With the right chicken house plans, you can make sure your chickens don’t suffer too much this summer.  Down here in Texas it has been especially hot this summer all across the state.  But, because we designed our coop using good chicken house plans that took into consideration the heat, our feathered friends have a cool area to take their afternoon naps.

It was pretty funny the first year we had chickens because Ramona would put out heat lamps in the winter for them.  I gently explained they did not need heat lamps, that their feathers keep them warm in the winter and it was summer heat they did not like as much.  How true that was.  Plus, I have ‘accidentally on purpose’ let the water run over and give them some cool dirt to lay in during the afternoon.

Be sure and download our book, The Fantastic Chickens of Sherwood Ranch to learn more about backyard chickens and chicken house plans in general.  If you find that interesting, you can certainly order the book about building your own chicken coop.  It gives lots of good plans and tips and even though you will probably alter the plans some, there’s lots of good stuff there.

We were in Austin this past weekend and we always enjoy touring our nephew Michael’s chicken coops, and seeing how he provides a few different things for his chickens to keep them healthy and happy.  For example, I intend to add some old ladders in my coop to give the little rooster a place to crow.  Don’t know if Lucky the big rooster will like that, but we will let them establish their own  ‘pecking order’.

Get your copy of Building a Chicken Coop today and get started with your Chicken House Plans and your backyard chickens. They are fun, entertaining, and they eat tons of bugs in our yard….that’s a big plus for us.

I’m David

Enjoying our backyard chickens

Looking for a lot more information on your backyard barnyard and chicken raising capabilities?  Well, you can go over the the good folks at Mother Earth News and find their Community Chicken site.  It’s really chock full of information on raising chickens.

I’ve been a fan of Mother Earth News for a long time.  In fact, I actually have issue #1 out in my barn and it was a far cry from the slick publication you see today.  I probably have the first two or three years of actual copies of “Mother” and  have followed it off and on since then.

We just purchased the latest issue on planning a fall garden and Ramona will use what she learns there to get started planning.  I am in the process of building her a new 10×20 greenhouse to store all her Herbs and plants and she will then turn our pepper garden into  a fall planting area for more goodies.

So, get over to Community Chickens.com and learn more about raising your backyard flock.  It gives lots of good tips.  Then be sure and download your free ebook from this site to learn even more about raising backyard chickens.

This little chick is now a pretty big chicken and is working hard in our yard here at Sherwood Ranch getting rid of bugs and insects for us.  We don’t have to spray anything.  just turn your natural bug getters loose and enjoy their antics.

Build a chicken Coop yourself

Q) Do hens need a rooster to lay eggs?
A) No, not at all.  And some municipalities allow chickens, but say a big NO to crowing roosters.  We don’t have that problem out here at Sherwood Ranch, but our city friends have chickens without roosters.

Q) How long do chickens generally live?
A) The average life of a backyard chicken is 8-10 years, with some living up to 15 years!  Ours live with predators all around and as careful as we are, we have lost some to bobcats and owls.  Otherwise, they have a great life for a good long while.  The hen to the right is a barred rock or as the old feed store man said, “they’re barrocks.”  I couldn’t understand what he was saying, but I looked  ‘em up.  Actually, her name is Roxie according to Ramona’s list of chicken names.  She names all the Fantastic Chickens here at Sherwood Ranch.  They live longer if they have good chicken houses.  Chicken plans are just a good idea to house your flock in to keep them safe.

Q) Do you have to bath chickens?
A) Nope! They like to clean themselves.  They will dig holes in the dirt and splash it up over themselves.  Under normal circumstances you never need to clean your chicken — they take dirt baths on their own that keeps them clean and pest free.  The first time you see this take place, your will laugh.  They take their dirt baths serious.  When you go over your chicken house plans, leave a room for a dirt bath area and not too close to the fence.  Some of the holes get deep.

Q) Is it true that chickens should not be kept as singles?
A) Yes! Chickens are social animals, and as such that should be around a minimum of one other chicken. It’s best to own at least 2. Or a dozen.

Q) How much do chickens weigh?
A) Chickens weigh on average between 4-7 lbs for Standard Sized Chickens, and just 1-2 lbs for Bantam (Small) Sized Chickens.  We don’t raise them to eat, but some do.

Click Here! to get great chicken house plans

Q) Do chickens make noises alllll day?
A) No.  sometimes the Roosters crow at 3:00 or 4:00 A.M.  Just kidding!

In fact, the roosters, (male chickens) can crow all day long and get very annoying, but hens (female chickens) will only make noise when they feel threatened or lay an egg. And many have their own distinctive sounds.

Q) Do chickens fly?
A) Yes and no! Some chickens can fly about 25-50 feet in the air, but others (if they’re heavier) will be limited in their flight capibilities. Our peacock on the other hand can fly straight up into a tree if the dogs get to close to him.  Usually he just ignores them.

Q) How much do chickens cost?
A) Chickens can range in prices, usually around $1 – $5 each at the local feed store, depending on the breed. In rare circumstances the breed may cost $50 or more, but the average price you can expect to pay is around $1 – $5 each for regular breed chickens.

Q) Are Back Yard produced eggs healthier than store bought eggs?
A) Yes! It’s been proven that backyard hen eggs from free-roaming chickens contain less cholesterol, as well as higher Omega-3 fatty acids (which are good for you!).

Q)  Should I order the book on how to build a chicken coop?
A)  It’s a good book and there are lots of plans in there that can be adapted to help you become a back yard chicken farmer.  And, we built a lot of our coop using recyled materials.  It’s a decision you will have to make, but we found it was worth the money.

Click Here! to get great chicken house plans

It’s a great idea to plan any enterprise before you get started and using good Chicken House Plans is always a good idea.  Raising a flock of your own chickens is one of the most satisfying endeavors you can participate in and it is also a super family activity.

Did You Know?

Just because you live in the city does not automatically mean you cannot have chickens.  Of course you should check with your local code enforcement officers, but there are major municipalities that do allow small backyard  chicken flocks as long as they do not cause a nuisance or have crowing roosters that bother neighbors.

Click Here! to get great chicken house plans

I already had a chicken coop and then decided to modify my backyard barnyard to keep the chickens and ducks in a coop. Why? Chickens love fresh flowers and we also love our flowers and wanted them to grow this year. So as you can see in the video to the right, I ordered a book that told me all I need to know about How To Build A Chicken Coop.

It wasn’t long before I had completely remodeled my chicken coop using the chicken house plans I got in the book.  Now, as you can see in the video, my chickens are very happy in their new diggs, my flowers are growing, and there are not so many holes in the yard where they dig up dirt to take their ‘dirt baths.’

Bottom line:  If you want some good Chicken House Plans, go to the link above and see if this is just what the chicken doctor ordered.  You will find it’s a fascinating hobby, your kids will learn how to take care of animals, and you will enjoy farm fresh eggs.  Believe me, they are better than store eggs that come from commercial sources…and they are better for you.