wire mesh fences are placed below ground, at the very minimum, twelve inches (approximately thirty centimetres) into the ground. Failure to install good enclosures for hen houses can result in loss of birds and heartache so this is a very important point that must never be overlooked.

Ventilation And Lighting In Hen Houses

It is also essential to build sufficient ventilation and lighting into hen houses. As with any other animal or bird, hens are far more fertile and content if they are unsoiled, warm and comfortable. To prevent accumulations of odours within hen houses, vents must be installed in key positions within the building to allow passive air to circulate freely throughout the building. Windows should also be positioned to capture some of the sunlight to provide a natural source of light and heat to keep hen houses dry as possible and the hens warm and healthy. Good lighting is fundamental to laying hens. Consequently, if there is not enough natural light within the building then serious consideration must be given to installing artificial lighting powered by mains electric, preferably low voltage lighting for additional safety, or solar etc. With the introduction of light emitting diodes (LED), these unique lights operate at low voltages and consume very little power making them a cost effective and safe alternative to lighting hen houses.

In conclusion, your hens require an environment consisting of hen houses and runs in which to eat, sleep, take shelter, lay eggs, take dirt baths, and just generally be hens. There are numerous considerations, including those discussed above, that need to be evaluated before constructing a building for your hens, and planning ahead makes the process much simpler. With this mind, you must give serious considerations to the issues discussed above before embarking on and building your own hen houses.

Go Here To Download Hen Houses Plans From The Official Site

We do hope that you found this brief guide ’3 Important Points To Consider Before Building Hen Houses’ useful. If you have any queries concerning the construction of hen houses then please do not hesitate to contact us.

Filed under: Hen Houses

Hen Houses

It does not matter whether you are a professional hen keeper or smallholder who simply requires a supply of eggs daily with the minimal amount of expenditure, then finding the right hen houses plans will be of primary significance. It would be worthwhile to start noting relative considerations like the amount of space you have in your garden or smallholding, security of potential hen houses and above all, the comfort of your hens before searching for hen houses plans. Once these points are clarified then you are in a better position to start considering which hen houses plans to purchase.

Of course, your overall budget has a significant impact as to which hen houses plans you may consider choosing, and in particular, the total outlay of the materials that are required to build the hen houses as per the plans. Basic hen houses plans can be purchased for as little as £5, which can significantly increase as the plan design becomes more complex and detailed. Also, when considering hen house plans try to include the construction of a building that leaves room for growth of your hen flock. You can of course, expand at a later date by adding further hen houses and runs by simply joining them with the existing building and then merge the hen flocks together.

Hen Houses Plans And Construction Skills

Be sure to only consider hen houses plans that contain construction designs that are suited to and are within your skills and capabilities. Complicated designs may require further and extensive skills and specialist power and hand tools that may ultimately frustrate you and may incur you further costs later if you have to purchase more materials or employ a professional to complete your buildings. Furthermore, only consider plans that you feel comfortable with. It would not make any sense to purchase hen houses plans that contains technical jargon that you are unfamiliar with or is not specifically clear in design detail on the drawings.

Some more expensive plans also include designs for ancillaries to hen houses, which could be a boon later if you wish to extend beyond your hen houses. Do not use low-grade woods or MDF board in your constructions. Whilst most plans will provide you with the details of the materials required to construct it, if your budget allows, then it maybe worthwhile contemplating material upgrades like pressure treated wood and fibreglass or bitumen sheet roofing. Skimping on construction materials at the start of constructing any hen houses may have a detrimental effect later that cold ultimately affect the safety and well-being of your hens.

Considering Access To Hen Houses

Access to hen houses is also important, as you must be able to enter it safely and easily to collect eggs without disturbing nests. Consequently, your plans should not constrain you but will allow you to freely move about inside the hen houses without injuring yourself or damaging the interior of the hen houses. Other than the basics of construction details offered by plans, a browse of the worldwide web will give you a better understanding of design and additional construction factors that you might be able to incorporate into your designs. These factors could include roof, wall and floor insulation, by using fibreglass or polystyrene, to help reduce heat loss and prevent cold entering hen houses on frosty nights during the winter and reflect excessive heat away through the summer therefore making hens more active and consequently productive.

Hen Houses And Hen Diseases

Hens are susceptible to many diseases if they are not afforded with clean and hygienic hen houses but will remain healthy and productive for numerous years in the appropriate environment. Everyone knows happy healthy hens produce more eggs. Consequently, some hen owners are also starting to install special non-slip safety flooring, for example Altro safety flooring, within the hen houses. This flooring is easy to cut and fix and makes the cleaning of hen houses floor a lot more easier whilst also keeping them hygienic since it is impervious and thus preventing germs congregating on and in the floor area.

The area outside of hen houses is also another crucial issue that must also be carefully considered. This area should drain water away naturally and easily. Consequently your hen houses should be built on high ground and not in a dip of your garden. Surface water from the roofs of hen houses should discharge away from the site by using appropriate guttering and down pipes. If possible, shield the area in which your hen houses are located with some roofing to prevent rain and your hens making a mess of the site area.

The above points contain important information that should be carefully taken into account before choosing and selecting the right hen houses plans for your requirements. In conclusion, building hen houses does not have to be hard. With a decent set of plans, construction of buildings can be fairly uncomplicated and will make caring for hens a lot easier. Hens who live in clean and dry hen houses with ample space will more often than not be healthier, happier and perform more positively than hens that live in poorly designed hen houses.

Click Here To Download Hen Houses Plans From The Official Site

Filed under: Hen Houses