Back Yard Chicken Coop

Raising chickens in your back yard is something that almost any Preeper can do, and getting started could not be any easier with all the different resources that are available to get you started even if you think that building a chicken coop and setting it up seems like a lot of work or more than you feel comfortable doing. Here are a few resource that will help you get your back yard chicken coop up and running in no time at all.

There is a great selection of books available on raising chickens as well as building chicken coops. Although I haven’t read the book on Free Range Chickens In The Garden yet, it is definitely on my list of must reads. I know a lot of Preppers don’t have a lot of yard space to work with, and are trying to make the most of the space that they have so raising chickens in a garden that is designed for them might be worth checking out.

If you don’t want the hassle or feel that building your own chicken coop is more than you really want to attempt then click on the above link. There are many different shapes and styles of chicken coops to choose from so finding the right chicken coop for your budget and your yard shouldn’t be too difficult.

Back Yard Chicken Coop Designs

When I saw this back yard chicken coop I thought what a great design in such a small space. This chicken coop belongs to a couple that live in Los Angeles, California. So if they can raise a few chickens in a city like that anyone can and a small chicken coop like this could be an excellent low maintenance source of food in an emergency.

Having a couple of hens and a rooster in a small chicken coop like this would make a great start at stepping up food production if you were looking at a prolonged emergency situation of little or rationed food. I don’t know about you but I think I would would enjoy a little chicken or egg to mix into my emergency stash of beans and rice after most of my canned food has been eaten. In the case that you have to raise more chickens than this small coop and pen can handle I would recommend adding a roll of chicken wire and some long wooden stakes to your emergency supplies. Unless you plan on letting them run free in your yard so that your neighbors and every other hungry critter can take them.

Most hens produce one egg every few days, but some special egg laying breeds can produce as many as 300 eggs a year. Chicken eggs take about 21 days to fully develop and hatch. In most commercial farms chickens are butchered at 6 weeks, but free range farms usually wait about 14 weeks.

The picture above shows what I like so much about this chicken coop design. Notice the nesting box with the easy access hinged lid. This will make cleaning the nesting box out and gathering the eggs so much easier. Also I thought the top of this coop was a really good idea. They put a water proof mat down with rock and soil with drainage holes on the top of this coop. This could serve two purposes. First the soil and rock will help shade and cool the coop in hot weather, and second this would make a great little garden. Maybe for herbs or something.

I found these pictures at BackYardChickens[dot]com stop by there if you want to find out more about chickens or to get some more great back yard chicken coop designs.