Learning More About Birds

By Brenda Briggs

When you put down your little backyard ecosystem with flowering bushes, a tree and a patch of grass, you might have hoped for a better class of animal visitor than moles and the odd rabbit. But we just need to look heavenward and there is an astounding variety of birds that flit in and out, hoping to be seen only by people who want to, badly enough. The Discovery Channel keeps zooming in on little birds and animals and using human emotions to describe all that they get up to. Is it possible for the casual animal lover to see all these emotions on display in the antics of our backyard birds?

Bird courtship is about the most rewarding area to deal in for the watcher of backyard birds. Mating season for birds is the colorful in the year, a time when birds sing and dance around each other hoping to find the best possible mate. Even the common species you find around your backyard, woodpeckers, orioles, buntings, cardinals and others have fascinating mating behavior. Even people unfamiliar with birds tend to recognize the woodpecker's courtship ritual, noisy as they are: they drum out a beat around lose roof tiles, rain gutters and such in a really noisy way. Among the cardinals, the ritual happens around how the male brings tasty morsels to feed the coquette he fancies. The gravity-defying hummingbird weaves wonderfully complex patterns flying around the female. In their varied individual ways, these birds do their very best to win a smile of approval from the ladies they set their cap on.

Once partnerships have been established and an egg is on its way the hectic activity begins of birds staking out territory and building individual nests. Some birds, the nighthawk for example, do not even bother to build nests; they will just hop on to your roof, find a non-sloping surface, and set their cargo down right there. But the birds that build cute little nests are much more fun. The hummingbird has that well-known cocoon-like creation made out of straw and mud; sparrows and pigeons have untidy-looking little nests of sticks, and odds and ends; they make up for their humbleness with endless sentimental family play though. Some birds have taken to the 21st-century, and scavenge for modern household waste to carry over to their construction sites. Discarded napkins, rubber bands, shredded paper, the odd piece of shiny tinsel and jewelry, have all been found in nests built on the roofs and trees around homes by backyard birds. Of course it would be no use building a home if a bird were not willing to defend it. Birds can often be remarkably territorial; some birds, the robin for example, have trouble standing the sight of any other robin in the entire plot of land. But they can be very welcoming of their friends, once the nesting season is over with. Sparrows happen to be much less ambitious, and don't mind other sparrows building in the vicinity. You should try to see birds of every feather sing and dance around their domicile, to advertise that no one is to have ideas about their area.

After this, begins the actual hatching process and all the wonderful family drama that ensues. The parents anxiously keep guard all the time; if you want to lean in for a closer look, make sure you don't touch anything. Parent birds are known to often inexplicably abandon their hatchlings if humans disturb them. Feeding the hatchlings of your backyard birds might seem quite adorable: but that really is a strict no-no. Sometimes a parent birds seems to keep their fledglings half-starved; but that is only to make sure that they work up the motivation to go out and forage for themselves.

An important part of gazing at our backyard birds is to know where to draw the line with your passion. Just the thought of knowing that your home gives shelter to a few little flying angels can be precious; as long as you leave well alone, there is no reason why the whole family cannot participate. - 32194

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The Incredible Chicken Coop Plan

By Kor Rassad

To avoid any problems after the chicken coop is finished and ready, it is imperative to start out right. Before you go ahead with the construction, contact your municipality or local council and learn about the regulations on keeping chicken in residential areas and ensure that you are not breaking any laws.

Next, do some research on plans for chicken coops and shortlist a few that you prefer. You can find a multitude of options online, at the local library as well as the local bookstore. After this, try to get the plans for the chicken coops you like. Choose one and you can use this as the base for your coop plan.

Now go out in your backyard and decide where you will place your coop. Keep in mind the dimensions of the plan and ensure that it will fit. Each chicken needs 4 square feet of space to itself, and if you don't plan to add a run, then make that 10 square feet.

Also consider the following factors:

1. Is there enough natural sunlight available for the coop? 2. The ground should be well drained and must not be damp or wet. 3. Check for the nearest water outlet for cleaning. 4. Will the coop be exposed to any drafts? 5. Check if the boundary or fence will be strong enough to withstand predators. 6. Are hawks and owls a problem? You many need a net on the coop for security. 7. The ground should slope so that water doesn't collect in puddles. 8. The coop must not be too close to the neighbor's house. 9. The coop should not stick out like a sore thumb in the surrounding area.

