“What Every Chicken Owner Needs to Know
About Building Their Own Chicken Coops and
Caring for Their Flock”
http://www.ChickenCoopPlan.com
http://ChickenCoops.Blogspot.com
- Published by Kelson Spear –
Chicken Coop Living
Table of Contents - Brief
Introduction......................................................................................................................... 1
General................................................................................................................................ 1
Feed..................................................................................................................................... 7
Health.................................................................................................................................. 9
Hens .................................................................................................................................. 12
Roosters............................................................................................................................. 16
Eggs................................................................................................................................... 19
Chicks ............................................................................................................................... 25
Chicken Coops .................................................................................................................. 26
Predators ........................................................................................................................... 52
Bizarre and Amazing ........................................................................................................ 58
Page: 1.
Table of Contents - Detailed
Introduction......................................................................................................................... 1
General................................................................................................................................ 1
1. Are chickens curious ? ........................................................................................ 1
2. Are chickens mischievous ?................................................................................ 1
3. Can chickens learn to use cat-flaps and dog-flaps ? ........................................... 1
4. Can chickens have a personality ? ...................................................................... 1
5. Entertaining Antics of a Free-range Chicken...................................................... 2
6. How long do chickens live ?............................................................................... 2
7. Can you train a chicken ?.................................................................................... 3
8. How do you tame a chicken ? ............................................................................. 3
9. Do chickens make good family pets ? ................................................................ 3
10.
Can I keep a chicken in an apartment (without access to a garden) ? ............ 3
11.
Can I keep chickens in a residential area ? My house has a large garden. .... 3
12.
How do chickens clean themselves ?.............................................................. 3
13.
Do chickens remember ?................................................................................. 4
14.
How much garden do I need to keep a chicken ? ........................................... 4
15.
Clipping their Wings ? .................................................................................... 4
16.
What is a chicken’s crop ? What does it do ? ................................................ 5
17.
How do chickens reproduce ? ......................................................................... 5
18.
How often do hens need to mate to maintain egg fertility ? ........................... 5
19.
How many chickens do I need ? ..................................................................... 5
20.
Do chickens have a "Social Structure" ?......................................................... 6
21.
What is the "Pecking Order" ? ........................................................................ 6
22.
Are chickens active at night ? ......................................................................... 6
23.
Are there any nocturnal breeds of domestic chicken ? ................................... 6
24.
Do chickens have their own language ? What sounds do chickens make ? .. 6
25.
Do chickens ever eat their own eggs ?............................................................ 6
26.
How do you stop a chicken from smelling ?................................................... 6
Feed..................................................................................................................................... 7
27.
What should chickens be fed ? What do they eat ?........................................ 7
28.
How much should a chicken be fed ? ............................................................. 7
29.
Is it safe / OK to feed chickens old egg shells ? ............................................. 8
30.
The chickens have pecked their coop bare of vegetation ? What can I do ? . 8
31.
What is shell grit ? .......................................................................................... 8
32.
Sea Shells and Cuttle Fish Bones.................................................................... 8
33.
Can chickens destroy your lawn ? .................................................................. 9
34.
Will chickens eat the vegetables and fruits growing in my garden, like
cabbages, lettuce, strawberries, tomatoes, eggplants, spinach etc? ............................ 9
35.
How do I keep chickens out of my vegetable garden ? .................................. 9
36.
How do I keep chickens out of my house ? .................................................... 9
Health.................................................................................................................................. 9
37.
General............................................................................................................ 9
Page: 2.
38.
Drinking Water ............................................................................................. 10
39.
Water + Garlic .............................................................................................. 10
40.
Bird Lice ....................................................................................................... 10
41.
Scaly Legs..................................................................................................... 10
42.
What does "crop bound" mean ? How do you treat it ?............................... 10
43.
What does "egg bound" mean ? How do you treat it ? ................................ 11
44.
What is a hen's vent and how do you find it ? .............................................. 11
45.
Some hens are laying soft eggs or eggs with very thin and fragile shells ?
What can I do ? ......................................................................................................... 11
46.
Which breed(s) of chicken are the most resistant to disease ?...................... 11
47.
How hot or cold can chickens be before their health is affected ? ............... 11
48.
What happens when chickens get hot ? ........................................................ 11
49.
What happens when chickens get cold ?....................................................... 12
Hens .................................................................................................................................. 12
General Information...................................................................................................... 12
50.
What happens if there are only hens and no roosters ?................................. 12
51.
Do hens ever try and crow like a rooster ?.................................................... 12
52.
Do hens ever try and "mount" each other ? .................................................. 12
Broody Hens ................................................................................................................. 12
53.
How long do hens incubate their eggs ? ....................................................... 12
54.
What does "broody" mean ? ......................................................................... 13
55.
Do all hens go broody ? Which breeds are the broodiest ?.......................... 13
56.
How long can the mother hen be off the nest during the day ? What will
happen if she stays off too long ? Should I watch her and try and hurry her back if
she is off too long ?................................................................................................... 13
57.
How do you reverse a hen's broodiness ? ..................................................... 13
58.
How do you discourage hens from going broody ? ...................................... 13
59.
Marking the eggs of a broody hen. ............................................................... 13
60.
Which hens make the best mothers ?............................................................ 14
61.
Will mother hens team up and care for each other chickens ?...................... 14
Laying Hens .................................................................................................................. 14
62.
How can you help chickens lay their eggs ? ................................................. 14
63.
How do you safely gather the eggs ? ............................................................ 14
64.
Should a light or radio be left on so they lay more eggs ?............................ 14
65.
At what age are these hens going to start laying eggs ?................................ 15
66.
Are the hens first few eggs smaller than subsequent eggs ? ......................... 15
67.
How often should I collect the eggs ?........................................................... 15
68.
When a hen gets ready to lay eggs in the coop, do you have to put anything
in it like leaves, moss, hay, or sticks ? ...................................................................... 15
Battery Hens.................................................................................................................. 15
69.
What are "Battery Hens" ? ............................................................................ 15
70.
Is keeping "battery hens" cruel ? .................................................................. 15
Roosters............................................................................................................................. 16
71.
How early in the morning do they really start crowing ? ............................. 16
72.
How can you quieten down early crowers ? ................................................. 16
73.
If you have multiple roosters, do they fight ? ............................................... 16
74.
Is a roosters crow a challenge ? .................................................................... 16
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75.
76.
77.
78.
79.
80.
81.
82.
83.
84.
85.
86.
87.
88.
89.
Why do roosters crow ? ................................................................................ 16
How far does a rooster's crow carry ?........................................................... 16
How does the roosters position in the group affect how many hens he has ?17
Do roosters look after their hens ? ................................................................ 17
Will a rooster protect his hens ?.................................................................... 17
Will a rooster protect his hen's chickens ? .................................................... 17
Will a rooster attack a big dog ? ................................................................... 17
Will a rooster attack a human ?..................................................................... 18
Are roosters "good" fathers ? ........................................................................ 18
How many roosters is too many ?................................................................. 18
What is a good Hen : Rooster ration ? .......................................................... 18
Can I keep roosters in a residential area ?..................................................... 18
What is a rooster's spurs ?............................................................................. 18
Do roosters cause each other injury ? ........................................................... 18
Do roosters fight each other to the death ? ................................................... 19
Eggs................................................................................................................................... 19
90.
How do you determine whether eggs are good or bad ?............................... 19
91.
I found a cracked egg in the nest, is it safe to eat ?....................................... 19
92.
I have a cracked egg but it has chicken poo or dirt on it, is it safe to eat ?... 19
93.
Should I wash eggs before cracking them ?.................................................. 19
94.
How to determine female / male eggs........................................................... 19
95.
Are Roosters required for a Hen to lay eggs ? .............................................. 19
96.
Do fertilised eggs taste / look any different to unfertilised eggs ................. 19
97.
What is a double-yolked egg ?...................................................................... 20
98.
What is the record for the most yolks in a single egg ? ................................ 20
99.
