Yesterday, a reader had a question. She has 10 chicks,
variety of breeds. They are now being housed inside
in a water tub. As you can imagine, it's getting a little
crowded.
She wanted to know when it was safe to move the
little ones to the chicken coop. Which is an excellent
question. The reader assured me that the coop was large
and safe and there were no other birds in the hen house.
No doubt this question is on a lot of minds. Easter time
seems to be when chickens invade the thoughts of many.
The good news is that chicks of any age can be placed
into the chicken coop at any time.
There are two main considerations for the chicks.
Warmth and no drafts! If the chicken coop is drafty,
keep them away. Chickens are highly susceptible to
pneumonia which will prove fatal.
And they must be kept warm! The temperature has to
be around 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Or 30-32 degrees
Celsius.You'll need to get at least one heat lamp if
you live in a cold climate, which most of us seem to.
I'm so glad this concern was raised because it should
always be stressed and what better time than now? So
as long as the chicken coop is safe from predators and
warm and draft-free, you're ready to introduce your
feathered friends to their new home!
Showing posts with label chicken coops. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chicken coops. Show all posts
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Raising Chickens: All The Way From Hatch To Scratch
Raising chickens is rewarding in many ways. So let's start at the beginning, shall we?
If you want healthy and friendly chickens, (who doesn't?), it's recommended you buy day-old chicks or if you prefer, hatch them out yourself. All babies are adorable and you'll fall in love with your chicks with their chirps and cute, tiny features.
When hatched, chicks can live for 3 days on their yolk. Then they need water and "chick start" which can be medicated or non-medicated. Place water in a shallow dish with shiny stones or marbles. This is so your chicks will peck at the stones and drink water. But if they fall into the dish, they won't drown.
You'll keep your chicks in brooder boxes. Either purchased or made yourself. Heat is so important for the baby chicks. If they are indoors, a light bulb will be enough. Most choose a 250-watt "red" heat lamp. This keeps the chicks from pecking at each other.
Make sure the brooder is tall enough so the little ones cannot fly out easily. Because in their third week, they'll have the means to fly a remarkable distance. This is why brooders should have wire lids. And you don't want any drafts to give the chicks a chill.
Set the heat at 90 degrees the first week. You can lower the temps by 5 degrees each week for four weeks. This helps them get used to the temperatures in the great outdoors.
Just like you and me, a chick who is comfortable and well-rested is one happy camper. So pay attention to chicken bedding. Caution: Do not use cedar or redwood shavings because these are toxic to them and will cause damage to their respiratory systems. Bad!
Instead, you can use shredded newsprint, straw, pine shavings, walnut shells or specially made chicken bedding materials. Your chicks can be moved to outside chicken coops once they are fully feathered. Keep a heat lamp in a corner of the coop so they can stay warm in cooler weather.
Until your chicks are 4 months old, you will continue feeding them chick feed. Then you can change to layer mash or pellets. Oyster shell and hen scratch can be added to their diet because this will improve the quality of your chickens' egg shell. And more importantly, will help them to have strong bones.
Giving your chicks hen scratch keeps your chickens occupied if they are in a confined run rather than out free ranging. If circumstances require your chickens to be in enclosed chicken runs, be sure to add some hen grit. This is necessary for their gizzard in their digestion process.
Again, just like us, chickens love treats. Garden and table scraps will be appreciated. They also love looking for bugs, ants and worms. Children get a kick out of tossing treats into the hen house and watch the chickens racing for the prize.
By 6 months of age, most breeds will begin laying eggs. Your backyard chicken coop should be enclosed with a door, and chicken nesting boxes should be large enough for a couple of hens. It seems no matter how many chicken nesting boxes are available, those choosy hens always seem to want the same one.
Ventilation is important; make sure the airflow is good through the coop. Again, the bedding in the backyard chicken coop will be your personal choice. Fresh water and food are necessary daily.
By the time you've reached this stage in your "raising chickens" adventure, you've probably named them and delighted in their unique personalities. Now you can look forward to their blessings of quality, fresh eggs!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Keeping Chickens? What Makes A Good Chicken Coop?
Thinking about keeping chickens?
Chickens are easy to care for but they do need a place to live which protects them from the weather and predators. Their overall well-being is important and you'll want them to be safe and happy. Hens also need a safe place to lay their eggs.
The size of your flock will determine how big the coop will be and how much lumber is needed to build the coop. If planning to use recycled materials, do not use wood that's been chemically treated. Since the birds peck at everything, this could harm them.
The coop must have sound structure...
Have 3 to 4 square feet of space per chicken. After taking zoning laws into consideration, find a place on your property that gets enough sunlight and has good drainage. Your coop needs to stay dry. You've heard the saying, "Mad as a wet hen!" Riiight.
