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Monday, February 17, 2014

How to Build a Chicken Coop Important Factors to Consider Before You Build a Chicken Coop

When you first start your research on how to build a chicken coop, you may quickly find out that it can be one of the most confusing tasks facing the beginning chicken farmer. There are thousands of different variations, along with a myriad of factors that need to be taken into account before you decide on a final design. And thats just for the chicken coop plans not any of the other factors such as material choices, construction methods, or placement of the coop to just to name a few. Below youll find three of the most important concepts that can help you before you get started.

Chicken Coops Provide Shelter and Protection

The main purpose of a chicken coop is to provide protection to the chickens.Chickens need to be kept warm, dry, and sheltered from the elements, much like their human counterparts! Rain, snow, and wind can all be detrimental to the welfare of the chickens. This can lead to decreased egg or meat production and unhealthy chickens. Not something youll want to deal with when youre first starting out. Keep in mind that the chicken doesnt care what the coop looks like.It only wants it warm, dry, and comfortable.You on the other hand may want to make it look as good as it can, and theres nothing wrong with that.Some people have designed their chicken coops to look like a childs playhouse in order to fit in with the surroundings of their property, while others have built bare bones coops out of scrap wood and pallets.As long as the chickens needs are met, the sky is the limit as to what you build. But as a first timer, youll probably be better off using commercially available plans that have been tested over time.

Protection from Predators

While this certainly falls under the shelter and protection part above, its so important that it needs to be emphasized. Chickens are basically defenseless animals that need to be completely protected from predators.Chickens are especially vulnerable to attacks from raccoons, coyotes, foxes, hawks, and even some dogs. Your chicken coop needs to be an impenetrable fortress for the chickens, providing them complete safety from any of these predators. There isnt much worse than finding that your flock has been ravaged by a predator.Keep them safe!

Clean Chickens are Happy Chickens

Not only is it true for humans, its true for chickens too.You need to design your coop so that it provides easy access for you to perform frequent cleaning. In order to provide a place where chickens are healthy and happy, they need to have clean surroundings. This means that youll need access in order to change their bedding and clean up after them on a regular basis. This is often the most important design detail that youll need to consider since its effective implementation benefits you directly.If its hard to clean out the chicken coop, the less likely you are to do it, and in turn the less healthy and happy the chickens will be.Keep them clean and their production will increase.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Books Are Like Clamps You Can Never Have Too Many!

A recent post about "Top Ten" woodworking books on the Village Carpenter got me thinking, and digging through my library trying to come up with my list. In the process, I discovered I was a little out of date on my List-O-Books. The official count is now over two hundred books!

Theyre all good (the "bleh" ones dont make the cut) and trying to come up with a list of just ten was hard! Im sure I will change this later, but heres what I came up with for now - with a short rational for each:

1. The Woodwrights Eclectic Workshop - Roy Underhill

"How to start with a tree and an axe and make one thing after another until you have a house and everything in it." If I had to pick just one of Roys books, I think it would be this one. It has everything I love about his writing: deep knowledge, excellent writing, history, culture, humor, and a strong sense of the interconnectedness of everything. But really, ALL his books are "Top Ten" material.

2. Hand Tools: Their Ways and Workings - Aldren Watson

One of the first hand tool woodworking books I read. The information is great (it has a few quirks)and his pencil illustrations are fantastic! For an added bonus, you can have fun trying to find the names, or initials, of the people listed on the acknowledgement page hidden in the illustrations throughout the book.

3. Traditional Woodworking Handtools: An Illustrated Reference Guide For the Woodworker - Graham Blackburn

A fascinating, detailed guide to hand tools and their use. It makes a good companion book to Watsons Hand Tools, especially since it covers moulding planes, something Watson left out.

4. Craftsmen of Necessity - Christopher Williams

A great book focusing on the fading (or vanished, it was published in 1974) connection between man and his environment, with a focus on architecture, agriculture, boat building and various other crafts. It examines the impact of machine technology replacing direct craftsman/environment interaction.

5. The Nature and Art of Workmanship - David Pye

A serious, almost academic in a philosophical way, discussion on, well, art and workmanship. If you are serious about craftsmanship, you need to read this book. It is kind of a highbrow cousin to the more folksy Craftsmen of Necessity.

6. Woodworking with Kids - Richard Starr

Solid hand tool information and truly inspirational photos of kids and their projects. I wish I had access to a teacher like Starr when I was a kid.

7. The Workshop Book: A Craftsmans Guide to Making the Most of Any Work Space - Scott Landis

This is one of those books I keep going back to. I love poring over the photographs of woodworkers shops. I like trying to identify the tools in the background, spot interesting storage ideas, and just trying to learn as much as possible about the craftsman by looking at his space. I always notice something new.

8. A Guide to the Makers of American Wooden Planes 4th edition - Emil and Martyl Pollack and Thomas L. Elliott

If you are interested in old American planes, their makers, and their place in history, then this is the book. It is written more for the collector, than the user, but its the first place I go when Im seeking information about the moulding plane Im about to put back to work.

9. Keeping the Cutting Edge: Setting and Sharpening Hand and Power Saws - Harold H. Payson

The best single source of saw sharpening information Ive come across. Too bad he strays into power saws :)

10. How to Work with Tools and Wood: For the Home Workshop - The Author

A solid "How To" hand tool book, mixed with subtle sales pitches, campy illustrations, and a surprising amount of philosophy. For a more complete discussion see my post Your Boy Is Safe When He Is Working With Tools And Wood.