Can two chicks hatch from one egg ? ........................................................... 20
100. Can two chicks hatch from one "single-yolked" egg ? ................................. 20
101. Can I hatch the eggs I buy at the store ? ....................................................... 20
102. If a mother hen sits on a fertile egg, will it always hatch ? If not, what does
she do with it ? .......................................................................................................... 20
103. How long can the mother hen be off the nest during the day ? What will
happen if she stays off too long ? Should I watch her and try and hurry her back if
she is off too long ?................................................................................................... 21
104. If an egg embryo dies during incubation, does it feel pain ? ........................ 21
105. Can you open the shell for the chick ?.......................................................... 21
106. Can we hold the chicks as soon as they hatch ?............................................ 21
107. How long after the chick hatched does it become an adult ?........................ 21
108. When can chicks join adults in the main part of the coop ? ......................... 21
109. What part of the egg develops into the baby chicken ? ................................ 21
110. Does the small white spot on the egg yolk indicate that the egg is fertile ? . 21
111. How can I tell if an egg is fertile ?................................................................ 22
112. Is there a nutritional difference in eggs with different colours of shells ?.... 22
113. Do all eggs have the same cholesterol content ?........................................... 22
114. Does eating eggs increase my cholesterol ?.................................................. 22
115. How long will eggs keep ?............................................................................ 22
116. Should I eat foods that may contain uncooked eggs ? .................................. 22
117. Can eggs be frozen ? ..................................................................................... 22
Page: 4.
118. What causes blood spots in eggs ?................................................................ 23
119. What are the stringy white things in eggs ? .................................................. 23
120. Why are some hard-cooked eggs difficult to peel ?...................................... 23
121. How long should I boil an egg ? ................................................................... 23
122. What size eggs are best ? .............................................................................. 23
123. What are free range eggs ?............................................................................ 24
124. Why do free range eggs have darker yolks ? ................................................ 24
125. What are designer eggs ? .............................................................................. 24
126. If a hen starts with about 4,000 ova and lays only 240 to 250 eggs a year,
what happens to the remaining ova ?........................................................................ 24
127. Do hens with dark feathers lay eggs with darker shells than hens with light
feathers ? ................................................................................................................... 24
128. Is it possible to tell which hen laid which egg ? ........................................... 25
Chicks ............................................................................................................................... 25
129. How can the sex of baby chicks be determined ? ......................................... 25
130. When do chicks "imprint" on their "parent" ? .............................................. 25
131. Do baby chicks need their own special area ? Is it safe to put baby chicks
with adults ? .............................................................................................................. 26
132. At what age can baby chickens be moved into the main coop area ?........... 26
133. How to care for chicks ? ............................................................................... 26
Chicken Coops .................................................................................................................. 26
General.......................................................................................................................... 26
134. Why do chicken coops have two doors ?...................................................... 26
135. What is a "Chicken Coop" ? ......................................................................... 27
136. Is a coop mostly for sleeping, or do chickens spend a lot of time in them ? 27
137. Why do chickens have to stay in houses why cant they just run around in the
backyard ? Are coops and houses really necessary ?............................................... 27
138. What is the best way to move chickens to a new home ? ............................. 27
139. What is the height of run necessary to prevent chickens flying over the top ?
27
Things to consider before you start............................................................................... 28
140. Have you ever owned chickens before ?....................................................... 28
141. How much coop area does each chicken need ? ........................................... 28
142. How much room is needed in a run or pen ? Same as inside the coop or
more ? 28
143. How much dirt do the chickens need to clean with ? ................................... 28
144. What about when it's muddy, and rainy and wet ? ....................................... 29
145. How many chickens are you planning to get ? ............................................. 29
146. What are the most important factors if you absolutely want chickens no
matter where you are located ? ................................................................................. 29
147. What should I consider before choosing a type of chicken coop ?.............. 29
148. What are the steps in building a coop ? ........................................................ 30
149. How "attractive" does the coop need to be ? ................................................ 31
150. What do we need to consider in building a coop ? (size, portability,
protection, materials, getting access, cleanliness, price, etc).................................... 32
151. Do coops have to be built directly on the ground ? Can they be build above
the ground ?............................................................................................................... 32
Page: 5.
152. Portability / Movability ? .............................................................................. 32
153. How can you make a coop portable ? ........................................................... 33
154. What is a "Chicken Ark" ?............................................................................ 33
155. What is a "Tractor " or a "Tractor Coop" ?................................................... 33
156. Also, there is very little info about the stages between chicks and housing in
a tractor/coop. How old when they start to tractor ?................................................ 33
157. How many nest boxes for a tractor ? ............................................................ 33
Roosts and Perches ....................................................................................................... 33
158. Is it necessary to have roosting places within the coop ? ............................. 33
159. How many roosts do I need for my chickens ?............................................. 34
160. What should the roosts / perches be made of ? What is best to use for a
perch - width, round or square, etc ?........................................................................ 34
161. How high should the roosts / perches be ?.................................................... 34
162. If chickens cannot roam-free, do they get too heavy or too big to fly (i.e. fat)
? Do we need to include a ramp they can walk up to the roosts ? ........................... 34
163. What is the lowest a perch should be ? ......................................................... 34
164. How should the roosts / perches be positioned ? .......................................... 34
165. What should spacing be from 1 roost bar to the next ?................................. 35
166. Do chickens always return to their "roost" to sleep ? ................................... 35
167. Encouraging chickens to choose a new roost ?............................................. 35
The Perfect Coop .......................................................................................................... 35
168. How do you create the perfect coop ?........................................................... 35
169. What is the best way to keep predators out ?................................................ 35
Size and Facilities ......................................................................................................... 36
170. What is the best Coop Size Vs Number of Chickens ? How big an area per
chicken do you need for the birds to be happy and disease free ? ............................ 36
171. Do you have any building designs, and where can we find more other
designs ?.................................................................................................................... 36
172. How many water/feeders should I have per chicken ? ................................. 36
173. How much water per chicken per day ?........................................................ 36
174. What kind or type of container do we need ? ............................................... 37
175. Where exactly in the run and the coop should we put the water and feed
containers ? ............................................................................................................... 37
176. How or what are the best ways to care for and take care of the coop (clean it,
get into it, maintain it, put electric and water to it) ? ................................................ 37
177. What is the best way to keep my chickens safe in an outdoor running pen ?37
Types of Coops ............................................................................................................. 37
178. Is there a suitable storage shed on the market ?............................................ 37
179. Is it better to raise the coop off the ground or can you use an old shed and put
nests on the ground ?................................................................................................. 38
180. How to build one that is so unusual that it will stop traffic on the road ? .... 38
181. What's a good Nursery Coop ? How do you build a small brooder coop, one
that will hold the setter and her clutch, and keep them safe ? .................................. 38
182. What is a basic mobile coop design ? ........................................................... 39
183. Large basic fixed coop .................................................................................. 41
Materials ....................................................................................................................... 42
184. What materials can and should we use to build a coop ? Cheapest vs. best
material ?................................................................................................................... 42
Page: 6.
185. How often do you need framing cross beams to make the design sturdy ? .. 42
186. What is a shade cloth and where can I get it ? .............................................. 43
187. What about using plywood ?......................................................................... 43
Flooring......................................................................................................................... 43
188. What should I do about good drainage of the waste ? .................................. 43
189. What kind of flooring (timber, wire, cement) is best and why (easy waste
handling, sanitation, and comfort for the chickens) ? What about pricing on these?
43
190. Does sand and gravel in the run really work for good drainage of the waste ?
43
191. How deep the concrete or mesh has to be around the coop ? ....................... 44
Walls ............................................................................................................................. 44
192. What should the walls be made of ? ............................................................. 44
193. What about building the walls ?.................................................................... 44
194. How about windows, are they needed ?........................................................ 44
Roof............................................................................................................................... 44
195. How about the roofing and keeping the coop from leaking and keeping
chickens dry? ............................................................................................................ 44
196. Protection from predators ?........................................................................... 44
197. Is corrugated iron easy to cut or bend to get to the height and shape needed ?
45
198. Is there a specific weight / gauge wire and size wire you recommend ? ...... 45
Doors / Entrances.......................................................................................................... 45
199. Is it necessary to close the entrance(s) each night after the chickens have
entered ? .................................................................................................................... 45
200. It seems that varmints can enter through the slight air opening even when the
entrances are closed. ................................................................................................. 45
201. How about doors for chickens and also for people ? .................................... 45
202. Large coops might have multiple doors for human access. .......................... 45
203. What about ramps for elevated coops ? ........................................................ 46
Nest Boxes (Laying Boxes) ......................................................................................... 46
204. How big should the hen's nest be ? ............................................................... 46
205. What shape should a laying box be ?............................................................ 46
206. Can the laying boxes be underneath where they sleep ? Or will that make a
big chicken poo mess on the nests ? ......................................................................... 47
207. Do hens share nests ? .................................................................................... 47
208. Where do you put and how do you build and set up nest boxes ? ................ 47
209. Is it better to have nest boxes at ground level or off the ground ?................ 47
210. How many "laying boxes" are needed ? (1 per chicken ?) .......................... 48
211. I have three chickens and one nesting box. Is this going to be okay ? ......... 48
212. How do you encourage chickens to use the nest boxes ? ............................. 48
213. Also, what is the best bedding to use (wood shavings, leaves, moss, hay,
sticks, etc) ?............................................................................................................... 48
214. Where and how do you put in the bedding ? ................................................ 48
215. I have wood shavings, but am unsure where to put them ! I've put some in
the nesting box, and some on the floor. How much should I use ? ......................... 48
216. What is the best way of building a chicken coop in order for the hens to lay
eggs comfortably and for the owner to collect the eggs easily ? .............................. 48
Page: 7.