Protect your flock by making sure the housing has a solid roof to protect them from the elements. And predators. Racoons are very creative in getting to what they want! Check every angle of the coop to make sure it's secure.
Chicken runs...
This is an enclosed area that gives an area where chickens can move and roam around. Ideally, the run should have 10 square feet of space per chicken. Of course, the bigger the run, the better it is for the chickens. Make sure to cover the run with wire mesh to keep out the nasty predators.
Bedding...
Now for the chicken coop floor. This can be concrete, wood, linoleum or vinyl. For ease of cleaning, choose vinyl or linoleum. The floor should be covered with wood shavings, hay or wood pellets. For a nice smell, use pine wood shavings. DO NOT use cedar because it can be toxic. DO NOT use sawdust because it can cause respiratory problems. You may think hay and straw would be good options, but this material can attract rodents, mites and lice. You don't want this!
The Deep Litter Method is a popular choice of bedding because it also provides compost. To do this, layer 4-8 inches of wood shavings on the floor, which you'll rake everyday to spread evenly. If you throw corn on the floor, your chickens will scratch through the shavings. This helps keep the bedding aerated and even.
After mixing with the chicken manure for six months, the shavings will become compost which you can spread on your lawn or garden for fertilizer. You will only need to clean the hen house once or twice a year with this method. You'll know when it's time by the smell.
Nesting boxes...
In order to lay eggs, your hens need nesting boxes. These should be 15 inches long, 15 inches wide and 12 inches deep. For fillers, use hay or straw. The boxes should be changed once a month to prevent health problems. One box for 4 to 5 hens will be enough. Keep the boxes at a slant. This keeps the birds from roosting on top of each other.
Lighting...
Good lighting is critical. It promotes maximum egg production and in the months when the days are shorter, this becomes very important. Even artificial light helps in laying eggs. Use two 65-watt bulbs for an 8 foot by 10 foot coop.
Guidelines for light:
* 24 hours a day of light for chicks up to seven days old.
* 8-12 hours of light a day for chicks one to six weeks old.
* 12 hours of light a day for chicks 6 to 19 weeks old.
* 12 -16 hours of light a day for chicks 20 weeks and older.
Light also provides warmth for the birds. Use timers to regulate how much light they receive each day.
Insulation and ventilation...
For fresh air and oxygen, your coop requires good ventilation. This also releases the carbon dioxide which if allowed to build up can harm the flock. Drill several holes in the top of the walls to create air passageways. Cover them with mesh. Or you can install windows in the coop. These will keep the birds cool in the summer. In the winter, you must have a good vapor barrier and insulation. The insulation has to be covered so the birds don't peck at it. These two things provide a comfortable environment for your birds to live in.
Feeders and waterers...
Waterers can be placed inside and outside the coop. However, food should be kept strictly inside. This keeps other critters away. Deep feeders are best because there won't be as much waste of the food. If you use a trough feeder, only fill it one-third of the way. Automatic feeders are also available.
If you want to bond with your flock, you can toss feed to them. It takes more time but some people wouldn't have it any other way.
There are many type of waterers. You can also purchase a a heater to prevent freezing so your birds will have available water even when it's frigid.
Roosts...
Chickens have a natural instinct to perch up off the ground, especially at night. They'll sleep shoulder to shoulder on a roosting perch. If they are free-range, they will sleep in a tree. The number of roosts will depend on the size of the flock. Don't arrange roosts on top of each other. Not pleasant for the birds below when the ones above them are going to the bathroom!
Perches or roosts can be ladder style and sloping toward the back of the wall. If perches are across from the nesting boxes, you won't have to walk through the droppings to gather the eggs. As well, don't have perches above waterers or feeders for the same reason. You don't want them contaminated from the droppings.
Perches should be 2 inches in diameter for chickens. One inch for bantams. Wood is more comfortable for the birds than metal and you'll want the edges rounded smooth so they can grip and get a good hold. Have the space between the bars be about one foot apart to give them enough room.
Under the roosts is where the greatest amount of poop will accumulate. A good idea is to have a manure box placed under the perches. They are filled with bedding and covered with moveable screen lids. These can be cleaned once a week or every day if you wish. Again, compost!
With these things in mind, you'll be happy and you'll have happy and healthy feathered friends!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Keeping Chickens Warm: Baby, Its Cold Outside
We don't like to be cold and neither do our chickens. We must keep them warm especially in cold weather. The chicken coop needs to be solid. It has to be dry and they don't want drafts ruffling their feathers, either.
