The Happy Chicken Coop
Home sweet home
A nice place to lay down
For beginners it can be a bit daunting to decide on what type of chicken coup to build or get. Or is some building on your property suitable to be converted. I think there are 6 main considerations.
Safety
This is the most important thing of all. Everyone wants to eat your hens, so keeping them safe will save you tons of grief. Whether their coop is built inside another building such as a barn or shop or if it is a free-standing structure, it just needs to be entry-proof for all those looking for lunch or a late-night snack.
If it is on the ground make sure a predator can not dig under it and get in. Or if they are a larger predator, push their way into it. If they are locked up tight at night, you will sleep better.
Room
Happy chickens need space to run around. In general, it is better to provide too much space, than too little. Especially in free-range chickens, this lessens any impact that they have on your yards and gardens. As a rule though, at least 10 square feet per chicken. Keep in mind how easy will it be to clean and access eggs. You can see in many chicken coup designs they are raised to provide a covered space outside for chickens to get in out of the rain and hot sun.
Perches
Chickens feel safest sleeping on a raised perch. So your coup should be tall enough for roosting perches. Perches should be above nesting boxes and about a foot away from walls. They should be wide enough for a chicken foot to comfortably wrap around it, usually 2 – 5 inches thick. Plastic, metal, or dowelled smooth wood bars are terrible and can lead to foot problems. Wood bars with rough edges or even branches are best. They need air pockets to prevent infections and bumblefoot. There should be ample space to accommodate the hens, even though they tend to bunch up together.
Nesting Boxes
The general rule of thumb is a box for every 3 hens, but more is better than less. Although nesting boxes can be placed on the outside of the coup (easier to access), it is not ideal. If the boxes are inside the coop, in colder weather, hens will sometimes bunk in with others in the boxes.
Ventilation – Fresh air is essential to good health and to prevent respiratory diseases. You may want ventilation that can be adjusted as hens hate heat, moisture, and humidity.
Cleanliness. It goes without saying an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Keeping the coup clean prevents all sorts of trouble. Make sure cleaning is easy when designing your coup.
Lastly, if you want eggs all year, you will need electricity so that in winter time there is ample light to keep egg production going.
Things to Note
Appointment Only
We can't wait to see you, but all pickups do require an appointment. Call or write to arrange your pickup.
Delivery Preparation
Before your chicks arrive make sure you are set up to receive them with all the supplies you might need. Read our help guides if you have any quesions.
Contact us with any Questions
We love to hear from our customers, please use our contact page to reach out to us.
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