217. What would be the best way to collect your eggs from the coop with out
disturbing the nesting ? I have heard of coops where the chicken lays the egg and
the egg rolls into a collecting compartment.............................................................. 48
Cleaning ........................................................................................................................ 49
218. How often should I clean the coop out ?....................................................... 49
219. How do you clean the coop out ? What do you do ? ................................... 49
220. How thoroughly should I clean ? .................................................................. 49
221. Do I need to disinfect ? ................................................................................. 49
222. How can I make the coop easier to clean out ?............................................. 49
223. Is it dangerous to breath in "Chicken Poo" dust ? ........................................ 49
224. How to keep the run healthy and clean ? ...................................................... 49
Insulation and Heating .................................................................................................. 50
225. Insulation / heating for cold climates ? ......................................................... 50
226. I am also concerned about air circulation within the coop. I live in Texas and
the nights are hot and humid..................................................................................... 50
227. Would it be o.k. to keep a waterer within the coop in case the chickens are
thirsty ?...................................................................................................................... 50
Drainage and Run-Off................................................................................................... 51
228. Can you explain how to get good drainage in the run ?................................ 51
229. What should I do with the run-off water ?.................................................... 51
Inside the Coop ............................................................................................................. 51
230. What things are necessary ?.......................................................................... 51
231. Do you need food and water inside ?............................................................ 51
232. How about heat and electric ?....................................................................... 51
233. I am curious about the in between stages of tractor/coop - is a tractor a day
use area and they need a coop at night and in winter ?............................................. 51
Predators ........................................................................................................................... 52
234. Warning sounds – ground predators Vs Air predators.................................. 52
235. What happens when chickens are attacked ? ................................................ 52
236. Can clipping a chicken's wings reduce their chances for escape from a
predator ? .................................................................................................................. 52
237. Can the chicken coop wire reduce their chances for escape from a predator ?
52
238. What happens after chickens have been attacked ? ...................................... 52
239. How can you tell if your chickens are being attacked ? ............................... 53
240. What should I do during an attack ? How can I prepare for an attack ? ...... 53
Most Common Predators .............................................................................................. 53
241. Goannas......................................................................................................... 53
242. Wild and Feral Dogs, Coyotes, and Dingoes................................................ 54
243. Family Pets.................................................................................................... 54
244. Foxes ............................................................................................................. 54
245. Snakes ........................................................................................................... 55
246. Wild / feral cats............................................................................................. 55
247. Hawks ........................................................................................................... 55
248. Raccoons ....................................................................................................... 56
249. Weasels ......................................................................................................... 56
250. Opossums and Skunks .................................................................................. 56
Page: 8.
251. Cane Toads.................................................................................................... 56
252. Can I kill any bird or animal that comes into my coop and kills my chickens
?
56
Protection from Predators ............................................................................................. 57
253. Would you talk about protection - How do you build coops so the chickens
stay safe ? (gaps and holes in walls, floors, and roofs) ? ......................................... 57
254. How about wire mesh into the ground surrounding the coop - how deep if
used ? 57
255. Is a net needed over the run ?........................................................................ 57
256. Guard Dogs ................................................................................................... 57
257. Guard Donkeys ............................................................................................. 58
258. Guard Llamas................................................................................................ 58
Bizarre and Amazing ........................................................................................................ 58
Chicken living without its head – is this possible ? ...................................................... 58
25 Other Amazing Chicken Facts ................................................................................. 59
Page: 9.
Introduction
My sister thought she was a chicken. She clucked,
pecked the ground, and tried to fly. My parents
thought of sending her to a psychiatrist, but we
were poor and needed the eggs.
Keeping chickens can be a thoroughly enjoyable activity for
people of all ages. Not only will they provide you with fresh
eggs, but chickens can also become interesting family pets,
each with their own personality.
In general, chickens can be a relatively low maintenance,
self sufficient, and hardy animal – especially if they can
roam free in a garden or paddock area for at least part of
each day.
At the end of the day, there is nothing more natural than
seeing a chicken roaming free around a farm house garden.
However, before you decide to get some chickens and let
them run free, there are many things that you need to know.
General
1.
Are chickens curious ?
Yes, absolutely. They are very curious animals, and, if they get out of their coop, they
will set out to explore their surroundings, and are well known for entering and exploring
houses, cars, and caravans.
2.
Are chickens mischievous ?
Yes, the certainly can be on occasion.
3.
Can chickens learn to use cat-flaps and dog-flaps ?
Yes, indeed they can.
4.
Can chickens have a personality ?
Yes, absolutely. Chickens who are brought up close to humans can have distinct
personalities. Some chickens are adventurous / cheeky by nature, whilst others live quiet,
calm lives.
Page: 1.
5.
Entertaining Antics of a Free-range Chicken
Elaine – Mischievous
or Misunderstood ?
A friend in Australia has a Rhode Island Red chicken named
Elaine. Elaine is a particularly inquisitive and mischievous hen,
with a big personality. She has worked out how to open catflaps and dog doors, and she can solve problems. She is
particularly fond of exploring where she should not be, and she
particularly loves the kitchen and dining rooms in the house.
One of the most memorable of her antics is now known as
Elaine's Famous Tomato Heist, where she flew up onto the
house roof, walked right over to the other side of the house, and
jumped down into the tomato garden which was surrounded by a
6 foot high chicken wire fence. Needless to say, Elaine had
pecked every single tomato before she was finally caught. She
obviously felt like some lovely ripe tomatoes, and she figured
out exactly how to get them.
When it's time to feed the chickens, Elaine's owner has to be
very careful to close all doors on the house. Elaine is a so
naughty, that she will swim against the tide and often she will
decide to miss out on the feed outside if she thinks she can
sneak into the house and find something better inside. So,
while the other hens, ducks, geese, turkeys, etc are all running
madly for the feed shed at the bottom of the hill, Elaine will
often be found sneaking back up to the house to see if she can
find a way inside while all the commotion is going on. Sadly,
for Elaine's owner, she often succeeds.
Elaine – Lovable or
Loathsome ?
Elaine – Cunning or
Misconstrued ?
Another of Elaine's favourite tricks is to jump inside the car
while the shopping is being taken inside the house. As fast as
lightning she pecks through plastic bags to sample as much
bread, tomatoes, fruit, and anything else she can before she is
discovered. She has also been spotted dragging entire loaves of
bread out of the car and into the garden. One of her cronies,
Shirley, is almost as naughty, and together they make a terrible
duo. Life is never dull when Elaine and Shirley are on the
rampage.
These are the forces you are up against when you keep chickens.
6.
How long do chickens live ?
Battery Hens have sad, short lives and they generally only live for 18 to 24 months,
because by this age their laying rate will decline and they are slaughtered for human
consumption. Chickens who are allowed to roam free and live more naturally have
Page: 2.
happier, longer lives and (provided no predator gets them) many live between 6 and 10
years. The oldest living chicken was a 14 year old hen named "Matilda".
7.
Can you train a chicken ?
Yes, but they usually prefer the bus. Seriously though, yes, it is possible to a small
degree. For example, Matilda, the oldest living chicken mentioned above, was used in a
magic show and she could perform very simple, repetitive tasks.
8.
How do you tame a chicken ?
Most chickens are "tamed" by regular human contact from the moment they are hatched.
It is possible to tame a "wild" chicken, but it does take a lot of time and effort. For
example, gradually get closer to them while feeding, and during the coming days / weeks,
gradually move to hand feeding them, and then patting them during feeding, and so on.
9.
Do chickens make good family pets ?
Tame chickens can make very good family pets. However, smaller chickens (such as
bantams) are recommended for small children because they are usually gentler and more
docile.
10.
Can I keep a chicken in an apartment (without access to a garden) ?
Yes, it is possible. However, it is not recommended. Chickens like to scratch around in
the garden and eat grass, leaves, gravel, and insects, and have dust baths (see "12."
below), so it would be much better if they had regular access to a garden.
11.
Can I keep chickens in a residential area ? My house has a large
garden.