The next step is to sketch out the coop to figure out the technicalities of the plan. This must include:

Windows for sunlight

1. Vents 2. Feeders 3. Perches 4. Lights 5. Flooring 6. Nesting boxes

The placement of these must avoid:

7. Dampness 8. Lack of light 9. Moisture 10. Smell caused by the buildup of carbon monoxide 11. Feeder height should be appropriate, and 12. Safety

Now that these have been sorted out, you can now start with the coop plan. You might want to work out an estimated cost of the materials and construction. Once everything is sorted out, it is most likely that you will not face any problems with your coop. - 32194

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Five Crucial Elements of Building a Chicken Coop

By Kor Rassad

When constructing a chicken coop, you should follow these guidelines:

Appearance and Design:

Your first step should be to put your design on paper. Plan out all the details, including the colors for the roof and walls and the materials you wish to use. The design should be aesthetically appealing, always be considerate that if your neighbors can see the coop, it should not be a defacement or distraction to its surroundings. Once it is finished, try to remove any garbage or weeds that may grow around it. You could also maintain a pleasant landscape around the coop in order to enhance the overall appearance.

Use Sound Judgment:

Using sound judgment is essential when you are planning out your chicken coop. For example, the building materials you use must be easy to clean and disinfect. All doors must open inwards, and it is preferable if all the windows are sliding ones so that the chickens don't roost on them. A tip to avoid puddles when you hose down the chicken coop is to make the floor slightly sloping. In doing so, the water will flow out and will not collect in puddles.

Protection:

A well-constructed coop will shield your chickens from elements like bad weather as well as hungry predators. Make a draft-free coop with doors and windows which can be closed and opened when needed. These windows and doors should have wire mesh screens. The coop can also be elevated from the ground. Also, the chicken wire that goes around the run should be buried at least a foot deep to keep away predator that might dig their way through.

Light Source:

Our chickens will need a healthy source of warmth and light on cold days and a proper ventilation during the warmer months. If the coop faces the couth side, it will get direct sunlight all day. However, if your aim is to produce eggs all year, then you could consider electrical lighting inside the coop.

Placement of Water and Feeders:

Your chicken must be able to access the feeders and water easily. However, be careful of their placement as chickens make a mess out of everything because of their scratching habits. To avoid this, put the feeders at the same height as the chickens back so that their feet can't reach them. Follow the same rule with the water, and be sure to keep them filled throughout the day. - 32194

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The Entertaining Hobby Of Bird Watching

By Reggie Ackerman

One of the past-times that are linked to science is bird watching which is sometimes a stepping stone to the study of birds known as ornithology. Anybody can start this past-time anytime as he / she likes. So long as there are birds near your home, you can observe them on how they manage to survive despite the quick urbanization of areas.

There are largely 3 things that fans find in birds. The first is identification of bird species whereby hobbyists study and investigate their body size, color of feathers, as well as their habitats.

You may have a coloured atlas or bird identification guide which you should purchase at a store to provide detailed information about these creatures. They have different behaviors on how they build up their nesting places, look for food, feed their young, mating systems, as well as their defensive actions against intruders. The 3rd thing to see is their migration patterns. When watching birds, you can notice that a couple of them migrate in short distances while others fly heaps of miles. There are even some that are known to fly across seas and reaching other continents.

If you take this entertainment to a higher level, you'll finish up going to different places only to watch birds. A good pair of binoculars is just what you essentially need in chasing this pastime. There are lots of these devices providing numerous magnifications for you to see birds in action.

You might need to purchase extra things if you'd like to seriously pursue it. A notebook is wanted to record your discoveries. In addition, you'll find it important to get a still or camera because you wish to take pictures or film birds. All of these enhancements rely on your fervor for this past-time. Some birds are nighttime and you need to stay up at night to watch their behavior. There also are some that are rarely seen in natural habitats and you'll find it inconvenient in spending a lot of cash and time simply to find these birds.

Although scientists especially ornithologists are the forefront in preserving endangered birds, it's vital not to overlook the contribution of bird watchers. Out of their love for these creatures, these hobbyists play a vital role in defending the habitats. They get behind public awareness about the plight of these beautiful animals by conducting data drives. They also coordinate with executives in enacting laws to build bird sanctuaries and start tree planting actions. - 32194

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A Good Feeder attracts the Birds.

By Kipling Royston

Hummingbirds need a lot of energy for the amount of work which they do. The hummingbirds are always active. The hummingbirds rely in the nutrients and proteins that they get from the sugar syrup and nectar for most of their energy requirements. The birds are good fly catchers and they love to do this. The nutrients and proteins are used by these birds to get some energy to do this. Hummingbirds are hungry all day and night. They need so much energy to quell their thirst for energy. People have been using the concept of hummingbird feeders to lure the birds to come to these feeders to feed on the syrup and nectar.

