To make chicken coop comfortable for your chicken you will be required to pay close attention to some details on its construction plans. It will be a waste of time, money, and material building a chicken coop without a plan.
Creating a chicken coop may be easy but the comfort of your chicken is always a priority. You can always make chicken coops comfortable for your birds by following these guidelines.
You can keep your chicken healthy by providing them a spacious place to live. You should note that the minimum space requirement for each chicken in a coop must be at least 4 sq. ft. Thus, before you make chicken coops you should be able to identify the quantity of chickens you plan to keep inside the coop.
You can simply calculate that to keep 20 chickens inside a coop you are required to build at least 80 sq. ft of chicken coop. It is always best that you build a coop with more space than the minimum required. Chickens are likely to be happy if they have sufficient space to move around the coop.
Overcrowding is not an option as it can promote cannibalism, various ailments and disease. Not getting enough air and adequate space to move around can weaken your chicken, which can lead to sickness and death.
You may consider building a perch for your chicken. Without a perch the chicken will likely perch on the feeders or in the nesting boxes and it will cause droppings to spread on places where you do not want to have them.
Using broom handles can be a practical means of providing your chicken a comfortable place to perch. You can measure at least 8 inches from the ground to place the perch and place trays to collect their droppings easily. This is also a simple way of keeping the coop clean.
You must also recognize that chicken do sweat making it necessary to provide them proper ventilation that will allow their sweat to evaporate. You can provide proper ventilation through small vents or windows. The ideal site for the window or vent must be one that does not face the wind’s direction. It is best to place them on either the south or the east side where fresher air will likely go inside the coop while keeping stale air out of the chicken coop.
When you keep chicken to lay eggs you must ensure to have a maximum of six chickens per nesting box. Dark nesting boxes will make the chicken feel secure and comfortable. You can place straw shavings to prevent the eggs from cracking and it must be at least 4 inches deep.
You should make chicken coops that are sturdy enough and well protected from lurking predators. A simple way to test whether your chicken coop is strong enough is to push it. If you are able to move the coop then it is not sturdy enough. With an extra amount to spare you can build concrete floor and sturdy wires to provide your chicken better protection.
You can always make chicken coops to keep your chicken comfortable and productive with these tips and helpful guidelines.
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