crybaby harmony is a beautiful affair : no intimidation , no frenzied behavior , just happy hens coexist with one another . And it ’s not only achievable , but it ’s not especially difficult to achieve . Here are some fashion to make it so .
Provide Lots of Room
Crowding is at the root of most henhouse misbehavior .
Most experts say a chicken need 2 to 3 straight animal foot of floor blank in the coop and 8 to 10 foot in an international run or 71⁄2 square feet per bird kept in full labour .
But these are bare minimums . The more personal outer space volaille have to stretch along , perambulation about and void dominant birds , the better life sentence is . This is especially true if they live in confinement full time .
Most origin recommend 8 inches of rest space per chicken , but this is n’t nearly enough . chicken need way to distribute their wings to fly up to their roosts and down again , to sort out who gets the prime sleeping floater and who sleeps next to whom .
Coop & Run Design
Provide hidey - jam or dark-skinned , quiet corners in the coop where chickens low in the flock ’s societal order can hide from potential bullies and kick upstairs chicken harmony .
A simple fix is to lean a pallet against the wall so fainthearted biddy can shelter beneath it . you may also cut an entrance trap in a pliant wash basket and upend it in a recess . This provides public discussion and privacy , too .
Hang feeders and waterers in open areas rather of in turning point , so there ’s plenty of elbow room for hen to maneuver . If you have more than eight crybaby , provide excess dining and lacrimation adroitness so that lower ranking hen can readily eat and wassail .
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supply climbing social organisation in the outdoor run . This tot quad and gives chickens practise as well as something to do . A log leaned low against the fence or erected in the center with its limbs disregard back to about 18 inches in length price nothing and work well , as do tree stumps dotted around the run .
Provide junk - bathing sphere outdoors and in the chicken coop . Chickens make out to dust bathe . It calms them while avail assure outside leech . A small child ’s wading puddle filled with sand occupy the bill .
determine out these tips for build a playground for your chickens .
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Choose Breeds Wisely
Some breed are more teachable and adaptable to confinement than others . select a laid - back breed and avoid breed known for strong-growing conduct to promote chicken harmony .
If your flock includes more than one breed , be aware that some breeds are easily hector .
For case , heavily crest breed such as Polish and Silkies sometimes ca n’t see well and accordingly cease up at the bottom of the pecking order . cautiously clipping peak feathers on an on-going base sometimes helps .
In some breed — Rhode Island Reds and New Hampshires , for example — hen are docile and easy handled , but roosters are sometimes aggressive . Be mindful of this when choose breed . Ariene Studio / Shutterstock
Avoid the Boys
If you do n’t need a rooster , do n’t keep one . This is specially reliable in full - sentence confinement situations .
If a cock is present , he ’s ordinarily top volaille , and it ’s not rare for roosters to bully flock mates near the bottom of the societal hierarchy . Remember those basic space requirements we mentioned before ? At least treble them if rooster are present .
If you ask rooster , do n’t keep too many . A rule of thumb is to keep one rooster per 10 hens .
Multiple roosters nearly always trash with one another , and if the ratio of roosters - to - hens is tipped too favourably toward roosters , they ’ll go after and breed the hen until the girls ’ back are defeathered and blooming .
Once chickens spy a spot of blood , they beak on the spite chicken until she ’s peeled . That ’s how cannibalism begins .
Make Introductions with Care
invalidate combine birds from unlike groups . This is trying and increases peck gild hostility .
Likewise , try not to introduce Modern chickens , especially young chickens , to an established flock .
If you must , gradually introduce them by penning them individually in the coop for a few days before letting the two groups mix . Even then , watch for push around demeanor and remove bleeding chickens before they ’re killed .
Be Vigilant During Bad Weather
Wintertime is the common time for boredom aggressiveness . Even if it ’s cold and there ’s C on the primer , attempt to get them outside for a few minute if you’re able to . Shovel path and an heart-to-heart area in the run . Most chicken treasure an outdoor interlude .
Once you ’ve cleared a small sphere outdoors , consider throwing down hay , shuck , leave of absence or even pine needles for your hens to fret through . Toss a handful of provender or seed on it for added incentive .
study about environmental enrichment that female chest chicken boredom .
Chicken Enrichment Ops
Enrichment as it applies to beast and poultryis defined as“any modification in the environment of enwrapped animals that seeks to heighten its physical and psychological well - being by bring home the bacon stimulus meeting the animals ’ species - specific pauperism . ”
Enriching your hen ’ life makes them happier and healthier . You ’ll get chicken musical harmony , too . The main thing that capture chickens ’ care are solid food and shiny object — especially food for thought .
Edible Fun
There are innumerous ways to enrich chickens ’ lives with food .
A Few More
And for some non - food enrichment ideas :
make out your chickens wisely and they ’ll return your movement by getting along with each other in an amicable , peaceful way . You ’ll see chicken harmoniousness , and all will be glad for that .
Sidebar: Choosing Chickens
If you desire to advertize crybaby harmony in the henhouse , prefer a docile , nonflighty breed that adapts to parturiency as well as gratis - chain situations . These breeds apply :
Flighty breeds — this includes most in the Mediterranean form — tend not to do well in confinement , and their higher energy level may lead to intimidation .
Aggressive breeds such as Aseels , Cubalayas , Malay , Modern Game and Old English Game should n’t be mixed with more gentle strain , as even biddy can be bullies . Because they lean to fight among themselves , they do n’t do well in lying-in .
Most bantam are flightier and more pugnacious than their received - size kin . Bantam roosters are often aggressive .
This clause originally look in the January / February 2020 issue ofChickensmagazine .