Hummingbird feeders have come a long way since their inception. Many research projects have given way to good styled efficient feeds that can invite the birds near these feeders in large numbers. The first hummingbird feeders were made of glass. Nowadays the feeders come in various different materials that give you choice to choose from. The feeders that are manufactured now are made of plastic, glass and ceramics. Since these feeders were only invented recently many birds do not come to know them as food source but most of the birds tend to learn soon and invite other birds too. The birds also learn to use these feeders effectively. In case you find the birds near your home to be more familiar with one type of feeder to the other, then it is because they are familiar with that. You can change and try many feeders before you settle upon one.

The place where the feeder is placed is as important as the type of feeder used. The place decides how many birds you get near the feeder. The feeder has to be kept at a very natural and open place so that the birds approach it without any fear. The feeder has to be kept at a comfortable place so that they do not go away searching for easier feeder locations.

There are many kinds of feeder units available. The most important thing that one has to look for while selecting a hummingbird feeder is the ease of assembly and disassembly. The feeders must have the feature to fit into any place easily. The basin feeders are the best bet for anyone trying to get a hummingbird feeder installed. Fresh syrup is very much necessary to make sure hummingbirds come to the feeder units. A good feeder must be easy to maintain and clean up.

There are different kinds of hummingbird feeders that are manufactured every year. The humming bird feeders are becoming more complex and efficient year after year. There are many feeders that also provide resting place and other amenities to the hummingbirds. There are many feeders that come in several different colors and even add a bit of art to it. This makes it ideal to keep in a garden or a back yard. The number of people who own a hummingbird feeder have increased over time in the United States. This has also increased the innovation in the industry. - 32194

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Feeding Hummingbirds in Your Garden.

By Darryl Levi

Even if you live in the middle of a town or a city, you can attract hummingbirds to your garden. Some simple steps and adjustments in your garden will make it more hummingbird friendly and you will be rewarded with their arrival year after year alongwith their young ones.

The diet of hummingbirds consists of insects, flower nectar or artificial sugar water. Thus, artificial sugar water solution can be kept in your garden to attract them. The hummingbirds do not have any sense of smell and they rely on sites to find their source of food. If you are making a first attempt to feed the birds, you can hang or plant some red flowers near the feeder. The hummingbirds will be attracted to these red flowers and will easily find the feeders.

When using your own hummingbird nectar for the feeders you must never add artificial red coloring to them. The red colors of the feeders are enough to attract them. Also, use of honey or artificial sweeteners has to be avoided. Artificial sweeteners do not have any food value and honey ferments easily which can cause sores in the mouth of the birds. The hummingbird feeders in your garden have to be cleaned every 3-4 days and the nectar changed to keep on attracting the birds.

Setting up hummingbird feeders is a very popular method to attract hummingbirds to the garden. You can use the homemade nectar solution of sugar water in the feeders to feed the birds. Hanging some red flowers or planting them near the feeders will make the hummingbirds easily find the feeders.

Hummingbirds are habitual creatures and will be discouraged from returning to the feeders in your garden if the nectar is bad. Thus, it is important to keep the feeders clean as sugar water ferments in hot weather. The feeders have to be cleaned every 2-3 days using hot water with a little amount of white vinegar instead of soap. The hummingbirds don't like soap traces left in the nectar. You should also remember to clean not only the bottle, but also the bottom and ports of the feeder.

Never try using artificial sweeteners or honey for feeding the hummingbirds. The quick fermentation of honey in the feeder can cause sores in the birds' mouth or promote a fatal fungal disease. You have to clean the feeders and change the nectar solution every 3-4 days, or more frequently if the weather is hot. Use a good bottle brush to clean the inside of your feeder if any mold formation occurs. Some sand and water can also be added inside the feeder and shaken to remove these molds. Instead of using soaps and detergents, you can use hot water with little white vinegar to wash and rinse the feeders, as the birds do not like any traces of soap.

Insects like ants and bees may invade your garden and feeders and drive away the hummingbirds. You have to use the feeders with built-in bee guards and attach moats or nectar protectors on the feeders to control their invasion. These steps will ensure that your garden continues attracting the hummingbirds. - 32194

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Bird Watching Vacation - Plan That Special Vacation

By Reggie Ackerman

When preparing a bird watching vacation, it is vital to have your trip planned formerly so you can save money as well as time and also let you choose where precisely to go and what birds to expect.

In addition, one could also select other activities to partake while not doing any bird watching. Good planning of a bird watching vacation simply permits you to decide on the sort of birds that you are most inquisitive about viewing. Also, you can plan other sides of the trip like accommodation and other community activities that interest you. Another advantage is that you could have your own family join the trip anyway whether or not they enjoy bird watching or not.