Generally, the answer to this question is "yes" – you can usually keep up to 6 hens on a
residential plot of land. However, check with your local council and neighbours first. It
is very unlikely that you would be allowed to keep any roosters in a residential area, so if
you want your hens to lay fertile eggs, then they will need to go on holidays to the
country to visit the roosters for a few days every 7-10 days.
12.
How do chickens clean themselves ?
Ironically, chickens keep clean by having a dust bath. That is, they scratch up some dry
sand or dirt and then lie in it and ruffle up their feathers until they are saturated in sand /
dirt, and then they stand-up, have a good shake, and presto, they are "clean". Dust baths
serve several purposes – they can remove excess oil from the feathers, but the most
important function is to remove parasites.
Page: 3.
13.
Do chickens remember ?
Yes, most certainly. If a predator, such as a wild dog, attacks or kills a chicken in a
particular area, the other chickens can be very wary of venturing into that area again for
at least several weeks, even if it is their favourite feeding or roosting place. In addition,
chickens can identify the sound and appearance of cars or people and they will, for
example, become very excited when they hear or see the car or person that they associate
with their food.
14.
How much garden do I need to keep a chicken ?
The answer to this question depends on the size and type of chicken and the vegetation in
the garden. If a garden is too small, then you will need to supplement the chicken's feed
requirements with kitchen scraps and/or other chicken feed.
15.
Clipping their Wings ?
In is possible to clip the wing of a chicken so that they cannot fly out of a coop or over a
fence. Clipping the wings involves trimming the feathers in the chicken's wing with a
pair of scissors. Before you attempt to do this, extend the chicken's wing and make sure
that you know where their bones and flesh is, and be very careful not to trim the feathers
too much. Chickens that roam free should NOT have their wings clipped. If you clip a
chicken's wing, then make sure you only clip one wing – so that the forces of the
chicken's wing flaps are unbalanced, making it very difficult for the chicken to fly.
Before Clipping
After Clipping
Warning: Be VERY careful NOT to cut the weathers too close to their base, and be
VERY careful NOT to cut the chicken's flesh.
However, before you trim a chicken's feathers, consider this: if the chicken's wings are
clipped it will be harder for the chicken to escape and avoid predators.
Page: 4.
16.
What is a chicken’s crop ? What does it do ?
A chicken's crop is the round, soft bulge at the base of their neck. The crop for an
average chicken can be approximately the size of a golf ball, however, only about onethird of this will protrude out from the neck. Chickens have a beak but no teeth, so they
cannot actually chew their food. So, the crop is a muscular device in their necks that
helps mash up their food so they can digest it. Chickens eat very small pebbles, small
pieces of shell, and similar material and this goes into their crop and helps it mash up
their food.
17.
How do chickens reproduce ?
Chickens reproduce in a similar manner to some other birds and animals. The hen
produces an egg which, if fertilized and properly incubated, can result in a baby chick.
The true egg, the part that develops into the embryo, is located on the egg yolk.
Originally, the yolk begins to develop in the ovary and, after 10-12 days of development,
ovulation occurs. If the hen has mated with a rooster within the past 7-10 days, then
sperm will be present and fertilization can occur.
The rooster does not have a penis and therefore there is no penetration of the female
reproductive tract at the time of mating. Instead the hen inverts her cloaca (the site of the
common junction of the reproductive and digestive systems) which comes in contact with
the rooster's inverted cloaca and receives the sperm. The cloaca is then drawn back into
the hen’s body and the sperm are captured, and the rooster's sperm travel up the hen's
reproductive system.
The sperm can live for 7-10 days inside the hen's reproductive system, and each time an
ovulation occurs (every 24-26 hours in good egg layers) the egg can become fertile.
Matings at 7 - 10 day intervals are necessary to maintain egg fertility. After fertilization
occurs the egg albumen, shell membranes, and shell are added to complete the egg
formation process. The chicken usually lays the egg about 24 hours after ovulation.
After the egg has been laid, it needs to be incubated (by an incubator or by a broody hen)
for approximately 21 days before chickens can hatch.
18.
How often do hens need to mate to maintain egg fertility ?
Hen's need to mate with a rooster at least every 7-10 days to maintain constant egg
fertility.
19.
How many chickens do I need ?
The answer to this question will depend on how many eggs you need. Generally each
adult hen in the prime of their life will lay between 4 and 7 eggs a week, depending on
their diet and how happy they are. So, if you have 10 hens, then you should get
something like 40 – 70 eggs per week.
Page: 5.
20.
Do chickens have a "Social Structure" ?
Indeed, they do. There is a definite social structure amongst chickens. This is also
known as the pecking order. The chickens low down in the pecking order tend to eat last,
get chased away from food, and get the lowest perches in the coop. They are also bossed
around and picked on by chickens higher up in the pecking order.
When chickens that have never met each other are brought together, there is usually quite
a bit of squabbling, fighting, and pecking, but within a day or so, they will have their
pecking order sorted out and the group will co-exist more or less harmoniously from then
on.
21.
What is the "Pecking Order" ?
See "20." above.
22.
Are chickens active at night ?
No, chickens go to "bed" at or before sundown, and tend to be very "dopey" and "sleepy"
during the night. This means that chickens are particularly vulnerable to attack from
predators at night.
23.
Are there any nocturnal breeds of domestic chicken ?
No.
24.
Do chickens have their own language ? What sounds do chickens
make ?
Yes, they have a basic language. For example, they have 2 sorts of alarm calls – one for
airborne predators, and another for ground based predators. When the alarm is sounded,
chicks hide under their mothers, or run with their mothers to the nearest shelter. Hens
make a "book- book-boookey" sound when they have laid an egg. Usually, other hens
and roosters join in with the celebration when one hens starts making this sound, and
pretty soon the whole flock can be clucking away happily. Roosters crow to let the other
hens and roosters know they are there. Mother hens call their chicks over for food with a
"duck-duck-duck" sound. This same sound is used by roosters to call their hens (and
their chicks) over to share their food.
25.
Do chickens ever eat their own eggs ?
Yes, it does happen occasionally, particularly if an egg is knocked out of the nest and
breaks. Some of the chickens may eat the egg, and from then on they may break and eat
other eggs. To stop a chicken from doing this, give them a bad egg (i.e. an egg that has
been un-refrigerated for over 3 months).
26.
How do you stop a chicken from smelling ?
Hold it's nose.
Page: 6.
Feed
27.
What should chickens be fed ? What do they eat ?
Chickens enjoy variety in their food. Feeding them Laying Mash day in and day out can
become mundane. Chickens enjoy a regularly changing variety of foods, such as :
•
Cracked corn
•
Laying pellets / mash
•
Chicken Booster
•
Mixed grain
•
Scraps from your kitchen. e.g. carrot, pumpkin and potato peelings, tomato ends,
left over lettuce and cabbage, old bread, and just about anything else.
•
Pumpkin, tomatoes, paw paw, mangoes, water melon, passion fruit, oranges,
grapes, lettuce, and many other fruit and vegetables are scrumptious delicacies for
chickens. Cut the fruit and vegetables up into pieces, and feed them to your
chickens.
•
Any old, rotten, or over-ripe fruit and vegetables.
•
Lawn clippings. e.g. from your lawn mower.
•
Prunings from plants that are safe for them to eat.
•
Shell Grit – see "31" and "32".
As you can see, chickens will eat almost anything.
Another good thing to do is to plant fruit trees so that they partially overhang the chicken
coop so that the over-ripe fruit drops down into the coop.
Chickens also enjoy roaming free and foraging for their own food in paddocks or garden
areas. They will eat grass, leaves off plants, moths and insects, worms, ants, termites,
and just about anything else they find in your garden – even the vegetables you are
growing for your own consumption, if you aren't careful.
28.
How much should a chicken be fed ?
The answer to this depends on how much land the chicken has to forage over and how
much feed they can find on this land. If there is plenty of grass, herbs, plants, insects, etc
for the chicken to eat, then you might not need to supplement their food much at all.
However, even if the chickens have plenty of feed when roaming freely "in the paddock",
it is sill a good idea to feed them, because then they associate you and their coop with
"food", and it will reinforce the fact that their coop is their home.
Page: 7.
If the chickens are confined to their coop all day, then be very generous with the food you
give them. e.g. a cup of food per chicken per day. If your chickens are hungry – e.g.
they are frantically searching for a way out of their coop or they spend a lot of time
sitting lethargically – then they could be starving. So, feed them more.
If the chickens are allowed free and forage on their own for at least a few hours a day,
then you can give them less food. e.g. a cup of food per 3-4 chickens per day.
29.
Is it safe / OK to feed chickens old egg shells ?
