Chickens are fun , easygoing and so rewarding . But to successfully raise chickens , it ’s important that you plan carefully , be canonical healthcare practices , prey them properly and select appropriate breed . These 75 expert tip will aid you do just that and make your chicken - observe surgical procedure nearly casual !
Coop Size
1.The best coop sizing for your flock reckon on how many bird you have or want , what breeds you have and whether there ’s outside run access .
2.Build a large coop than you believe you ’ll ever need . Chickens reproduce as if by magic !
3.For bantam breeds , contrive 2 square feet per bird with outside memory access or 5 square feet per bird without .
4.Standard size birds require 3 solid feet per bird with outside access and 8 satisfying feet per bird if there ’s no outdoor access .
5.For heavy breeds , design 4 straight feet per bird with outside entree , or 10 satisfying foot per bird without .
Coop Location
6.Before you work up , be certain to ascertain local regulation . Some governments may restrict where you may place a chicken coop and run .
7.A coop locate near the house is preferable , especially if you ’ll be collecting eggs daily .
8.Locate volaille housing where there ’s elbow room for an outside run ( size for at least 10 square feet per chicken ) .
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9.Take vantage of available light , breezes and shade to help stabilize temperatures inside the coop and run .
10.In hot weather area , this typically means put the chicken housing in a shaded fix .
11.Facing the coop south with tribute from northern winds is often idealistic in cold weather areas .
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12.Locate the structure downwind from persist winds that pass your family to derogate smell and noise .
13.Make water and electricity available at the crybaby house . Chickens drink draw of piss and behave it receive old fast . Electricity business leader contraption such as het up waterers , an automatic door - opener and winter “ luminance - on ” for better egg production .
Access & Storage
14.so as to cleanse , water system , feed and care for your chickens , easy access and elbow room to work are essential .
15.Include a human - sized access door and room to fend up inside your wimp house .
16.For little hencoop , contain a hinged roof that can be lifted to allow admission .
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17.Include a freestanding orbit within the coop for storing Gallus gallus feed , oyster shell , grit and medicinal items .
Ventilation
18.Chicken housing must be well ventilated year - round to take out the large sum of moisture , ammonia , dust and heating that chickens get .
19.The amount and location of vents needed varies as weather stipulation change throughout the year . So , make many ventilating system options that can be closed or opened as postulate .
20.In hot weather condition country , entire sides of the hencoop can be make to be removed to maintain sufficient ventilating system .
21.In areas where hot weather is not a problem , plan 1 straight metrical unit of vent-hole opening per 10square feet of trading floor space .
22.Cold conditions volcano should be high up ( above roost ) and protect from rain and blow by roof overhang .
23.Warm conditions blowhole can be lower in the coop so they allow a chill breeze .
say more : build a chicken coop ? Here are the basics to fuck about .
Predator Protection
24.Making the hencoop and run predatory animal - proof is substantive . Many predators consider volaille an splendid repast and will do anything to get them .
25.There should be no coop openings that a piranha can get through at nighttime , and all windows or vents should be cover with1⁄2 - in hardware cloth ( even when open ) .
26.The small pop - hatch room access that poulet expend to introduce and loss must close securely at night ( with them safely inside the cage ) .
27.Consider an sublime coop to excrete unwanted entries from below . It will keep predatory animal from burrowing in and provide your chicken shelter from both sun and blow .
Flooring Material
28.The common selection in flooring are dirt , concrete or wood . They all have pro and con that you should consider .
29.Dirt floors are very cost - effective but are difficult to scavenge . It ’s also hard to keep predators or rodents out .
30.Concrete floors prevent predator access code and are the easiest to clean , but they ’re also the most expensive .
31.Wooden floor are inexpensive and work well if the coop is advance to foreclose rot and keep predators out . However , they ’re difficult to clean . Covering them with lino or a protective finish makes cleanup position easy . Wirestock Creators / Adobe Stock
Roosts
32.At dark , chickens instinctively catch some Z’s off the soil to protect themselves from predators . So , provide your chickens with appropriate roost .
33.There should be at least 8 inches of roosting outer space in the coop for each standard sizing bird and at least 10 inches for heavy breeds .
34.Don’t locate waterers , feeders or nest boxes below roosts because chicken do most of their dropping at night while sleeping .
35 . Roosts should be invest higher in the coop than the nest boxes so the chicken are n’t tempted to sleep in them . ( This make dirty egg . )
36.Locate roosts at height from about 1 foot off the coop base to a couple of feet from the ceiling . But stagger tiptop so chickens can easily skip from depleted to higher roosts .
37.Wide roosts are good in winter so chickens can tuck their feet under their feathers to continue warm . space 2 - by-4 boards so their feet ride on the 4 - inch width .
38.Plastic or metal piping is n’t suitable for roosts because it ’s too tricky for the chicken to grip .
Nesting Boxes
39.Chickens favour to lay their testicle in a dark , protected location , so suitably sized nesting boxes are call for in housing for layingbirds .
40.Nesting boxes should be 12 - inch square for standard - size hiss or 14 - inch square for heavy breeds .
41.Unlike coops and runs , nesting boxes should n’t be too spacious or multiple birds will crowd together into the same loge and induce broken eggs .
42.One nesting box for every four hen in the coop is unremarkably sufficient .
43.A nesting boxwood front lip that is about 2 inch high will make in bedding material , while a slosh cap will keep the bird from rest on them .
44.Some coop designs integrate nesting boxes that can be accessed from outside by lifting a hinged lid . These make garner eggs and keeping the nest box clean quite convenient .
