Marc Buldger MarketersDomination.com - Author Article Feed http://www.marketersdomination.com/author/Marc -Buldger-985.html 60 Thu, 17 May 2012 23:00:06 -0500 en-us http://www.marketersdomination.com/images/ap-logo.png Marc Buldger MarketersDomination.com - Author Article Feed http://www.marketersdomination.com/author/Marc -Buldger-985.html Copyright 2012 MarketersDomination.com - All Rights Reserved Chicken Coop Designs http://www.marketersdomination.com/Chicken_Coop_Designs-4232 http://www.marketersdomination.com/Chicken_Coop_Designs-4232 chicken coop designs from which to choose - from the very simple to very complex.

Once a family decides to raise chickens, the chicken coop should be the first project to tackle. There are many pre-made chicken coops available to buy, but many find them too expensive and therefore defeating the purpose of saving money by raising one's own chickens! For those who feel this way DIY chicken coop plans are a great choice.

Several factors should be considered before deciding on a design, like the number of chickens a family needs, the climate in which the family lives, and the size of the yard. Those with small yards need not worry about not being able to raise chickens for there are several designs that lend themselves to city and suburban yards.

Perhaps the most popular chicken coop designs for these small tracts of land are chicken tractors. Simply put, these are coops on wheels. The benefit of these coops is that they can be moved around a yard. This is an excellent way of ethically raising chickens in a small area.
 
Composed of a small house and wire enclosed area, with an open floor, for the chickens to exercise and forage, the coop is covered with a roof for their protection. The chicken tractor provides safety to a brood while still allowing fresh grass and bugs. Once built, the coop can be moved every week to a new spot in the yard.

Depending on one's ability with tools, the actual design of the coop can become a work of art.  Basic hen house designs are simple in concept and allow their architects a good bit of creativity when designing. Embellishments can be made in the shape of the coop, décor adorning it, and the color. Some coops even resemble homes with front doors, flower boxes and a mailbox. No matter how simple or complex the chicken coop is, one must remember that the chickens' comfort and safety are first priority. Allowing ventilation, fresh earth for the chickens to peck and scratch, a safe place to sleep and lay, and plenty of chicken wire for walls and roofs need to be included in all designs.

Anyone with a little extra time and a few tools can learn to build a chicken coop. The internet, as well as the local library, is full of designs for all types and sizes of coops.  Though most consider chicken raising to be something reserved for farmers or those living on a few acres, the backyard chicken coop is becoming more and more prevalent, and with it the abundance of small chicken coop plans. Many DIY chicken coop plans are available online. One interested in raising chickens for eggs or meat should take advantage of the knowledge available and give it a try.  Knowing eggs came from one's backyard makes the decision to build a chicken coop well worth it.]]> Sun, 03 Jul 2011 12:42:40 -0500 Build a Chicken Coop for Your Brood http://www.marketersdomination.com/Build_a_Chicken_Coop_for_Your_Brood-4231 http://www.marketersdomination.com/Build_a_Chicken_Coop_for_Your_Brood-4231 build a chicken coop. Though many coops are true works of art and very impressive, chicken coops do not need to be much more than a square house made of plywood, surrounded by lots of chicken wire.

Before deciding on what type of chicken coop a family needs, certain factors must be examined.  How many chickens are going to be in the brood? It is recommended that between four and twenty chickens make the best broods, but that size will depend on how much room a family has to devote to chickens, local laws pertaining to chicken-farming, and a realistic look at a family's egg consumption.
 
What is the climate like? Certain variations need to be made for extreme hot or cold climates. How much land is available for the chickens and coop? There are many options for both small and large coops, but before creating a coop, a family needs to be realistic about the land available.

When considering raising chickens, research is essential! There are several excellent resources for chicken coops online and in books. With the abundance of backyard coops seen in today's cities and small towns, one needs only to drive around to see what the neighbors are doing to house their feathered friends. The most important components of all chicken coop designs are availability of fresh earth, good ventilation, adequate natural light, and protection from predators.

Once a general idea of what a family needs is determined, one can begin the process of deciding on whether they want a pre-made chicken coop or make their own. Many choose to build their own coops because of the high cost of buying one already made. DIY chicken coop plans are available, in abundance, and are the preference of most backyard farmers. By building one's own coop, more options are available and one can customize the coop to fit their brood's needs.