It is possible that this can teach chickens to eat their own eggs. However, if the egg
shells are broken up, and mixed in with vegetables, bread, grain, etc, then there should be
far less danger. The egg shells are a useful source of lime and calcium, and may be
essential if you don’t have access to shell grit, cuttle fish bones, etc.
Also see "25", "31", and "32".
30.
The chickens have pecked their coop bare of vegetation ? What can I
do ?
In a stationary / fixed coop, the chickens can very quickly peck and eat all of the edible
grass and plants inside their coop, leaving just bare soil. When this happens, you have
several choices (and you may need to do more than one of them) :
•
Move their coop to a new location
•
Extend the coop to include more land
•
Reduce the number of chickens
•
Regularly feed your chickens with a variety of foods. See "27" above.
•
Let your chickens roam free and forage on their own for at least several hours a
day. e.g. let them out every day after 12 noon, when all of the eggs have been
laid.
31.
What is shell grit ?
Shell Grit is a mixture of very small pebbles, small pieces of shell, and similar material
that you can buy from farm supply shops. Buying shell grit is necessary if the chicken
does not have access to soil that contains very small pebbles or pieces of shell. Also see
"16" above.
32.
Sea Shells and Cuttle Fish Bones
Producing eggs requires a good supply of calcium or lime for your hen. Even if you feed
your hens laying pellets or similar feed supplements, it is still a good idea to provide
alternative sources of calcium to keep your hens happy and healthy.
Page: 8.
A terrific source of calcium is cuttle fish bones or crushed oyster or sea shells. When you
walk on just about any beach in the world, you will find cuttle fish bones. You can also
buy them in pet shops and farm supply shops. Cuttle fish bones are elliptical plates of
white material, with a point at one end, and they are normally about the size of an adult
human hand.. If you place these where the chicken can reach them, then hens will peck
them to get the calcium they need for egg shells.
You can buy cuttle fish bones or crushed oyster shells at most farm supply shops. Buy a
big bag and place them on the ground in the chicken coop. Gradually the chickens will
peck and eat them all.
33.
Can chickens destroy your lawn ?
Yes, they certainly can – and don’t believe them if they tell you any different ! Chickens
will peck and eat grass and, if there are lots of chickens in a small area, then they can
eventually denude the soil of all grass.
34.
Will chickens eat the vegetables and fruits growing in my garden, like
cabbages, lettuce, strawberries, tomatoes, eggplants, spinach etc?
Yes most definitely, given half a chance. Such a garden would be chicken paradise.
Chickens love variety in their food, and they will explore new areas and experiment with
new plants that they find. If they like the taste of a new plant, then they will peck it and
eat it.
35.
How do I keep chickens out of my vegetable garden ?
Put at least a 6 foot high chicken wire fence around your vegetable garden. Keep an eye
on your garden at regular intervals during the day, especially when the chickens are
roaming free.
36.
How do I keep chickens out of my house ?
With great difficulty, especially when you let your chickens out of the coop to roam free.
Chickens can learn to open cat flaps and dog doors, they can fly up onto verandas and in
windows – even if they are on the second storey of your house. The best defence is
vigilance.
Health
37.
General
Chickens are relatively hardy and low maintenance animals. Along with periodically
cleaning out their coop, there are a few things you should need to know to keep your
chickens healthy.
Page: 9.
38.
Drinking Water
Change the chicken's water regularly, and regularly ensure that drinking bowls are clean.
Ensure that at least some of the water dishes are low enough to be used by chicks.
Replace the garlic with a new clove every 2-3 weeks or so, and throw the old clove(s) to
your chickens for an added treat.
39.
Water + Garlic
To keep your chickens healthy, it is a good idea to place a clove of garlic or two into their
drinking water. The garlic will help keep the chickens stomach and intestines free of
parasites.
40.
Bird Lice
If, after you have patted one of your chickens, you feel tingling in your hands (like your
hands are being walked on by microscopic ants) but you cannot see anything on your
hands, then the chances are your chickens have bird lice. These lice will make your
chickens itchy, and may cause them to lose feathers. The best treatment for bird lice is to
get some bird lice chemical from your local farm supply shop, mix it with water in a
spray bottle (according to the instructions on the label), and then give all of your chickens
a good spray at night when they are in their roosts. This is the best time to spray them
because they will not run away, and they will have the chemical on them all night.
Whilst there, give the coup, laying boxes, and perches a good spray as well.
41.
Scaly Legs
Some chickens get scaly legs occasionally. The treatment for this is very simple – get
some Vaseline and rub it on the chickens legs and feet using your fingers. Repeat this
treatment several times a week for the next few weeks, and pretty soon your chicken's
legs will be as good as new.
42.
What does "crop bound" mean ? How do you treat it ?
A crop bound chicken has a bone or similar item stuck in their crop, obstructing the path
of food into their digestive tract. To treat this, pour a little warm water do the chicken's
throat and gently massage the crop. If this doesn't work, you should take the chicken to a
qualified vet.
However, if you are feeling brave and have some medical knowledge and a helping hand
(to help hold the chicken still), then you can perform an operation on the chicken that
could save its life. Don't try and knock the chicken out, simply have someone there with
you to lie it down and hold it still while you do the operation. Make a 1 inch long
incision near the top of the crop, and gently remove the contents with a very small spoon.
Stitch up the inner membrane with horsehair (or similar), and then stitch up the outer
skin. Also see "16" above.
Page: 10.
43.
What does "egg bound" mean ? How do you treat it ?
An egg bound hen has an egg stuck inside her. It can be very painful and even fatal for
the hen. The treatment for this is to use an eye-dropper and squirt a little olive oil into the
hen's vent and around the egg.
44.
What is a hen's vent and how do you find it ?
A hen's vent is where the egg comes out – which is a opening near the base of the
underside of her tail.
45.
Some hens are laying soft eggs or eggs with very thin and fragile shells
? What can I do ?
Provide plenty of shell grit for your chickens to eat. Also see "31" and "32" above.
46.
Which breed(s) of chicken are the most resistant to disease ?
In humans and all other animals, those with the best immune systems are those that have
been bred from the broadest possible gene pool. If a group of animals interbreed too
closely, the immune systems of their offspring will be relatively weak. However, if
animals in one location breed with the same species of animals from different locations
and habitats, then the resulting offspring will have relatively strong immune systems.
The same is true with chickens. If you have pure breed chickens, and a closed
population, then they will have relatively weak immune systems. However, if you have
mix-breed chickens – for example, part Rode Island Red, part Bantam, and so on – and
you keep introducing new chickens and new breeds to your flock, then your chicken
population should have a relatively strong immune system.
47.
How hot or cold can chickens be before their health is affected ?
When the temperature is over 95 degrees F (35 degrees C), chickens start suffering from
the heat. If you live in an area where these temperatures occur, then you may need to
provide additional ventilation, insulation, or shade for your chickens.
When the temperature drops below 60 degrees F (5 degrees C), then chickens can suffer
from the cold. Young chicks are especially susceptible to the effects of cold. If you live
in an area where these temperatures occur, then you may need to provide additional
insulation, heating, or shelter for your chickens – especially in the sleeping quarters
section of the coop.
Also see "48", "49", and "225" below.
48.
What happens when chickens get hot ?
They may become lethargic, they may spread out and drop their wings, and they may
start panting with their beaks open.
If chickens get too hot, then they will die from heat exhaustion.
Page: 11.
Also see "47", and "49" and "225" below.
49.
What happens when chickens get cold ?
They may become lethargic, they may ruffle their feathers to try and trap warm air
around themselves, the may sit in sheltered areas out of the wind, rain, and snow, and
they may even jump up to their roosts or huddle in their nest boxes.
Also, they may huddle together to conserve heat or search out other sources of warmth –
such as light globes.
If chickens get too cold, then they will die.
Also see "47" and "48" above, and "225" below.
Hens
General Information
50.
What happens if there are only hens and no roosters ?
If your chickens are all hens – i.e. there are no roosters present – then all sorts of strange
behaviour can occur. For example, one or more of the hens may start crowing – but it
isn't a nice crow like a rooster, instead it can be a ghastly, strangulated crow. In addition,
some hens may start to pseudo-mate other hens. That is, they will mount other hens like
a rooster does. So, when there are no males present, some of the females will start trying
to act like males. The parallels to human society are obvious !! ☺
51.
Do hens ever try and crow like a rooster ?
Yes, indeed they do – particularly if there are no roosters in the group. See "50" above.
52.
Do hens ever try and "mount" each other ?
Yes, indeed they do – particularly if there are no roosters in the group. See "50" above.
