As egg prices soar, more Rockingham County homeowners are investing in chicken flocks. But is it better to use a chicken coop or allow free-ranging? Find out!
A well-designed chicken coop can make cleaning more manageable and less time-consuming. Keeping a coop clean is also essential for the health and happiness of your flock.
This article outlines why a waterproof coop is essential, from protecting against the elements to preventing moisture-related issues for your flock.
Learn the important considerations for finding the ideal chicken coop, from regulations to sizing, ventilation, maintenance and more.
Learn some tips and considerations for the best ways to keep your backyard chickens safe and warm all winter.
Read about why adding a chicken coop may be a good idea.
This month, we’re dedicating our blog posts to a few of the many ways you can transform your storage shed from an empty shell usually meant for storage into something practical. In the last part of this three-part series we’ll talk about keeping chickens.
Today, many families are interested in self-sustaining lifestyles for health, environmental, or economic reasons. You don’t have to live on a farm to reap the benefits of fresh eggs or raising your own poultry.
Adding a chicken coop to your property is a bit easier when you start with a ready-made outdoor structure, such as a storage shed offered at Valley Structures. Here are some things to consider:
- Each chicken will need about 4.5 square feet of space; think about your capacity! You don’t want overcrowding.
- Install roost-shelving/nest boxes to give chickens a place to roost. Many coops use a 2×4 board as a roosting bar.
- Consider a droppings board. Install it under the roosting bar.
- Chickens share nests—three nests for every eight chickens is a good rule of measure.
- Add in vents, windows, and doors. Vents and windows help with air circulation, and a door allows chickens to come out during the day for air and sun.
- A need for more fresh air – depending on how hot it gets where you live, you might need more ventilation. Remove one or part of the wall panels and add in wire mesh.
- Account for storage space for buckets, shovels, etc.
Once you have your coop set up, it’s time to get your flock!
Many folks in the Shenandoah Valley are adding chicken coops to their properties to have access to fresh, natural eggs. These days, when it comes to our food, more and more people are moving towards sustainable solutions. Growing their own gardens and raising their own animals have become popular trends. We like to know where our food is coming from and how it is handled during the manufacturing process.
Nutritional Benefits
There are a wide variety of nutritional benefits from raising your own animals on your property in structures like chicken coops. You get organic eggs in your own backyard that taste much better than eggs from the store. Chickens are great for your garden, especially during the off-season (who doesn’t love help in the garden?). They eat the grubs and bugs in the dirt that aren’t great for your plants, and fertilize the soil. They are a low maintenance animal so you won’t spend a lot of time taking care of them.
The Right Chicken Coop For You
Here at Valley Structures, we offer chicken coops to give you a helping hand with your own flock of poultry. The chicken coop pictured here is a 6×8 and has nesting boxes and perches. You’ll have easy access just by lifting the outside access door, a small chicken door and ramp, two windows, a single door, and a drop vent in the back. These units provide a safe shelter for the chickens to lay their eggs and stay protected from any outside predators. Additionally, you’ll now have an easy way to gather the eggs daily!
Let us know how we can best serve you and help you and your family enjoy more fresh, natural food options! Contact us today about our chicken coop options and how we can help you select yours.