There are loads of resources that are available to develop the bird watching excitement. Excepting these resources, there's also a requirement to select a particular area like a state park, refuge, research station among many others. To investigate on these sites, you can read the web for these places. There also are regional manuals that you may use that tell you about the different state birds found in these areas.

You may communicate with the office of tourism in each town or confirm that you are trying to visit. When you have found the right bird watching vacation spot, the following step you must do is to make a listing of potential birds that you could expect in the area.

Another factor that might help you select is the weather or season when you're visiting the place. If you are going to a desert environment, you would like to make sure that you are wearing the proper garments.

The last thing to consider is how to get to the bird watching vacation sport and if time is an inhibition, then you may want to think about driving there to reach them fast. Enjoy your bird watching vacation and have fun watching the birds or taking part in other great outside activities.
.l - 32194

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Chicken Coop Plans - Elements for Success

By Kor Rassad

There is much more to selecting a chicken coop plan than just the aesthetics of the designs. It is essential that the design fits into that of your backyard, but there are other factors that you must take into account while choosing plans.

You chickens need a particular amount of space to be happy and healthy. Each chicken should have at least four square feet of space all to itself, as overcrowding often results in feather picking as their quality of life is reduced, and is even known to cause cannibalism.

Light is another important factor in chicken coop plans. Light is needed to stimulate the laying of eggs in the coop, and is important if you want your chickens to lay eggs throughout the year. Electric or tungsten bulbs should be placed inside the coop to provide light. These even serve as a source of warmth on colder days.

Chickens possess a natural instinct to perch, hence it is necessary that you give perches so that they don't perch on the feeders or nesting boxes as this leads to these areas being covered in chicken droppings, which you don't want. Eight inches per chicken is enough.

As strange as it may sound, chickens sweat. Chickens can live in cold conditions but not in moist ones so it is essential to their health that you add vents to your design. They can be in the shape of small windows or vents in the walls, but it shouldnt be windy inside the coop. you can make this possible by ensuring that the side which has the vents doesn't face the wind. By doing this, you will allow fresh air and oxygen to enter the chicken coop while letting the moisture and stale air escape.

You will also need nesting boxes if you want your chickens to lay eggs. Six chickens can share one nest, but these must be dark. Make sure that they are four inches deep and fill them with wood shavings or straw.

Your chickens must be safe from predators such as hawks, raccoons, coyotes, foxes and rats. Ensure that the structure is strong and that it is impossible to be knocked over by a person. Add wire fencing around the coop, up to one foot deep underground so that rodents and foxes cannot dig through.

Remember that these predators can be quite cunning so be certain that your coop is safe from them. - 32194

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Building Chicken Coop

By Kor Rassad

If you are planning to build your own chicken coop, you will have to find some plans online. An alternative would be to design the coop yourself. However, if you haven't kept chickens before, there are some guidelines you should keep in mind which will help you with decision making when you are choosing the type of coop most suitable to you and the chickens. Here are some things you should know before building a chicken coop.

Chickens produce a surprising amount of waste. You will have to clean regularly, which is why the coop must be easily accessible for you. This could be a rear door, separate from the run because entering through the run will be difficult for you.

This external access will also be important when you want to collect eggs daily. Leaving the eggs in the coop may cause problems, as the chicken might start eating them if they are left there for too long. The entrance is also helpful while changing the water and for feeding.

One more aspect to consider before you begin to build a backyard chicken coop is whether it will be portable of fixed. Smaller coops take less effort to clean but they house very few chickens. So keep in mind the number of chickens you intend to keep and then decide on the portability. Large chicken coops are obviously not portable. If you want to keep around six chickens, it is advisable to build chicken coop which can be moved around by two people. An advantage of portable coops is that you can move the coop once the grass under it begins to get bare so that it can grow again.

You must also consider the placement of the coop. Twenty feet away from your house is quite suitable. It is not too far and not too close either. Keeping the coop too close to the house causes unpleasant odor while placing it too far away can make egg collection a chore.

Building chicken coop yourself is not a difficult task. However, you should be careful to study the plans properly, and make sure that you understand them. Many of the plans available on the internet are too complicated for someone with average skills, and such plans consequently lead to abandoned projects, wasting a lot of time, money and effort.

Nevertheless, look for an understandable plan and you will have your very own chicken coop in your backyard in no time. - 32194

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Binocular Accessories - Eveything To Accompany Your Binoculars

By Brunton Binoculars

You can't totally enjoy your binoculars if you don't have a total set of binocular accessories. Each binocular accessory that you may purchase is regarded as a profitable investment. Binocular accessories occasionally rely on your viewing needs . They will either help you in your observation or help you defend your binoculars. A good accessory to start with is the binocular tripod. It gives a hands-free view. Binocular tripod will help you while holding the binoculars steadily.