More and more families living in urban and suburban neighborhoods are turning to raising their own chickens. With this influx of small yard chicken farmers there is a greater need for small chicken coop plans. This should not worry anyone, however, as the internet is full of such plans. 
 
Perhaps the most popular and practical of this simple type of DIY chicken coop plans are chicken tractor plans. These economical designs are smallish chicken coops on wheels. Every few days the tractor coop is moved to a fresh plot of ground. The benefit to this style of housing is that a very small yard can be used efficiently in such a way that chickens always have fresh grass and bugs to eat and plenty of ground to scratch.

Regardless of whether a family is new to chicken-raising or veterans, chicken coop designs flourish and offer a wide variety from which to choose. After carefully considering all the necessary factors, the decision to build a chicken coop can result a great family project!]]> Sun, 03 Jul 2011 12:37:35 -0500 DIY Chicken Coop Plans http://www.marketersdomination.com/DIY_Chicken_Coop_Plans-4229 http://www.marketersdomination.com/DIY_Chicken_Coop_Plans-4229 DIY chicken coop plans may be a better fit. Readily available, pre-made coops are not always the best option due to their high price tags. In addition, they do not offer as many options as one made from scratch. Especially true for the urban farmer, modifications to standard coop plans are much easier to make when building one's own compared to a ready-to-assemble model.

When deciding on how to build a chicken coop, several factors need to be considered:  how much land there is to devote to the chickens, how many chickens will be in the brood, and how the climate will affect the chickens. A little bit of research into these considerations could possibly save a farmer a lot of money and frustration. Building the wrong coop is an unnecessary mistake. Most cities have restrictions as to the number and breed of chickens allowed. Since each breed has unique needs, it is best to determine size and type of chicken to be raised before deciding on the appropriate coop design.

Hen house designs can be found in a number of places including the local library, farm stores, books, and the internet. It is worth the time to check out a variety of plans before committing to one. As important as considering the needs of the chickens is considering the talent, funds, and time available to the farmer. Chicken coops, though simple in basic design, can become quite costly if one decides to get creative. Although everyone loves to admire the coops designed like houses or famous landmarks, they do not function any better than their simple counterparts do. For those with little to no experience with tools and building, a handy friend or relative can easily help with a few pointers. Also very helpful are DIY chicken coop plans that are targeted to those that may lack construction experience.

There are a multitude of chicken coop designs available for free with perhaps the most popular for urban yards being chicken tractor plans. Designed for small yards, these coops are placed on wheels allowing the coop to be moved about the yard so that the chickens can have fresh grass, insects and dirt – everything needed for happy chickens.

For those not wanting to mess with moving a chicken coop every few days, there are many other small chicken coop designs for consideration. Important features for every coop are natural light sources, ventilation, accessibility to food and water, protection from the elements and predators and aesthetics. Urban chicken coops are unique in that neighbors will always see them.  If you do not want angry neighbors, it is important to consider how the coop will blend in with the yard. There are several ways to minimize the coop appearance while still offering a safe environment for your hens.

Raising chickens and reaping the bounty of fresh eggs can and should be an amazing and rewarding experience. By taking a little bit of extra time researching coop designs and investing in some elbow grease, one can build a chicken coop and create and maintain a long-lasting home for their chicken friends.]]> Sun, 03 Jul 2011 12:31:19 -0500 Pole Barn Houses http://www.marketersdomination.com/Pole_Barn_Houses-3846 http://www.marketersdomination.com/Pole_Barn_Houses-3846 pole barn kits. This style of of construction is popular because it is probably the cheapest enclosed building one can construct on a per square foot basis. A quick check on the prices of pole barn kits online reveals that a complete kits are available for under $10 per square foot.

In addition to the low initial cost of the kit, the actual cost to erect the structure is significantly less than than other building types such as prefab metal buildings of a similar size. Pre-engineered structures such as prefab steel buildings require extensive reinforced concrete foundation systems, whereas pole structures require no conventional foundations; all that is needed is drilled holes at the pier locations.

