When our family was living in the suburbs of Kansas City I had never tasted fresh farm eggs. We moved to the country and started raising chickens, now I really appreciate having farm fresh eggs. Due to the laws in some of the cities in the Kansas City area, people in the suburbs are not allowed to raise chickens. Thankfully there are those who are willing to challenge the laws to allow urban farming. Currently there are 4 cities in Kansas (KC area) and 7 cities in Missouri (KC area) that allow homeowners to raise their own chickens. If you are in one of these cities you could have fresh eggs of your own daily. To get started you will need a chicken coop and that is where this blog can help you.

Choosing A Breed

Depending on your cities ordinance, you will need to decide on how many chickens you plan on raising. This will help you choose a chicken coop size. You will need 2 square feet of floor space per chicken (for larger breeds, like Jersey Giants add an additional foot) and one layer box (a square foot in size) for every 3 chickens.

Building A Chicken Coop

You can locate plans that are free on the Internet. Once you have concluded what size of coop you will need. You will be able to find plans to build the perfect chicken coop to meet your needs. I would suggest that you find a flat area to build your chicken coop. You need a dry area to keep your chickens; you do not want the coop built in an area that will have standing water. Remember to choose a plan with good ventilation. A good fenced chicken run will help the chickens stay safe from predators (raccoons, opossums, cats or dogs). From experience I would suggest a plan that allows you to collect the eggs from the outside. Also, a door to access the chickens coop for cleaning.
There are several books available to learn how to raise backyard chickens. I would recommend checking a book out at the library before you get started. Raising chickens can be so much fun and having fresh farm eggs is wonderful bonus! If you are interested in CH Construction building you a chicken coop, give us a call for a free estimate.