Generally tripod is supposed to help you maneuver and revolve while keeping you relaxed from long viewing pleasures. Fundamentally, if you have a binocular tripod, you might need a binocular tripod adapter. This accessory is frequently a need so be certain to test this item out.

Another neat accessory is the automobile window mount. It's a mounting accessory that assists in holding the binoculars. Often, there are many mounting accessories sold in the market. They're intended to help you mount the binoculars on your head or other surfaces. The best accessories for holding your binoculars are the straps and harness. Heavy birdwatchers often have straps and harness to help them carry their binoculars while hunting for birds. Most binocular accessories are made for binocular protection. These accessories are the most crucial contraptions to keep your binocular safe.

Binoculars should be place in a case if not in use. There are many sorts of binocular cases to choose from. Binocular cases can either be in a drawer or around your neck. They may also be place in a glove compartment. Another efficient accessories are the lens covers. The lens covers shield your binoculars from weather elements and scratches. You can enjoy your viewing habits without hazy. With further optical cleaning supplies, you can shield your binoculars while keeping the lens protected and efficient.

Optical cleaning supplies assure that you can view correctly through your binoculars by keeping your binoculars clean and clear. Binoculars lenses can also be placed with accessories like extenders, anti-fog eyepieces, wide angle eye pieces, and polarized filters. Extenders are made to extend the binoculars' magnification. This could help you view objects glaringly from a distant. The anti-fog eyepieces have the power to shield your lenses from mists. With their eye guard, they can stop moisture from appearing on the lenses of your binoculars.

Anti-fog eyepieces also have eye shields to suppress light and wind. On the other hand, the wide angle eye pieces accessories are engineered to give a bigger area of vision. This makes your past-time more fascinating and more pleasurable as you see more engaging objects from afar. If you have issues with the glare, you could need polarized filters for your binoculars. They are like 2 shades that may cut down the glare. Polarized filters are available in different colors to extend contrast. - 32194

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What is a Chicken Ark?

By Kor Rassad

A chicken ark is a particular kind of housing for chickens that is a bit different from a regular chicken coop. In the United States, this kind of housing is often referred to as a chicken tractor instead, but the building is the same thing. It's just the name that's different. Essentially, it is a portable chicken coop without a floor. This makes some things, like cleaning, much easier, because most chicken droppings will simply fall directly to the dirt.

The most common design for a chicken ark is an A-frame, which is kind of the same structure as a saw-horse. For this kind of ark, you attach two end-pieces with a long horizontal beam at the top. The end-pieces consist of two beams put together with roughly a 45 degree angle (or greater). These vertical beams are then connected to each other with a cross-piece, forming roughly the same shape as a capital A, hence the name A-frame.

Once you have the frame constructed, you can attach walls, chicken or similar wire, and nest boxes and a roost within the frame itself. Since there is no floor, and not a whole lot of heavy wood attached to the chicken ark, this type of house for your birds is usually more easy to move around your garden. You can attach wheels to it to make the process even easier. This type of design is not perfect, though, because the lack of floor makes it a bad choice for cold environments. If you live somewhere that gets extremely cold, you may wish to consider using a different kind of portable chicken coop instead, or your birds will get sick from the temperature.

A different design looks more like a wheel-barrow or hand-cart, with a more traditional coop on the end in place of the cart. This design is still very portable, and still has a wire walls at the bottom with no real floor on the coop part of the ark, but provides a little bit more protection from the heat. They are also heavier, though.

Another problem with using a chicken ark instead of a traditional coop to house your poultry is that they are not very predator-proof. Since the construction of the bottom part consists largely of wire mesh, your birds will not feel very safe if there are animals prowling about which want to eat them. The lack of a floor means that if any predators manage to get in through that wire, your chickens will be in dire straits indeed. Make sure you don't have large numbers"or ideally any"natural predators of chickens if you construct an ark.

However, if predators and temperature are not big problems where you live, then a chicken ark may be the ideal solution if you plan on raising chickens. They are very easy to clean, and most designs come with detachable walls to make this even easier. They can also help to let your chickens range the yard without walking completely free, which while nice is not always an option. For instance, if you live in a suburban area but have a very large garden, this kind of housing is probably a much better bet than a larger coop and just letting your birds walk free, where they will probably get into your neighbours' gardens as well. - 32194

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Improve Your Bird Watching Experience

By Reggie Ackerman

Everyone knows that our economy is slowly dropping. Expensive entertainments like skiing, fishing, and golf aren't any more the smart alternatives to relax and enjoy our spare time with family and buddies. To be prepared to enjoy completely your yard bird watching experience, you could have one critical gadget on your hand, the binoculars. Binoculars will help you watch birds from a distance. Remember that you have to give gap between you and the birds because birds are truly respondent to sound and human presence. The unique real way for you to see their nature is to have a look at them from a length.

