A backyard chicken coop or chicken tractor is obviously the right size for backyard farming, but is also often suitable in size for rural small scale farming as well if chickens are just a smaller part of an overall diverse farm plan.

Beautiful backyard chicken coop plans: Here are very nice plans for backyard chicken coops that can be purchased and downloaded from our Clickbank affiliate for several attractive and very practical designs.

More chicken coop and micro farming structure plans: And, here are excellent instructions and plans for sale for more chicken housing along with sheds, mini-barns, larger barns, cold frames, and dozens of other useful micro farming structures by a veteran woodworker affiliate who knows how to simplify the projects and build them inexpensively.

Free chicken housing PDF: Here's an ATTRA PDF discussing various chicken housing structures for the larger end of small scale farming operations for several hundred to 3000 or so birds.

Backyard chicken coop alternatives and tips:

A tent backyard chicken coop alternative: A nearby micro goat and hen farm uses a utility tent for their chicken housing (see photo of inside the tent above). The owners bought an approximately $75 utility tent at Costco, and they and the hens love it. One of the reasons it works for them is that they did extra work to secure it from high winds. Also, they have a small, active, busy homestead surrounding the tent that discourages predators, and an outdoor dog keeps major predators away at night. Their chickens are allowed to run free on their farmstead where they keep their perennial gardens perfectly weeded, so they don't need a chicken run. But a tent could also be set up inside a chicken run. Unless tie-downs are permanent, a tent can be considered semi-moveable chicken housing. (As with all articles on this website, this one is copyrighted and written for www.microecofarming.com only. Contact authors for permission to reprint).

Cedar chips for lice control: My own chickens and those of my parents' and grandparents had far less lice when we used cedar chips for bedding in the nest boxes.

Keeping out digging predators: Many chicken runs and chicken tractors are bottomless, meaning predators can dig to enter them. If you lay a foot width of chicken wire flat on the ground surrounding the chicken coop or chicken run fencing, it will make it almost impossible for digging predators to dig their way inside. Make sure it's attached to the bottom of the coop or run so predators can't pull it away.

More details on the deep litter method: The deep litter method for the stationery farm or backyard chicken coop is far superior to a bare floor and repeated cleanings or a system with pathogenic decomposition of waste. It keeps chickens fed by virtually churning out perfect food for the birds, boosts their immune systems, is less work for the farmer, and eventually creates an excellent fertilizer. (As with all articles on this website, this one is copyrighted and written for www.microecofarming.com only. Contact authors for permission to reprint).

It was summarized in the title Micro Eco-Farming. I originally discovered it in the very old classic, "Handbook for Farm and Stable," and have personally found it to be the best method for my own chickens. As described, it creates a situation that chickens thrive in (but other farm animals would not). I won't repeat the basics, but here are some further details:

- The six inches to a foot of dry matter you initially build up can include old straw, old hay, dried land weeds, dried lake weeds, wood chips, grass clippings (dried as much as possible best), fall leaves, shredded non-inked paper (such as brown grocery bags), and add a pound or more of dried kelp for the trace elements you learned about in Chapter 4 of Micro Eco-Farming. Chickens will do a lot of shredding themselves, but if you want your dry material such as leaves chopped up even more and don't have a shredder, in many cases you can drive over it with a lawn mower and shoot it right into the bag which you then carry to the chicken coop.

- Keep an eye on the deep litter as it decomposes under the manure from the chickens, which is very hot. If the litter begins to flatten out down to the earth level and becomes more manure than litter, add more to keep it built up.

- Look for the deep litter to start becoming a living, decomposing, composting organism that absorbs manure rather quickly. At this point, only add more dry matter when manure seems to build up too much.

- Now, the deep decomposing bedding begins to feed the chickens with organisms living within the debris which include beneficial fungi, slugs, worms, pill bugs, earwigs and other insects, beneficial microbes and soil pro-biotics. Further, when chicken coops have flooring that's deep and living, they're fed throughout the winter because the action of the decomposition makes the deep litter stay warm in winter to keeps chickens fed and more comfortable.

- Go ahead and toss the crushed oyster shell over the top of the litter. Other chicken foods such as kitchen scraps, fresh greens, sprouted grains, dropped orchard fruits, garden leftovers and so on can be tossed on top as well. These get the chickens scratching and add to the litter itself. Just realize these are considered "wet" components as is the chicken manure, only not as hot. You don't want more wet than dry. So, watch closely to make sure your initial deep dry litter is in balance to create the living composting situation you want vs. a wet and messy chicken coop floor. If need be, you can add more dry matter anytime.

- You can harvest the litter as compost once or twice a year, and start over. Because it will contain some relatively new manure when you harvest it, allow it to age before putting it on sensitive crops.

More articles of interest: Please also see our Mini e-Magazine and search "chickens" for various articles including one on how to feed live greens to chickens kept in permanent coops. Regular access to live greens helps eggs contain more valuable Omega 3s and healthy CLA.

You may also enjoy our article on rare breed chickens with more tips on raising them in the Farm Animal Articles.

-- Barbara Adams, edited for online use by Amy Rose