Coop Conveniences
45.Install achicken coop room access openerto mechanically let the poulet out every dayspring and close them up at night . That path , you do n’t have to arise early to let them out or care about close them up at nighttime .
46.Keep waterer from freezing in cold weather by using het chicken waterers .
47.If you want your chicken to continue get eggs during winter , tally stilted lighting so your chickens receive a minimum of 14 to 16 60 minutes of light throughout the fall and winter month .
scan more : Want ballock in the winter ? add lighting in the coop can help .
Health Care Basics
48.Practice biosecurity by limit access to your property and your birds . tempestuous birds , new chickens or human visitor may gestate diseases that can speedily infect your passel .
49.Make it a priority to observe your flock daily . This will allow you to read each of your birds ’ typical behavior , spot any wellness issue and appreciate the joy of chicken - safekeeping !
50.Provide chicken junk - bathe stations . Gallus gallus involve debris baths to get clean and rid themselves of parasites .
51.Use the deep - litter method acting to asseverate a clean hencoop with less work . In addition to being easier , it ’s also good for your wimp ’ wellness . ( you’re able to find out more about the deep - litter methodhere . )
52.Feed your fowl fold pumpkins , melon vine , cucumbers and squash ( members of theCucurbitaceaevegetable family ) to entertain them .
53.Add culinary herbaceous plant and edible flower to your chickens ’ coop and run . They carry vitamin , minerals and other components that meliorate flock wellness .
Feed & Water
54.Chickens need feed that is nutritionally appropriate for their eld ( chick , pullet , hen , etc . ) as well as type ( meat , laying or double - intention ) for optimal health .
55.Commercially available feeds are convenient and are like an expert articulate to provide ideal nutrients for each character and age of volaille .
56.Every handbag of chicken feed sold in the U.S. is required to have a nutrition tag end specifying the ingredients . Learn to read these labelsto ascendency what you feed ( opine added omega-3s , no soy , etc . ) .
57.For doll , provender should be available 24/7 . They rise and create feathers at an unbelievable pace , so wench unceasingly need high-pitched floor of nutrient and protein .
58.Medicated feeds are available to help oneself prevent chick losses due to coccidiosis . They can be fed to egg strain chicks up to 16 weeks of years and meat breeds up to five days before slaughter .
59.Up to about 6 week of age , feast egg - place breed a chick - entrant feed and substance chicks a broiler - appetiser .
60.After 6 week of historic period , tack bollock - put strain to a fryer - raiser and core breed to a broiler - closer .
61.As female chicks approach laying age , their dietary needs alteration . They do n’t require as much protein , but they need much higher level of atomic number 20 , phosphorus and vitamin D.
62.Start vernal hen ( ball - laying or dual - determination breeds ) on bed rations at about 18 weeks of age , or when the first egg arrives , whichever occur first .
63.A continuous provision of fresh , clean weewee is critical for chickens . Chickens wo n’t eat if they are hungry , which can stunt their development and inhibit egg production .
64.An adult Gallus gallus needs to tope two to three times the weight of piss that they eat in provender .
65.Egg - repose hens involve heavy amounts of Ca to produce eggshells , so offer free - choice huitre shell or atomic number 20 grit . When feed gratuitous - choice , hens will self - regulate the amount of calcium they ware .
66.Chickens do n’t have teeth , so any chickens that free - range or are fed scratch want grit . Grit is the only chemical mechanism a volaille has for grind its nutrient into pieces modest enough to swallow .
Build Your Best Flock
67.Owning a backyard stack mean you get to conflate and match chicken breeds to cope with your individual goals . Want many eggs , screw colorful eggs or prefer hushed dame ? There are breeds for all that and more ! ( Read on for more on breeds . )
68.If you want “ friendly ” chickens , then it ’s important to wield your bird ofttimes and give them treats from chick age on . Many breeds will hail when called , eat out of your hand and savor draw close and petting .
69.When choose breeds , weigh your mood . Most chicken breed handle cold , but many skin in heat . For live climates , prefer breed that have small bodies and large combs ( think Mediterranean breeds such as Leghorn ) . In inhuman climates , choose larger bodied chickens with smaller comb ( think Golden Buff or Barred Rock ) .
70.Roosters are an single option ; it all reckon on your office . ( Remember : Some locations prohibit them . ) The positive aspects of rooster are flock protection and fat eggs , while the negatives are bragging and potential aggression .
Final Five!
For our final five tips , we ’ll look at which breed to get for what you ’re look for .
71 . Quiet : If a quiet flock for metropolis or suburbia is your goal , deal the Ameraucana , Australorp , Brahma , Cochin , Java , Orpington , Plymouth Rock , Rhode Island Red , Sussex or Wyandotte breed .
72 . Kid Friendly : Larger breeds are commonly quite docile and good choices , such as Australorps , Cochins , Orpingtons , Sussex and Wyandottes .
73 . Egg Laying : Top breeds for testicle - laying include Australorps , Austra Whites , GoldenComets , Leghorns and Rhode Island Reds .
74 . duple Purpose : corking two-fold - purpose breeds ( good for ballock - laying and gist ) include the Buckeye , Delaware , Dominique , Plymouth Rock and Rhode Island Red .
75 . colourful testis : chicken that farm colourful eggs include Araucana ( blue ) , Ameraucana ( blue ) , Easter Eggers ( many colors ) , Marans ( dark chocolate brown ) , Olive Egger ( European olive tree green ) and Welsummer ( speckled chocolate brown ) .
Nomatter where you are in your poulet - keeping journey , follow the rule of thumb outlined in this article will chair to a felicitous , healthy troop that you may be lofty of and enjoy for year to come .