If you would like to take yard bird watching sincerely, you might need a book to seek down the different sorts of birds on your yard. You can also jot down the different behaviors and features of the birds you saw. You will be fascinated if you attempt to go through the pages and observe the same birds return at the same time each year.

With a book, you'll have something to pray for as you wait for the birds to return on the same time. Additionally, you have got something to do on your spare time as you make prophecy when the same birds will appear again. To make your backyard bird watching more exciting, you need to draw in more birds on your yard.

The most typical way is to install fountains or birdbath where birds can find relief from the heat of the sun or slake their thirst. Feeding cages are also as good as the birdbath. You can put seeds to draw in big selection of birds all of the year round. If the quantity of birds came to the cages increases, you can offer nestling facilities for the birds in order that they can adopt it as their home.

Yard bird watching can be extremely adventuresome if you spend a bit more time on it. As you gain more experience, you will shortly simply recognized differing categories of birds without needing assistance from a manual. You may also learn the behavior and habits of different birds.

Before you start your yard bird watching, make sure that you brought a lot of water and high energy nibbles especially if you need to spend longer under cover. Water and nibbles will help you enjoy your pastime much longer under the heat of the sun. Both can help shield you from the heat of the sun and the cold of the winter. After a bit, you'll be planning for bird watching vacations with your pals and family. - 32194

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Tips for Chicken Coop Designs

By Kor Rassad

If you've taken an interest in chicken-raising, either as a hobby or a way to acquire eggs and chicken meat without having to buy them from the grocery store, how to house your new birds will be one of the first things you want to tackle. The standard for housing poultry is to build them a comfortable chicken coop to live in. Of course, how you construct it will vary depending on your specific scenario, how many chickens you plan on keeping, what kind of area you live in, and so forth.

Regardless, though, there are some aspects of chicken coop designs that are identical no matter the circumstances.

* Make sure your birds have enough living space. Inside the coop, you'll want to give them at least 4 square feet each in total area. This means if you have 5 chickens, you need to have at least 20 square feet for them to live comfortably in the coop.

* Make sure you leave room in the plan to attach a chicken run outside the coop itself. Chickens need 10 square feet each to walk around in, otherwise they will feel cramped.

Other than these space concerns, much of what you look for in your chicken coop designs is up to you. You can design the exterior of the coop to look like anything you want, from a victorian house or a greek temple to a functional and minimalist wooden box. One thing you should make sure to keep in mind, though, is that your coop will need to be big enough for you to get inside for cleaning purposes. If you can't get into it, your job of keeping your chickens healthy and happy will be that much more difficult.

A few other things you want to include, regardless of your chicken coop designs are adequate ventilation and predator protection. There are many animals which prey on poultry, from foxes and hawks to wolves, wild dogs, and even wild cats. With all this to worry about, your birds will feel much safer"and thus, will be much more productive and healthy"if you ensure that their home is solid and hard for wild animals to get into. Use solid wooden walls instead of a wire frame mesh. Of course, you shouldn't use wood to frame your chicken run; for that job, wire frame mesh is just fine.

Ventilation is important because chickens do not like extremes in temperature regardless of whether it's too hot or too cold. They prefer cool weather, but if it's too cold they will get just as unhappy as if it's too hot. Make sure you include some windows when planning out your chicken coop designs to account for this preference of your birds. A window towards the top is a good idea, because the hot, stale air will go out of it naturally, and you won't have to worry about installing some kind of mechanical system to circulate air.

Other ideas include adding nesting boxes for your hens to lay eggs in, roosts for them to sleep on, and easy-to-clean bedding boxes for the chicken droppings to fall into. Roosts are especially important, because chickens do not like sleeping on the ground. Regardless of how you make your chicken coop designs, just make sure your chickens have enough room and stay comfortable. They'll thank you for it. - 32194

About the Author:

What is a Chicken Ark?

By Kor Rassad

A chicken ark is a particular kind of housing for chickens that is a bit different from a regular chicken coop. In the United States, this kind of housing is often referred to as a chicken tractor instead, but the building is the same thing. It's just the name that's different. Essentially, it is a portable chicken coop without a floor. This makes some things, like cleaning, much easier, because most chicken droppings will simply fall directly to the dirt.

The most common design for a chicken ark is an A-frame, which is kind of the same structure as a saw-horse. For this kind of ark, you attach two end-pieces with a long horizontal beam at the top. The end-pieces consist of two beams put together with roughly a 45 degree angle (or greater). These vertical beams are then connected to each other with a cross-piece, forming roughly the same shape as a capital A, hence the name A-frame.

