Building a Chicken Coop

The book I read to research this post was Building a Chicken Coop for Dummies by Todd Brock et al which is an excellent book which I bought from kindle. There are several major types of chicken coop. There's chicken tractor which is one on wheels making it portable, there's A frame which has 2 sloping roofs, there's hoop which is semi circular & all in one which is like a converted shed. In the old days people just let the chickens run freely which makes them vulnerable to predators. You should include a run which should have thick chicken wire or similiar. Bear in mind some predators will try to burrow into the coop. Nest boxes should be all identical to avoid fighting over a superior one. Perches should be at least 2 feet in the air. There should be a ramp upto the coop. All the materials used should be weather proof. You should allow 12 square feet per chicken. A concrete base covered in wood trimmings is a good idea although lino can also be used. Chickens need light for about 14 hours per day to optimize egg production & a power supply for this & heating is essential. In very cold weather chickens can get frostbite. You need a roof with flaps & flaps on the outside of nesting boxes to make it easier to collect eggs.