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Poultry Housing Checklist from
Starting with Chickens
- by Katie Thear
Just £6.95 with
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This article
is taken from Starting with Chickens by Katie Thear, the UK's
best selling book on keeping chickens.
Where to keep them, what to buy and where to buy chickens from
to what to do with the surplus eggs. The perfect introduction and probably
the only book on keeping chickens you actually need to buy.
Poultry Housing (Chicken Coops) - Checklist
Checklist
Check the timber
Has it has been treated so that it will stand up to
the weather? Tanalized, protimized or cuprinoled timber are popular
choices. Pressure treatment is the most effective because it ensures
the maximum degree of penetration. Creosote is used by some manufacturers.
This needs to be completely dry and 'weathered' before hens can
be introduced, so that they are not affected by its toxicity. If
you are re-proofing a house at any time, remember to buy proofer
that is non-toxic to bats. (Bats are protected by law in Britain
and builders are required to use proofers in the roof timbers that
will not harm them). If it's safe for bats, it's alright for chickens!
Dimensions of the support timbers
These are normally 2-3 cm thick. If they are too
thin the structure may not be strong enough. If too thick, the house
may be difficult to move.
Is the roof sound?
The roof should have an overhang for shedding water.
It may be a pitched roof, coming to a point at the top, or be angled
away from the door so that water is shed backwards. It may be wood
covered with bitumenized felt or be made of a modern material such
as Onduline. The latter is popular because it does not provide hiding
places for mites which can take up residence in the roof felt. Whatever
the construction, it needs to be drip-proof and have a good level
of insulation.
How easy is it to move?
If the house is a movable one, how is this accomplished?
Some houses have wheels, while others may have them offered as an
optional extra. The structure needs to be easy to grasp if it is
relatively small, so carrying handles need to be provided in the
appropriate positions. A larger house may have skids rather than
wheels so that it can be pulled. If the house is to be moved by
one person, it needs to be easily accomplished or the task can become
a nightmare.
Easy access to the inside
Does the house have a poultry keeper's door or is
there a 'lift-up' section of the roof. Whatever it is, it needs
to provide easy and convenient access to the inside of the house
for cleaning, and so on.
What is the floor like?
It may be solid-boarded which is warm, or slatted
which is colder but does allow droppings to fall through. An alternative
to slats is a rigid metal mesh floor that is more secure against
rodents.
Is it well ventilated?
Stale air can cause health problems so a house needs
to provide fresh air without draughts. Depending on the size of
house, ventilation is provided by a window, roof ridge or ventilation
holes covered with galvanized wire mesh. Check that air inlets can
be opened and closed easily.
Is there a pop-hole?
A 'pop-hole' entrance allows birds in and out of
the house. This is normally closed by mean of a sliding shutter
or 'drop-down' ramp. It is a useful feature to be able to open or
close the pop-hole door from outside a run, otherwise you will need
to go into the run. All doors, pop-holes and windows should fasten
firmly to exclude predators. A lock may also be appropriate to deter
thieves. Pop-holes are around 25cm wide x 30cm. Big birds they may
need 30cm x 38cm.
Perches
There needs to be a perch for the birds to sleep
on at night, with a minimum 20 cm of space per bird (30 cm if you
have large birds). The width is 4-5 cm and slightly rounded at the
sides for ease of grasping. Ideally the perch should be placed higher
than the nest boxes so that the chickens are not encouraged to sleep
in the latter. If there is more than one perch they need to be arranged
in such a way that chickens are not directly below each other. The
perches should be easy to remove for ease of cleaning.
Is there a droppings board?
A droppings board beneath the perch is useful for
catching droppings in such a way that they are easily removed by
sliding out the board. Alternatively, thick plastic sheeting can
be placed under the perches. In a shed or outbuilding, a droppings
pit or box with mesh cover or slats may be used.
Nest boxes
Nest boxes need to be placed low down in the darkest
area of the house because this will discourage egg eating. There
should be one nest box for every three birds, with wood shavings
or sawdust as a liner. Make sure that the shavings are from non-treated
wood otherwise they may be toxic. Wood shavings are preferable to
hay or straw which may harbour mites and become mouldy with disease
causing spores of Aspergillus fumigatus or 'Farmer's Lung' can also
affect humans.
It is possible to use nest boxes that slope backwards,
with a collecting bay at the back, so hens cannot reach the eggs
and be tempted to peck them. Nest boxes should be accessible to
the poultry keeper from outside the house.
Is the house easy to keep clean?
The fittings should be easily removed for cleaning
and the house itself should also be easy to dismantle. A stiff brush
and dustpan are good cleaning tools, but having a droppings board
or polythene, as referred to above, saves a lot of time and effort.
Starting with Chickens - Housing for Chickens (Chicken
Coops)
© 2004. Katie Thear.
From Starting with Chickens,
published by Broad Leys Publishing Ltd
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