Once you have the frame constructed, you can attach walls, chicken or similar wire, and nest boxes and a roost within the frame itself. Since there is no floor, and not a whole lot of heavy wood attached to the chicken ark, this type of house for your birds is usually more easy to move around your garden. You can attach wheels to it to make the process even easier. This type of design is not perfect, though, because the lack of floor makes it a bad choice for cold environments. If you live somewhere that gets extremely cold, you may wish to consider using a different kind of portable chicken coop instead, or your birds will get sick from the temperature.

A different design looks more like a wheel-barrow or hand-cart, with a more traditional coop on the end in place of the cart. This design is still very portable, and still has a wire walls at the bottom with no real floor on the coop part of the ark, but provides a little bit more protection from the heat. They are also heavier, though.

Another problem with using a chicken ark instead of a traditional coop to house your poultry is that they are not very predator-proof. Since the construction of the bottom part consists largely of wire mesh, your birds will not feel very safe if there are animals prowling about which want to eat them. The lack of a floor means that if any predators manage to get in through that wire, your chickens will be in dire straits indeed. Make sure you don't have large numbers"or ideally any"natural predators of chickens if you construct an ark.

However, if predators and temperature are not big problems where you live, then a chicken ark may be the ideal solution if you plan on raising chickens. They are very easy to clean, and most designs come with detachable walls to make this even easier. They can also help to let your chickens range the yard without walking completely free, which while nice is not always an option. For instance, if you live in a suburban area but have a very large garden, this kind of housing is probably a much better bet than a larger coop and just letting your birds walk free, where they will probably get into your neighbours' gardens as well. - 32194

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Tips for Chicken Coop Construction

By Kor Rassad

Having a chicken coop in your backyard may be a profitable idea, but there are a few guidelines you must follow to be successful with this venture. If you don't, it is most likely that your chickens will not lay eggs and you will become frustrated. Here are the factors you must be aware of.

Positioning the Coop

This is the first thing you should take into account before you begin construction. You want to position the chicken coop in a spacious area, where the chicken are exposed to the maximum amount of sunlight and fresh breeze they can get. If they are unable to get this, they will not be happy with the coop and will therefore not lay as many eggs. Of course, there are many areas which do not have as much sunlight as others, so a better option in that situation will be to install electric bulbs in the coop. The basic idea is to ensure that the chickens do not remain in darkness for the larger part of the day.

Coop Dimensions

Another important aspect is the size of the coop. Chickens are extremely picky when it comes to comfort and if they are not happy with the coop size, they will surely make it obvious. Furthermore, if you don't take into consideration the size of the chicken coop in relation with how many chickens you want to have, you may end up with a too large or even too small space, and both of these will cause problems.

If you intend to have a portable coop, keeping it small will be a better idea. However, if you want a large coop, then it is advisable to search for plans online which have a run included in them so that your chickens can get some exercise as well as fresh air.

Climate and Flooring Choice

The third thing you must look into is choosing between the options of flooring for the coop. You can have dried grass, sand or sawdust. Your choice mainly depends on your local climate, for example, sawdust does not do well in rainy climates. Here, a better choice would be sand, as this will drain water efficiently.

Once you have all this factors sorted out, you are ready to go ahead with the construction. There is a multitude of plans available online for you to choose from. Once you have selected what you want, be sure to use quality materials. - 32194

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Chicken Coops

By Kor Rassad

I first heard about people raising chickens in their own gardens back in 2004, when a friend of mine started doing it because he liked organic food and knowing that the eggs he ate came from animals that were treated and raised in a humane manner. He decided the only way to know for sure about that was if he raised the chickens himself. He did a lot of research on the different aspects of chicken coop design, and then he built two pretty decent-sized coops in his back garden, since it's pretty large. A few weeks after that we went over and my wife heard about it, and then nothing would do but that we raised some chickens of our own.

I was okay with it, I guess. We have a pretty big garden ourselves, but I couldn't see needing that many eggs so I managed to talk the missus into only one coop. Fine, she said, and then she left me to get started on the chicken coop design, going off with a big book under her arm called how to care for chickens. Well, I wasn't about to do all that research myself what with my friend already having done it, so I gave him a call and asked him to come over.

He did, and ran over the basics with me in the little shed I use as my workshop. First, he said, chickens need enough space to be comfortable, or they won't lay as many eggs as they should. I asked him how much space was enough, and he gave me these guidelines:

* Inside the coop " at least 4 square feet per bird

* Outside the coop in a run - at least 10 square feet per bird

* On roosts " 3 horizontal feet per bird.