Broody Hens
53.
How long do hens incubate their eggs ?
Hens incubate their eggs for approximately 21 days.
Page: 12.
54.
What does "broody" mean ?
When a hen sits on eggs with the intention of remaining there until (at least some of
them) hatch, she is said to have gone broody. During this time, she will spend most of
the day sitting on the eggs in a trance like state. Her tail feathers also make a pronounced
"V" shape. She may hop of the nest for a quick feed, drink, and dust bath, but she will
automatically go back to her eggs usually within 15-30 minutes.
The terms "On the Cluck" and "Setting Hen" also refer to a hen who is broody.
55.
Do all hens go broody ? Which breeds are the broodiest ?
Yes all breeds of hen go broody, more or less. However, some hens are far more likely to
go broody than others. For example, Bantams and Chinese Silkies tend to go broody a
lot. However, some breeds tend to go broody with less frequency.
56.
How long can the mother hen be off the nest during the day ? What will
happen if she stays off too long ? Should I watch her and try and hurry her
back if she is off too long ?
See "103" below.
57.
How do you reverse a hen's broodiness ?
If a hen is broody, and you do not want any more chickens, then you can reverse the
broodiness by placing her in an elevated cage with a chicken wire floor for a 2-5 days or
so. The hen will not be able to comfortably sit down and will soon get over her
broodiness. Make sure she has plenty of food and water, and is in a sheltered location.
58.
How do you discourage hens from going broody ?
To discourage hens from going broody, simply ensure that fresh eggs are removed from
the nest and coop at least once a day. This is not a guaranteed method, because some
hens will still become broody after laying an egg . However, it will reduce the chance of
broodiness.
59.
Marking the eggs of a broody hen.
When a hen goes broody, it is not uncommon for other hens to squeeze into the same nest
and lay eggs in the same nest as the broody hen. This may happen at any time during the
incubation period. To avoid mixing up the eggs and not knowing which are developing
embryos and which are fresh eggs, mark the broody hens original eggs with a pencil (e.g.
a big "X"). During the incubation period, check under the broody hen daily and remove
any additional eggs that may be added to the clutch.
Page: 13.
60.
Which hens make the best mothers ?
This is largely a subjective question. Mothers high up on the pecking order can make
good mothers and their chicks can gain significant pecking order advantages over other
chickens in the coop.
Bantams and Chinese Silkies, also tend to make very good mothers, and they will fight to
the death to protect their chicks, regardless of their position on the pecking order.
61.
Will mother hens team up and care for each other chickens ?
Yes, this is quite common. If you have 2 or 3 mother hens with young chicks, then they
will often team up and care for all of the chicks together, and they will walk around the
farm yard or paddock or garden with their combined brood of chicks. They will feed
together, drink together, have dust baths together, and sleep in the same nest at night. If a
predator attacks one of the chicks, then the other mother hens (and possibly a rooster)
will join in to try and defend / save the chick and drive away the predator. These
partnerships between mother hens tend to have the best success rates for raising chicks.
Laying Hens
62.
How can you help chickens lay their eggs ?
Give them a quiet, safe, dry, warm place to lay their eggs – laying boxes are perfect for
this. See "204" to "214" below. Also, ensure that their diet includes plenty of calcium –
see "31" and "32" above. Finally, provide a safe, low stress environment where the
chickens have plenty of space. Apart from that, there is not much else that you need to
do – the hens will do the rest.
63.
How do you safely gather the eggs ?
When the hen has finished laying and is off the nest (i.e. when the clucking starts), then
simply walk into the coop and collect the eggs.
If you want to collect all of the eggs at once, then simply wait until the afternoon, and
then collect the eggs – all of the egg laying should be finished by then.
If a broody hen is on the nest, and you want to collect the eggs, then she may become
defensive if you go near her, and she may screech and peck. However, you can still
approach her slowly and gently, and lift her up and take eggs from under her, and then
gently lower her back down again.
64.
Should a light or radio be left on so they lay more eggs ?
There is no evidence that leaving a radio on will help hens lay more eggs or lay larger
eggs. Hens tend to lay their eggs in the morning (after dawn, and usually before 11:00
AM), so leaving a light on will probably result in confusing the hen.
Page: 14.
65.
At what age are these hens going to start laying eggs ?
Hens usually start laying at about 5 months of age.
66.
Are the hens first few eggs smaller than subsequent eggs ?
Yes. Often, a hen's first few eggs will be small in size, but within a week or so they will
reach their "normal" size.
67.
How often should I collect the eggs ?
It is normally best to collect the eggs daily, especially if you don't want your hens to go
broody. In addition, removing the eggs each day can help keep egg eating predators
away, such as goannas and carpet snakes. Finally, by collecting the eggs each day, it is
possible to keep track of how old the eggs are.
68.
When a hen gets ready to lay eggs in the coop, do you have to put
anything in it like leaves, moss, hay, or sticks ?
Yes, this is a good idea. If you place a couple of handfuls of dried grass, leaves, or straw
in each nesting box, then she and the other hens will sort out the nests pretty quickly. To
encourage hens to lay in a particular place, it is also a good idea to place some plastic or
china eggs in the nest, or some golf balls work just as well. The hen will see these and
believe that the nest is safe from predators. An empty nest may lead a hen to believe that
predators are taking the eggs, and she might not lay there as a result.
Battery Hens
69.
What are "Battery Hens" ?
Battery Hens are hens that are kept in small cages inside buildings for their entire life.
They are fed processed food that is high in proteins to encourage them to grow quickly.
At around 2 years of age, their "useful" lives are over because their laying rate is
declining, and they are sold on for slaughter and end up at Red Rooster, KFC, or your
local supermarket.
70.
Is keeping "battery hens" cruel ?
Yes, indeed it is. Battery Hens live their entire lives in terribly cramped cages with wire
floors, where they cannot stretch their wings or stand up properly. Almost all Battery
Hens develop deformed wings, legs and feet because they cannot stretch out and use their
limbs properly. Battery Hens will never feel the warmth of the sun on their back, they
will never know what it is like to eat natural food, they will never to able to roam free,
they will never be able to go broody or raise their own chicks, and they will never be able
to have a dust bath.
Page: 15.
With that said, however, it is not all bas news for the hens. Keeping hens separated in
cages may actually be less stressful on occasion because there is less competition and
interaction with other more aggressive birds. In addition, the hens are protected from
predators, and they are well fed and watered.
Roosters
71.
How early in the morning do they really start crowing ?
Roosters can crow all night, especially during full moons or if there are street lights or
other lights around. Even if you lock your chickens in a light proof chicken coop at
night, Roosters can still start crowing at 1:00 AM. Roosters can start crowing because
they see light, or because a noise disturbs their sleep, or simply because it is in their
nature to crow.
72.
How can you quieten down early crowers ?
It can be very difficult, and sometimes seemingly impossible. Roosters can still start
crowing half-way through the night, even in a light proof coop. Leaving a radio on in
their coop (with the sound down low) doesn't help. If early crowers are disturbing the
sleep of humans, then sometimes the only option is to move the coop further from the
house, sound proof the coop, or to give them away to someone else.
73.
If you have multiple roosters, do they fight ?
Yes, they can do. However, it is generally very rare for the fight to become serious.
Roosters, like hens, have their "pecking orders", and if a new rooster is introduced to a
group, then it will need to work out its place within the group.
74.
Is a roosters crow a challenge ?
No. Many people mistakenly believe that a roosters crow is a challenge to all other
roosters that he is the boss, and you had better stay away from his hens. If this were true,
then roosters would fight each other when ever any of them crowed – especially when a
rooster crows near another rooster's hens. However, such "fighting after crowing" never
happens.
75.
Why do roosters crow ?
Roosters crow for the same reason that monkeys, birds, and other animals call out. They
are letting others in their group know they are there. They are also letting more distant
groups (that could be several miles away) know where they are.
76.
How far does a rooster's crow carry ?
On a very quiet, still night, a rooster's crow can carry for several miles or more.
Page: 16.
77.
How does the roosters position in the group affect how many hens he
has ?
Roosters that are higher up in the pecking order will have their own little group of hens.
Roosters lower down in the pecking order will have fewer hens, or even no hens at all.
So, it is the strongest, most dominant roosters than have the best chance of mating with
hens and passing their genes onto the next generation.
78.
Do roosters look after their hens ?
Yes indeed they do. Roosters will often give any food they find to their hens. In
addition, roosters protect their hens in many ways (see below). And, while hens are
laying eggs or broody, it is also fairly common for roosters to stay near the hen (or even
sit with the hen) and guard her while she is laying or broody.
