Cheating on a Chicken Coop: 8 Cheap Ideas to House Your Backyard Hens and Save Money

Cheating on a Chicken Coop: 8 Cheap Ideas to House Your Backyard Hens and Save Money was a free kindle book when this post was written.

Brand New: Save Money on a Chicken Coop!

[Note: This is a short "idea" book, not a set of building plans. Wherever possible, I have included links to simple building instructions for these ideas online, but you'll need to be somewhat creative with the materials available to you. If you're ready to save some money on a coop and start thinking outside the box ('outside the coop'), then please read on!]

You're thinking of getting some chickens to lay eggs in your backyard. And then you look at the price of chicken coops. Holy manure! $900 for a fancy box? What are they thinking? You decide that maybe you can make your own chicken coop on the cheap. So you download some free building plans.

Browsing through the coop plans, your eyes fix on the simplest hen house design. Okay, you're thinking, that might be doable...in about five weekends. Then you read on and realize you don't own a table saw... and you've never even heard of an auger bit. So you put your coop-building project on the back burner for awhile. This is a real shame, because you'd love to have chickens.

It shouldn't have to be this way. Somewhere between the overpriced, readymade coops and the major DIY construction projects is a middle ground. I wrote this short book to introduce you to some functional alternatives: coops and non-coops made of affordable materials that are fairly simple to create (even for a non-builder like me).

Contents Include:

1. Cheaper Alternatives
Skipping the High Cost Chicken Coops

2. The 8 Things Every Chicken Coop Needs
Add Them To Any Structure and You Have a Coop

3. A-Frame Chicken Ark
A Functional and Affordable "Normal" Coop

4. Garden Hoophouse
Really Simple and Dirt Cheap

5. Chicken Box
Minimalist Design for Non-Builders

6. Go Native
Use Local Materials

7. Repurposing Big Ticket Items
Curbside Treasures and Old Vehicles

8. Making a Small Bantam House From a Wine Barrel, or Pickle Barrel
How About a Garbage Can?

9. Converting a Doghouse, Shed, Storage Area, or Extra Room
Building a Roosting Room in Your Garage

10. The De-Constructed Coop
Letting Them Figure It Out

The coops in this book will never look like a $1500 gingerbread house, but they are as clean and functional as any other design. Making use of available structures and affordable materials, they keep costs and prep times to a minimum. Most importantly, your back yard chickens will have everything they need and will be thrilled with what you give them. As you know, happy chickens lay lots of eggs!

This is an idea book, not a set of building plans. However, for many of these coop designs, you will find links in this book to step-by-step online instructions, building plans, "how to" videos, and photographic slideshows depicting coop constructions and conversions. The others have pictures, descriptions, and hopefully will inspire you to go out and customize your own simple version of what you see. If you know how to cut wood with a handsaw and screw in a screw, I think you'll be just fine. These designs are about as stripped-down as any designs can get.

Just Say 'No' to Overpriced Coops

There are better alternatives, and I think you'll find a few of them in this book. If you can't afford an expensive chicken coop and aren't handy enough (or don't have time) to build a typical hen house from scratch, then welcome to the club. I hope this short book will give you some fun ideas that are practical enough to use. Most importantly, this book should help you think 'outside the coop' so you're not boxed in by expectations. As long as you include The Eight Things Every Chicken Coop Needs (covered in the book, along with 8 different coops), then you can call any contraption a coop and your chickens will be very happy to live there.

Hop on for the ride. It costs less than $4 and it might well save you $400.

Emergency Preparedness Tips For Winter Storms

When you want to make sure that you are ready for harsh winter conditions, you'll find that there are a few things that you need keep in mind. Being unprepared for winter weather can result in everything from severe injuries to sickness, even to death, and if you want to make sure that you and your family are going to be okay, remember that you should prepare as thoroughly as possible.

Your Home

Your home is going to be the first thing that you need to look at. You and your family might be trapped there for days or even weeks if the storms are very bad, so make sure that you have all of the essentials that you need. How well are you currently prepared and what can you do to really be safe? The things that you need are very simple, but unless you take them into account, you may suffer in the time that it takes for rescue to come.

First, do you have a heat source? Even if your furnace is running fine, remember that you should setup a backup heating source on top of it. Space heaters are one way to deal with it, as is keeping enough wood around for your fireplace. Also make sure that you have a good method to create the fire if necessary.
Also make sure that all your pipes are insulated. In the case of a sudden temperature drop, you may find that the water in the pipe expands. This can cause the pipe to burst, but it can also stop up your water supply.
Know what you are going to do if a fire breaks out. Are your smoke alarms and fire extinguishers in working order? Does everyone know how to use them? You'll find that good fire safety precautions are essential when you want to make sure that your family stays safe.

