You’ve decided you want to keep chickens, you know you need a coop and now you need to know the basics to include in your coop….although perhaps you haven’t yet decided though whether you are going to build or buy.
Regardless though, the basics need to be included in your coop, whether you build it, buy it or repurpose it. So what are they?
They total 4 in all!
1. Give then air. Chickens like good ventilation although you shouldn’t get confused with drafts. Chickens don’t like drafts, in fact it can make them sick. As a way to distinguish them, good ventilation comes in at the bottom of the coop, removes any unpleasant fumes and moisture before it exists to the top of the coop. A drafty coop just has wind whistling through it from one side to another.
2. Chickens like to roost when they are asleep. It gives them a sense of security and protection. Wild chickens roost in trees, and free ranging chickens tend to do the same. House chickens as we call them tend to roost in the same spot each night in the coop. Roosts themselves should be wide enough for the chicken to hold onto with their feet and roughly 2 feet off the floor and 1 foot apart. Do keep in mind chickens tend to roost according to peck order, so it may be preferable to keep roosts at the same height. Keep roosts away from feeders and waterers as chickens do around 50% of their poop at night. Put a poop tray under the chickens to collect the poop and make cleaning a lot easier for yourself.
3. Chickens are quite secretive when it comes to laying eggs, so provide a dark, quiet corner for your chickens to nest. Plan on 1 nesting box per 4 chickens. A crate is roughly the size you need for a nesting box. Chickens like to think about nesting before they actually go nest, so place a roost in front of the nesting box to make the chicken feel more comfortable and secure.
4. Give your chickens room! They like to run around, forage, scratch and generally socialize with other chickens. Inside the coop, try to allow at least 3 or 4 feet of space, and outside 6 feet. To work out the total size your coop and chicken run needs to be, just multiply these numbers with the number of chickens you wish to keep.
These are the absolute basics you need to include in your coop. Please have a look at some of the other ‘Not So Basics’ in a chicken coop before you build or buy your coop.
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