Note well : For items 78 to 83.
The author certainly isn't suggesting that all roosters will act like this
all of the time. However, if your chickens are allowed to live a
natural, stress free life, with plenty of time and space to roam freely
outside of the coop (instead of being cramped in a coop for all or
most of the day), then roosters will often demonstrate the behaviours
discussed here.
79.
Will a rooster protect his hens ?
Yes, most definitely. A rooster will attack any other hen that is trying to attack one of his
hens – especially if that hen is from lower down on the pecking order. Also, a rooster
will attack any other rooster that is trying to attack or mate with his hens – especially if
that rooster is from lower down on the pecking order. He will also attack or at least try
and distract any predator that is trying to attack one of his hens – even if the attacker is a
large dog. Roosters also tend to be very watchful, and if they spot any sign of danger,
they will warn the hens and their chicks.
80.
Will a rooster protect his hen's chickens ?
Yes indeed. The rooster and his hen will team up and protect their chicks, putting their
own lives right on the line to save them and protect them from other hens, roosters, or
predators.
81.
Will a rooster attack a big dog ?
Yes. If a rooster thinks one of his hens is being attacked by a dog or any other predator,
then he will try and save his hen by attacking the predator. He will put his life on the line
to save his hens.
Page: 17.
82.
Will a rooster attack a human ?
If a rooster thinks one of his hens is being attacked by a human, then he will try and save
his hen by attacking the human. He will put his life on the line to save his hens.
83.
Are roosters "good" fathers ?
They forage for food and generously share their food with their hens and the hen's chick.
They protect their hens and chicks from harm. So, you could say that roosters are good
fathers.
84.
How many roosters is too many ?
The answer to this depends on how much space your chickens have to forage. If your
chickens are living in cramped, crowded conditions, then fights and friction – even
amongst hens – will be a lot more common. If you have 20 chickens living in a 10 foot
by 10 foot (3 meter by 3 meter) cage, and you do not let them roam freely outside the
cage for at least several hours a day, then all of your chickens will be stressed out, and
fights will be common.
Additionally, if you have more roosters than hens, then you definitely have too many
roosters. And, this will cause increased competition and conflict among the roosters.
85.
What is a good Hen : Rooster ration ?
A good ratio of hens to roosters is somewhere in the range of 3-20 hens for every rooster.
86.
Can I keep roosters in a residential area ?
Very doubtful – but check with your local council, and seek your neighbours permission,
before getting any roosters.
87.
What is a rooster's spurs ?
A rooster's spurs are long, hard, sharp claws on the back of his legs, which he uses to try
and inflict injury when fighting other roosters or when fighting predators.
88.
Do roosters cause each other injury ?
In normal circumstances, roosters will not inflict any injury on each other at all – they
will flap their wings and jump around and face off, but in the vast majority of cases, the
roosters will not actually injure each other. It is extremely rare for roosters to cause
serious injury to each other – especially if they are allowed to live naturally. For this to
happen, the roosters would probably have to be confined in small cages and goaded in
some way.
Page: 18.
89.
Do roosters fight each other to the death ?
It is only when stupid, callous humans tie razor blades to their spurs and force them to
fight that roosters can kill each other.
Eggs
90.
How do you determine whether eggs are good or bad ?
This is very easy. Place the eggs in water, and if the eggs sink or just float sufficiently to
barely break the surface, then the eggs are good. If the eggs float so that a significant
percentage of the shell rises out of the water, then the eggs are definitely bad.
91.
I found a cracked egg in the nest, is it safe to eat ?
No, it is not safe to eat. Dangerous bacteria could have entered the egg. Discard the egg.
92.
I have a cracked egg but it has chicken poo or dirt on it, is it safe to eat
?
No, it is not safe to eat. Dangerous bacteria could have entered the egg. Discard the egg.
93.
Should I wash eggs before cracking them ?
Yes, this is a good idea – especially if the eggs are free range, or dirty or have any
chicken poo on them.
94.
How to determine female / male eggs
Some people swear by these tests :
1. Fertilised eggs with pointy ends are male, whilst eggs with rounded ends are
female.
2. Suspend a gold ring by a hair over the egg, and if it swings back and forth, then
the egg is male, otherwise if the ring starts going in circles, then the egg is female.
This technique can, according to some people, be used to sex chicks as well. Also
see "129" below.
95.
Are Roosters required for a Hen to lay eggs ?
No, most eggs produced for human consumption are laid without a hen ever "meeting" a
rooster. i.e. the eggs are non-fertile.
96.
Do fertilised eggs taste / look any different to unfertilised eggs
No.
Page: 19.
97.
What is a double-yolked egg ?
A double-yolked egg simply has two yolks in it. Both yolks were released (ovulated) at
close to the same time and both were enclosed within the same shell. Double-yolk eggs
tend to occur more when a hen first starts producing eggs. Their egg-forming organs are
not yet fully synchronized, so two or more yolks can be released at the same time.
Shortly after egg production starts, the hen's organs become well tuned, and it is then rare
for a hen to lay a multi-yolk egg. Other hens inherit the "multi-yolk" characteristic from
their parents and these hens regularly lay multi-yolk eggs throughout their life.
98.
What is the record for the most yolks in a single egg ?
The greatest number of yolks in one chicken's egg is nine.
99.
Can two chicks hatch from one egg ?
Yes, but it is a very rare occurrence. When two chicks develop within the same "double
yolked" egg, both embryos compete for space and food during development.
Occasionally, one chick out-competes the other and survives to hatch. However, usually
both embryos die before they hatch.
100.
Can two chicks hatch from one "single-yolked" egg ?
No. There is no known case of Siamese twin chicks ever being hatched from a singleyolked egg.
101.
Can I hatch the eggs I buy at the store ?
The vast majority of eggs sold at grocery stores and super markets are infertile, because
the hens are never introduced to a rooster because these eggs are from battery hens. See
"69" above. So, these eggs will not develop or hatch if incubated.
However, if you buy free range or niche markets eggs, then it is possible that these are
fertilised and therefore it is possible that they could hatch if incubated.
102.
If a mother hen sits on a fertile egg, will it always hatch ? If not, what
does she do with it ?
Not all fertile eggs will hatch, even when incubated either by a broody hen or in an
incubator. If an egg or eggs do not hatch, the hen eventually leaves them and the nest,
while she concentrates on feeding and rearing the chicks that did hatch. The hen leaves
the nest because the hormone that caused her to go broody is no longer secreted, so she
stops sitting on the eggs. In a way, it could be said that nature has told her to quit the
unhatched eggs in order to concentrate on looking after the chicks that did hatch.
Page: 20.
103.
How long can the mother hen be off the nest during the day ? What will
happen if she stays off too long ? Should I watch her and try and hurry her
back if she is off too long ?
A broody hen (also called a setting hen) can be off the nest 15 to 20 minutes or a little
longer at one time without harming the embryos, unless the weather is extremely cold. If
she remains off the nest for too long, then the embryos will be chilled. This may weaken
some or all of the chicks, and they might die or not hatch as a result.
104.
If an egg embryo dies during incubation, does it feel pain ?
No, effectively the embryo just goes to sleep.
105.
Can you open the shell for the chick ?
Yes, it is possible, but it is not recommended. There is usually a good reason why the
chick cannot hatch by itself. The chick is usually weak, deformed or has other physical
problems. If you aid the chick in hatching it may be painful to the chick and the chick
could die.
106.
Can we hold the chicks as soon as they hatch ?
Before the chicks are handled, the chick should be allowed to escape from the egg and
allowed to dry completely and fluff up. Be careful if you are getting the chicks from
under a broody hen, as she may peck you to try and defend her chicks, so be extra careful
that she does not peck her own chick by mistake.
107.
How long after the chick hatched does it become an adult ?
Chickens will become sexually mature at about five or six months of age. At this age,
hens will usually start laying eggs.
108.
When can chicks join adults in the main part of the coop ?
See "131" and "132" below.
109.
What part of the egg develops into the baby chicken ?
Each chick develops from the "true egg", a small white spot (germinal disc) on the egg
yolk. If the egg is fertile, healthy, and incubated at the correct temperature, cell division
will continue. The egg white protects the developing embryo and offers some nutritional
value for the chick. However, the yolk is the primary source of nutrition for the
developing chick.
110.
?
Does the small white spot on the egg yolk indicate that the egg is fertile
No, all fertile eggs have the white spot called the germinal disc.
Page: 21.
111.
How can I tell if an egg is fertile ?
It is almost impossible to determine if an egg is fertile or not without first incubating it.
