Advice on Housing Chickens

CHICKEN COOPS IMPERIAL SANDRINGHAM (LARGE CHICKEN COOP) 223cm/7ft

Before you start to build or buy your chicken run, here’s some helpful advice on housing chickens. To begin with, you need to consider how many chickens you want to keep. Three good laying hens will lay 800 – 900 eggs a year: enough for a family of four to have around four eggs a week each.

Once you have decided on the number, you’ll then have a good idea of the size of pen and run that your chickens will need. The suggestion is that the coop should have at least 1.1M square of floor space for each chicken plus an outdoor space to roam.

You then need to consider where to locate the chicken coop. Usually this will be somewhere in your garden with space and where the chickens can be left relatively in peace.

A coop should be protect the hens from cold drafts, but also be well ventilated. Too much moisture causes ammonia to accumulate within the shelter and can cause disease. Positioning the coop to face the sun allows the sun’s heat to dry the ground and prevent too much moisture.

Having properly insulated walls helps keeep the coop warm in winter and cool during summer, as well as keep them dry. The coop should also be raised off the ground – this will extend the chicken coop’s life and will create healthier living conditions.

To protect your poultry from foxes and other predators, secure the coop with strong chicken wire. Even the doors and windows should have a screening system for double protection. In the case of those that burrow or dig under the ground, burying chicken wire around the coop at least one foot below the soil should be able to deter the foxiest of foxes.

Image pictured is the CHICKEN COOPS IMPERIAL SANDRINGHAM (LARGE CHICKEN COOP) 223cm/7ft SUITABLE FOR 6 to 12 BIRDS with INTEGRATED RUN & CLEANING TRAY for more information click on the link or image.