Is there enough food, water and medicine in your winter storm emergency backpack? What first aid supplies do you have at your disposal? You may need to get by for a few days without being able to get to the store.
Make sure that you keep at least one cell phone with two charged batteries on hand in case your telephone service shuts down. This can help you call for emergency assistance should the need arise.

The Essentials

When you have the above taken care of, you'll find that you are in pretty good shape for winter storm preparedness. Also make sure that you consider the following. They are also quite important and can be found in a number of different ways.

When you have important objects like flashlights, radios and weather radios, also make sure that you have the new batteries that go along with it. Test both items and batteries regularly to make sure that they still work.

Blankets are another thing that you need to think about. Winter storms are cold, and making sure that everyone has at least two to three blankets is important. This can keep everyone comfortable if the heat is interrupted.

What do you have that will help you remove snow, ice and sleet? Windshield scrapers, hoes, brooms and even shovels should be kept where you can reach them.Make sure that you keep things like rock salt, road salt and sand on hand to break through frozen surfaces. It is important to keep these items handy as well.
If you are worried about getting help, look into emergency flares and other types of lighting.

Conclusion

Remember that survival is your primary goal in the event of a winter storm situation. Make sure that your home is ready for everything the weather can throw at it, and that you and your family can survive for as long as it takes. The steps above can help improve your chances for survival by a wide margin.

Chris Perry has been in the emergency preparedness field for several years. He hopes to help families all over the world avoid heartache by helping them be prepared in a disaster situation. He also writes for the site [http://www.ntemergencysurvivalsupplies.com/] which offers emergency backpacks [http://www.ntemergencysurvivalsupplies.com/emergency-backpack] emergency food and water, first-aid, and other preparedness goods.

Potassium Iodide - Better Safe Than Sorry

When I seen an article a couple of days ago saying that the us government was stocking up on Potassium Iodide , I knew it was time to find out about getting some for my family. There are a few reactors close to where we live and just want to be safe.My hubby had been talking to some people that he knows and they all suggested to get Thyrosafe Potassium Iodide Tablets.So, I put an order in for some. At least keep some handy. I also want to get some liquid type for kids. I am thinking that I seen somewhere where you can get some liquid potassium iodide. I will have to hunt around for the best brand , etc. I really think that the accident in Japan at Fukishima really has released more radiation into our atmosphere than the government is letting on. Just my opinion. But better safe than sorry.

http://radiationnetwork.com/

Top Prepared For Survival Posts Of All Time

There have been a lot of posts on this blog since 2008! That is a lot of writing. But there are still a few that are the top posts.

http://preparedforsurvival.blogspot.com/2010/12/map-of-fault-lines-in-usa.html

http://preparedforsurvival.blogspot.com/2009/07/convert-truck-or-van-into-camper.html

http://preparedforsurvival.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-ultimate-beans-rice-recipe-list.html

http://preparedforsurvival.blogspot.com/2013/11/are-we-headed-for-food-shortage.html 

http://preparedforsurvival.blogspot.com/2013/11/how-to-optimize-your-wood-stoves-8.html

Those are the top ones for all time.

The top ones for last month is:

http://preparedforsurvival.blogspot.com/2013/12/survival-items-to-keep-in-car.html

 http://preparedforsurvival.blogspot.com/2013/12/list-of-items-to-go-into-72-hour-kit.html

http://preparedforsurvival.blogspot.com/2013/12/power-out-use-your-fireplace-for-heat.html

http://preparedforsurvival.blogspot.com/2013/12/drone-survival-guide.html

http://preparedforsurvival.blogspot.com/2013/11/how-to-optimize-your-wood-stoves-8.html


Wonder what will be the top post for this year!!??

Basic Food Storage: How Much?

In order to calculate the amount of food you have to store you need to calculate the number of calories each member of your family needs to consume to sustain their weight and activity levels.

Here are the formulas you need:

· Adult women:
655 + (4.3 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)

· Adult men:
66 + (6.3 x weight in pounds) + (12.9 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)

· Girl:
655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years).

· Boy:
66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in year)

Once you have the figures from above use the multipliers below to find the activity level of each family member.

Sedentary (little to no exercise): multiply by 1.2

Light (exercise up to 3 times a week): multiply by 1.3 (1.375 for children)

Moderate (exercise 3 or more times a week): multiply by 1.4 (1.55 for children)

Heavy (exercise 5 or more times a week): multiply by 1.5 (1.725 for children)

With this calculation and by storing a wide variety of healthy food you will have a great food storage plan. 

You should store a wide variety of foods, but have the basics also...

• wheat
• legumes
• Grains (corn, millet, oats, buckwheat, etc.)
• dried and canned fruits and vegetables
• dried milk
• canned or dried meats
• honey
• salt
• oils (coconut and Olive)
• baking powder
• Multiple vitamin and mineral supplements and extra vitamin C

But you have to remember that no family's needs are the same so it is important to make your food lists and amounts according to your family's.