You'll want to put a good layer of straw on the ground to help with insulation. In winter, the windows of the coop should have Plexiglas over the chicken wire to prevent cold drafts. This will still allow in light.
Now for the chicken roost. What would you rather put your bare feet on when it's cold? Plastic, metal or wood? Exactly. The chicken's feet will stay warm if the roost is made of wood.
Make sure they have a supply of fresh, unfrozen water. You can immerse a heater inside the water container or under it so that the temperature stays above freezing. A commercial broiler/layer feed can provide the chickens with energy for maintaining body warmth.
You may notice that chickens will huddle together when cold. They'll fluff their feathers and tuck their heads under their wings. Combs are susceptible to frostbite. Losing a comb is painful. You don't want this to happen.
Regulate the Temperature
Putting chickens in a room that is heated can be quite hazardous due to the considerable contrast between the outside and inside temperatures. An additional adverse effect concerns bacteria which are normally kept controlled as a result of the cold.
These bacteria are capable of flourishing in the moistened heat and can cause complications in the lungs of chickens. If the cold is extreme, a high temperature lamp may be improvised to ensure that the coop’s ambient temperature is nearer to freezing, but the coop should not be warmed up.
Although there is a chicken breed that is specifically bred to lay in winter, it is common for most hens to stop or decrease their egg production during the winter season. In this kind of weather, the eggs have to be picked more frequently otherwise they may freeze and break.
Insulating the Chicken Coop
Although free ranging of chickens is more beneficial than controlled housing, it generally results in their exposure to adverse weather conditions, which results in lower egg production. If you insulate the ceiling and walls of the coop, you have the additional benefit of moderate temperatures.
If you want to save money on insulation, heavy cardboard can be nailed to the inside of the coop’s ceiling and walls. This provides additional warmth while equally protecting the chickens from drafts. Ample ventilation should be provided for the chickens to ensure their health is good and it also lowers the coop’s humidity. It is preferable for the coop to have an adjustable window that provides fresh air although care should be exercised to make certain that the coop does not get excessively drafty.
It is good to note that due to the high resilience of mature chickens, they are capable of favorably withstanding low temperatures. Chickens are actually more susceptible to extreme hot conditions than to cold, as long as there is a provision of basic shelter.
For plans that will provide your chicks with good, safe housing, get Chicken Coop Plans!
You'll want to put a good layer of straw on the ground to help with insulation. In winter, the windows of the coop should have Plexiglas over the chicken wire to prevent cold drafts. This will still allow in light.
Now for the chicken roost. What would you rather put your bare feet on when it's cold? Plastic, metal or wood? Exactly. The chicken's feet will stay warm if the roost is made of wood.
Make sure they have a supply of fresh, unfrozen water. You can immerse a heater inside the water container or under it so that the temperature stays above freezing. A commercial broiler/layer feed can provide the chickens with energy for maintaining body warmth.
You may notice that chickens will huddle together when cold. They'll fluff their feathers and tuck their heads under their wings. Combs are susceptible to frostbite. Losing a comb is painful. You don't want this to happen.
Regulate the Temperature
Putting chickens in a room that is heated can be quite hazardous due to the considerable contrast between the outside and inside temperatures. An additional adverse effect concerns bacteria which are normally kept controlled as a result of the cold.
These bacteria are capable of flourishing in the moistened heat and can cause complications in the lungs of chickens. If the cold is extreme, a high temperature lamp may be improvised to ensure that the coop’s ambient temperature is nearer to freezing, but the coop should not be warmed up.
Although there is a chicken breed that is specifically bred to lay in winter, it is common for most hens to stop or decrease their egg production during the winter season. In this kind of weather, the eggs have to be picked more frequently otherwise they may freeze and break.
Insulating the Chicken Coop
Although free ranging of chickens is more beneficial than controlled housing, it generally results in their exposure to adverse weather conditions, which results in lower egg production. If you insulate the ceiling and walls of the coop, you have the additional benefit of moderate temperatures.
If you want to save money on insulation, heavy cardboard can be nailed to the inside of the coop’s ceiling and walls. This provides additional warmth while equally protecting the chickens from drafts. Ample ventilation should be provided for the chickens to ensure their health is good and it also lowers the coop’s humidity. It is preferable for the coop to have an adjustable window that provides fresh air although care should be exercised to make certain that the coop does not get excessively drafty.
It is good to note that due to the high resilience of mature chickens, they are capable of favorably withstanding low temperatures. Chickens are actually more susceptible to extreme hot conditions than to cold, as long as there is a provision of basic shelter.
For plans that will provide your chicks with good, safe housing, get Chicken Coop Plans!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Chicken Coops: Maintenance Or A Little TLC Goes A Long Way
Your chicken coops are built and they are works of art. Be proud. In order to keep the chicken housing in the top of the line state you and your chickens enjoy now, you'll have to do your share of TLC. In other words, maintenance.