Other than that, he said, I also needed to make sure there was enough ventilation in the chicken coop design to keep the chickens healthy. They naturally like temperatures that are neither extremely hot or cold, so adding windows into the top of the coop would allow air to circulate and keep the temperature in a range the poultry would like. With that in mind, I put in one that I could control how much it opens, since sometimes it gets cold here and a wide open one would let in drafts that the chickens would find just as uncomfortable.

He also told me about how chickens like to roost off the ground. Apparently this is because in the wild they sleep on tree branches to avoid predators, so that adding roosts into a chicken coop design that lets them do something similar will make them feel safer. I ended up choosing, at his recommendation, 2 x 2 boards with the sides rounded a bit to make it easier for my birds to grip them.

The last thing to consider was protection from some of the chickens' natural predators. Since there are so many, of so many different kinds"such as birds of prey, wild cats, and wolves or foxes"you need to consider all angles of attack when making your chicken coop design predator-proof. Make sure the walls of the coop are solid enough, and that any chicken wire you use has a small enough mesh to prevent them getting into the run. - 32194

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Small Chicken Coop Advice

By Kor Rassad

The Small Chicken Coop

Today, an increasing number of people are growing interested in constructing chicken coops, and with different plans and designs for DIY coops becoming accessible in the marketplace, you can pick out special features and create a chicken coop that is custom-built for your own personal requirements. For newcomers, however, it is always a better idea to produce a small chicken coop first and then upgrade to a greater one with more chickens after they have got some experience. Here are a few reasons why constructing a small chicken coop is better than a large one.

Lower Constructing Material Prices

Everyone desires to get the most out of the smallest total of investment. The basic reason why you essential prefer a small coop over a large one is the lower cost of material required to fabricate the coop. Moreover, maintenance will too cost much less for a small coop and you will before long realize that smaller coops will save you quite a lot of money initially. Also, a smaller coop will be set up in lesser time and it will likewise need less effort, so you may want to consider maintaining a small coop instead of a large one.

Upkeep

Maintenance is also much easier for a small chicken coop. You will be able to clean the coop on a regular basis and quickly with ease, and this is definitely a better choice for you if you want to maintain the chicken coop as a side project and not a full-time one. If the coop is small, it will take less time to clean, and you will have more time to spend on different activities or work.

Portability

Lastly, smaller chicken coops give an advantage over large ones in terms of mobility. If you move a lot, it will be a much lesser hassle to have a small coop. Another advantage of a small coop is that you can move it around in your backyard so that the grass doesn't become dry. The chickens will also love searching for weeds and bugs and different insects in the land. Also, you can move the coop to position it in sunshine or even in the shade of a tree, leaving you constant options for emplacement.

An increasing total of people are picking out small coops over large ones so take your demands and find out the most suited choice for your needs. Think Of, the security and comfort of your chickens is of utmost importance, and whatever design you opt must fulfill their needs for comfort as much as yours. - 32194

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Are Your Really So Busy You Risk Losing The Day?

By Damian Papworth

The day started like any other, up at 6am and straight to the computer. Having done an hour of work, I knew the cafe would be open, so I grabbed my daughter and headed for the door. It was time for my coffee. Today though, I stopped abruptly when I got to our front gate. There staring right at me, a mere arm span away, was a magnificent kookaburra.

I admired its courage, we were so close and it had not flown away. These are not tame birds, they typically shy clear from humans. The memory of this encounter will stick for a long time, it is so rare. I alerted my wife to the visit too, so she could come outside slowly and meet our friend and there the four of us stood, enjoying each other's company for nearly five minutes.

Having had my coffee now though and reflecting on the experience, I realize I blundered my way to the gate, to within two feet of this bird without even knowing it was there. I know the kookaburra was aware of me, was I really that caught up in my own little world though that I did not see this creature till we were almost butting heads? Did I really need to get close enough that we were eyeballing each other before I even noticed he was there?

One more step and surely I would have sent the kookaburra to flight. I would have missed this wonderful start to the day; it would simply have been sacrificed to inattention. What a terrible loss as these magical moments with nature are so rare. It was really a little bit of a wakeup call. Slow down and smell the roses. There is so much happening right now, yet we are all rushing to tomorrow, eyes so focused on the future we forget to enjoy the present.

From my home on Australia's Gold Coast, my young family of three are blessed with the song (or laughter) of kookaburras quite regularly. Never have I experienced one in such a personal way as I did today. I know from today too that the kookaburra's song will have a special meaning for me; there will be a message in every verse. "Slow down Damian" it will sing. "Enjoy what is in front of you right now". A message perhaps we all can benefit from. - 32194

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