It has become popular in recent decades to convert agricultural buildings such as barns into housing. While the pole barn can be converted into living space, there are a number of factors that need to be considered. If the barn is existing, it will need to be heavily modified. The first step in the process would be to hire a building designer or architect to plan the actual spaces within the building footprint, as well as document the necessary structural changes needed to meet the local building codes.

One of the biggest challenges in utilizing pole construction for finished conditioned is providing adequate insulation. Because pole barn buildings are not initially not designed to be a draft-free building, and often these buildings are constructed with just a dirt or gravel floor. Ensuring that the building is adequately insulated and protected from air infiltration is one of the larger challenges of converting a pole barn. The preferred insulation method is sprayed polyurethane foam insulation.

Although pricey, spray foam insulation has many desirable attributes. The R-value or the insulating property per inch is much greater that of either fiberglass blanket (bats). The primary advantage, however is that in addition to the insulating properties of expanded polyurethane, spray foam does a great job of sealing off air leaks or infiltration. The cost of spray foam is pricey, but the payback is good both in terms of fuel savings and increased comfort.

If you are building a pole barn from scratch, a pole barn kit can be a good starting-off point. By hiring a knowledgeable building designer at the beginning of the process, the kit design and plans can be modified so that they meet all building codes. In addition to designing the overall room layout and visual features of the home, the revised building plans should address the adequacy of the structure and foundation. This will include analyzing the building for loads such as roof snow loads, and lateral loads such as wind and seismic that are specific to the proposed building location.

Building a pole barn house can be a good choice providing adequate research is performed prior to making a final decision. Before purchasing a pole barn kit with the intent on later converting the structure into a living area, make sure a building designer or architect is involved in the process from the beginning. Lastly, compare the cost of pole barn construction to that of timber frame for the same rustic look.]]> Thu, 24 Mar 2011 15:10:17 -0500 Why Proper Design is Critical with Pole Barn Kits http://www.marketersdomination.com/Why_Proper_Design_is_Critical_with_Pole_Barn_Kits-3663 http://www.marketersdomination.com/Why_Proper_Design_is_Critical_with_Pole_Barn_Kits-3663 Pole barn kits have been around for decades and are an affordable option for many types of buildings. With a basic understanding of the engineering principals associated with pole barn structures, some of the more common mistakes may be avoided.

Not surprisingly, the primary load carrying element is the pole. Certainly in order to participate in the process of building a pole barn one does not have to become an expert in structural engineering, but with a basic understanding of the design basics of pole buildings and structures, some common mistakes can be avoided.

Any building should be designed to resist two types of forces: the structure has to carry both the weight of the building and contents as well as live loads imparted to the floors, wall and roof. The second type of loads are horizontal loads such as wind, seismic and other lateral loads a building might encounter. Sometimes the ability of a building to resist these loads is referred to as "racking resistance".

The typical building such as a wood framed residence achieves the racking resistance by virtue of the exterior and interior walls. Once the sheathing such as plywood and even gyp board is attached to the walls they become stiff and effectively resist these lateral loads. The unique feature of pole barn kits is that these types of structures do not require any wall sheathing (or siding) to resist lateral or side forces. This is because the poles themselves are able to resist side forces. An over simplified example of this principal is the simple fence post. Because the post is embedded into the earth, it resists being "pushed over".

As one might imagine, the properly designed pole barn kit must be designed for the specific site and loading conditions. Both wind and seismic loads vary greatly depending on the location and surrounding topography in the case of wind. To complicate matters, different soil types have different characteristics in terms of resisting these overturning forces.

There are many other variables that determine the adequacy of a pole building design. Among them are the vertical loads placed on each pole, the pole spacing, depth of the pole below grade, and diameter of the pole excavation. Once the pole depth of is determined, the size and material of the poles has to be selected. Obviously steel poles are stronger for a given cross section than wood poles.

While many pole barns are built without the benefit of structural engineering, buyers of horse barn kits and other pole structures should always inquire if the pole building design has been reviewed by an engineering professional. In many cases a building permit is required before construction of a pole barn kit and often signed and stamped engineering calculations specific to the proposed building location must be included for review prior to the issuance of the building permit. Some pole barn kit providers will provide the necessary engineering as part of the package. If not the the necessary engineering will have to be sourced locally, and can be a significant cost.]]> Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:28:29 -0600