As with anything, the chicken coop will disintegrate over time if it's not looked after. We do too! So you just have to stay on top of things. Keep your eyes open and do repairs as soon as you notice the need. If you don't let things slide, you'll enjoy your project for years to come.
Things To Pay Attention To
THE DOOR
This is one area of the coop which is in constant movement. As with any door. Since you're going in and out to feed and look after the chickens, keep special notice and maintain regularly.
Notice if the latch becomes loose. If it does, fix ASAP. You don't want your feathered friends escaping and getting in harm's way. If the latch you have is constantly causes problems, replace it with something more solid.
THE FENCE
So important to monitor at least once a month. Check the structure and stability of the chicken fencing. If you have predators that come around, rest assured, they'll be watching for any signs of weakness.
THE FEEDERS
Chicken feeders are used on a daily basis, so you must keep a close eye on them. Also watch how your chickens are responding to the feeder height. They may like it lower or higher than you placed it. You want them to get to their food in comfort.
These are just some of the things to maintain in your chicken coop. Do this and both you and the birds will be comfortable and happy!
As with anything, the chicken coop will disintegrate over time if it's not looked after. We do too! So you just have to stay on top of things. Keep your eyes open and do repairs as soon as you notice the need. If you don't let things slide, you'll enjoy your project for years to come.
Things To Pay Attention To
THE DOOR
This is one area of the coop which is in constant movement. As with any door. Since you're going in and out to feed and look after the chickens, keep special notice and maintain regularly.
Notice if the latch becomes loose. If it does, fix ASAP. You don't want your feathered friends escaping and getting in harm's way. If the latch you have is constantly causes problems, replace it with something more solid.
THE FENCE
So important to monitor at least once a month. Check the structure and stability of the chicken fencing. If you have predators that come around, rest assured, they'll be watching for any signs of weakness.
THE FEEDERS
Chicken feeders are used on a daily basis, so you must keep a close eye on them. Also watch how your chickens are responding to the feeder height. They may like it lower or higher than you placed it. You want them to get to their food in comfort.
These are just some of the things to maintain in your chicken coop. Do this and both you and the birds will be comfortable and happy!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Building A Chicken Coop: 4 Tips For Happy and Productive Chickens
Building A Chicken Coop!
You've decided to get a few chickens. Of course, you want the proper place to house them in. You want your chickens to be happy or you won't see them laying eggs on a regular basis.
So take the time to think of these things which will save you money and time in the long run.
*** Windows
Windows are the primary light source for your chicken coop. You have to plan before you start to build because you want them in the correct position. Cut the windows in the walls before building the coop. Think which direction will give the most natural sunlight.
*** Predators
Unfortunately there are predators and this will influence the type of design. Whatever plan you use, make sure it addresses the issue so your chickens are safe.
*** Primary Light Source
If you live in a location that doesn’t get a lot of natural sunlight, you'll have to think about wiring in some electrical light. Chickens do not respond well when they are not getting enough light, whether it’s sunlight or electrical light, so find a way to make sure your coop is well lit.
Electrical light can get to be rather expensive so usually it’s better to avoid this if you can, but in some cases that just isn’t possible.
*** Ventilation
This is crucial! For your chickens and for you! The air must stay fresh. Your chickens won't be any happier in a smelly coop than you would be. Make sure the plans for building a chicken coop address this important issue.
Click Here For The Best Chicken Coop Designs!
You've decided to get a few chickens. Of course, you want the proper place to house them in. You want your chickens to be happy or you won't see them laying eggs on a regular basis.
So take the time to think of these things which will save you money and time in the long run.
*** Windows
Windows are the primary light source for your chicken coop. You have to plan before you start to build because you want them in the correct position. Cut the windows in the walls before building the coop. Think which direction will give the most natural sunlight.
*** Predators
Unfortunately there are predators and this will influence the type of design. Whatever plan you use, make sure it addresses the issue so your chickens are safe.
*** Primary Light Source
If you live in a location that doesn’t get a lot of natural sunlight, you'll have to think about wiring in some electrical light. Chickens do not respond well when they are not getting enough light, whether it’s sunlight or electrical light, so find a way to make sure your coop is well lit.
Electrical light can get to be rather expensive so usually it’s better to avoid this if you can, but in some cases that just isn’t possible.
*** Ventilation
This is crucial! For your chickens and for you! The air must stay fresh. Your chickens won't be any happier in a smelly coop than you would be. Make sure the plans for building a chicken coop address this important issue.
Click Here For The Best Chicken Coop Designs!
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