To determine if an egg is fertile, incubate it for a few days and then hold it next to a
candle it to see if cell division has begun.
112.
Is there a nutritional difference in eggs with different colours of shells ?
There is essentially no nutritional difference due to shell colour. White, brown or bluegreen eggs from birds being fed similar rations have very similar nutritional value per
unit weight.
113.
Do all eggs have the same cholesterol content ?
Research has shown that the cholesterol content of eggs is about the same regardless of
shell colour or whether or not the egg is fertile. That is, an egg is an egg regardless of the
shell colour or whether it is fertile.
114.
Does eating eggs increase my cholesterol ?
According to research results, moderate egg consumption will not increase a person’s
serum cholesterol and the American Heart Association is now reporting that there is no
evidence to suggest that eating eggs (in moderation) will increase the risk of heart disease
in healthy individuals. In fact, scientists now believe that eggs provide several much
needed nutrients such as lutein and zeaxanthin which may decrease the possibility of
macular degeneration. Eggs are also an excellent source of folic acid and choline.
115.
How long will eggs keep ?
If eggs are properly refrigerated they should remain edible for several months. Most of
the eggs that you buy in a store or supermarket have a 4 week expiration date on the egg
carton. This means they may be sold up to four weeks after they are placed in the carton
and the consumer will still have plenty of time to use them. Keeping eggs in the carton in
the refrigerator will extend their shelf life. Keeping eggs at a temperature below 40° F
(4° C), but above freezing (32° F, or 0° C), and at a high humidity is the best way to
maximize the shelf life of eggs.
116.
Should I eat foods that may contain uncooked eggs ?
Even clean, sound shelled eggs have the possibility of bacterial contamination and should
be fully cooked. It is possible to buy eggs that have been in-shell pasteurised, and these
provide a margin of safety when using raw or undercooked eggs in foods.
117.
Can eggs be frozen ?
Freezing an egg in its shell usually cracks the shell. However, eggs can be satisfactorily
frozen after cracking the egg open and mixing the yolk and the albumen. As such, it may
be desirable to freeze the egg mixture in ice trays or muffin tins and then store the trays
of frozen egg mixture in plastic bags. The frozen egg mixture can be thawed in the
Page: 22.
refrigerator and used instead of fresh eggs. Three tablespoons of liquid egg mixture is
equivalent to one large egg.
Egg whites can be frozen satisfactorily on their own and can also be frozen in ice trays or
muffin tins. Yolks on the other hand become very gelatinous when frozen on their own
unless they are mixed with salt or sugar. To help retard the gelation, mix 1/8 teaspoon
salt or 1 ½ teaspoons sugar or corn syrup per ¼ cup of eggs yolks (4 large yolks).
Freezing in ice trays or muffin tins may also be desirable. When these frozen egg yolks
are used, the recipe should be adjusted to the salt or sugar already in the egg yolks.
118.
What causes blood spots in eggs ?
Blood spots are the result of broken capillaries in the hen's reproductive system. When
the hen's capillary ruptures, a drop of blood leaks out and becomes part of the egg. The
presence of a blood spot does not mean the egg is fertile or that an embryo is beginning
to form. Commercial Egg Processing Plants attempt to identify and remove all eggs
containing blood spots before the eggs go into a carton. Occasionally one egg is missed,
but if the blood spot is small, it can be removed and the egg can still be used. If an egg
contains large blood spots, then the egg should be discarded.
119.
What are the stringy white things in eggs ?
The stringy white portion of the egg is called the chalazae, and it anchors the egg yolk to
the centre of the egg. The presence of a prominent chalazae is actually a good indication
that the egg is fresh because the chalazae become less noticeable as eggs age.
120.
Why are some hard-cooked eggs difficult to peel ?
Eggs that are very fresh are usually more difficult to peal. As the egg ages the pH
changes and the shell is more easily removed. To improve peel ability, start with an egg
that is a few days old, hard-cook the egg, then immerse the egg in cold water and peel
immediately.
Another method is to pierce the round end of the egg with a sterile pin immediately prior
to boiling. This allows water in (and air out) during cooking, and the water generally
makes the egg much easier to peel.
121.
How long should I boil an egg ?
If the egg(s) have been kept in the fridge, then wait for the water to boil, and then lower
in the egg(s), and boil them for 5 minutes. If the egg(s) have been in the cupboard, then
wait for the water to boil, and then lower in the egg(s), and boil them for 3 minutes.
122.
What size eggs are best ?
Most recipes are written for large eggs. Because of this, better results will usually be
obtained by using large eggs in baked products. If the eggs are to be scrambled, boiled,
Page: 23.
fried, poached, hard cooked, or used in a recipe where the number of eggs is not critical,
then the size is irrelevant. In this case, buy the eggs which are the best value for money.
123.
What are free range eggs ?
Technically, free range eggs are produced by flocks of chickens which are not confined
to individual cages. Unfortunately, the definition of "free range" does not mean that the
chickens are able to roam freely in gardens or across paddocks for at least part of the day.
The chickens may be raised on the floor of a poultry house, or they may be caged in a
large coop, or they may be allowed to roam around outside the coop for at least part of
the day. The eggs from all of these chickens can be labelled as "free range".
124.
Why do free range eggs have darker yolks ?
The egg yolks of free range hens are usually darker than the yolks of "battery hens"
because the free range hen eats foods that contain more carotenoid pigments (green grass,
yellow corn, etc).
125.
What are designer eggs ?
Designer eggs are those eggs produced by flocks of chickens which have been fed special
diets in an attempt to modify the nutritional characteristics of their eggs. As you might
expect, designer eggs are more expensive than "normal" eggs.
126.
If a hen starts with about 4,000 ova and lays only 240 to 250 eggs a
year, what happens to the remaining ova ?
Normally, the remaining ova stay in the hen's body, ready to form the yolks of future
eggs. However, they can also be absorbed by the hen's body, particularly if she is
underfed, or in poor condition or health.
127.
Do hens with dark feathers lay eggs with darker shells than hens with
light feathers ?
Yes. White hens and hens with light coloured feathers tend to lay eggs with a white
shell, whilst hens with predominantly red or black feathers tend to lay eggs with a
red/brown shell.
Page: 24.
128.
Is it possible to tell which hen laid which egg ?
Yes indeed it is, especially if you have a
variety of breeds of chicken. A particular hen
will lay a particular shaped, sized and coloured
egg, and this will remain constant throughout
her egg-laying life. Some hens will lay
"pointy" eggs, while some hens will lay
rounded eggs. Some hens lay eggs with dark
red/brown shells, while other hens lay eggs
with lighter coloured shells. Some hens lay
speckled eggs, while other hens lay eggs with a
more uniform colour.
So, by spending a few days watching which hens lay which eggs (e.g. run out to the coop
when the cackling starts and feel in the nesting boxes for the warmest egg), it is possible
to quickly learn which hen has laid which egg. From then on, it will be easy to tell which
hen laid an egg just by looking at the shape, size, speckling, and colour of the egg.
Chicks
129.
How can the sex of baby chicks be determined ?
There are 3 possible answers to this question:
•
In sex linked breeds of chickens, the males and females feathers are different
colours or their bodies acquire feathers at different rates in different parts of their
bodies. If your particular breed of chickens is sex linked, then you can tell males
and females apart at a young age.
•
Trained chick sexers can tell the difference by examining the chick's internal
organs with a magnifying devise. Vent sexing requires you to know a particular
chicken breed's expression of folds since a male chick has no penis.
•
Some people swear by this technique : suspend a gold ring by a hair over the
chick, and if it swings back and forth, then the chick is male, otherwise if the ring
starts going in circles, then the chick is female. This technique can, according to
some people, be used to sex eggs as well. Also see "94" above.
130.
When do chicks "imprint" on their "parent" ?
Chicks mainly imprint on a parent in the first 24 hours of life. If the chick imprints on a
human or a dog or a duck, then the chick will see that human or dog or duck as their
parent, and they will try and follow them around until they reach adulthood.
Page: 25.
131.
Do baby chicks need their own special area ? Is it safe to put baby
chicks with adults ?
Yes, if they were hatched by a mother, and their mother is with them to raise them, then it
is quite safe to put them with other adults straight away. However, if the main coop is a
stressful / cramped place, then it would be best to place the mother and chicks in a
Nursery Coop and let them have their own space. Also see "181" below.
If the chickens were raised in an incubator, or if their mother was killed, then it is still
possible for the young chicks to be put in with adults, but their lives will be a lot harder,
and they will find themselves at the bottom of the pecking order, particularly at feed
times. In this case, the best way forward is to put the chicks in their own coop area until
they reach at least a 3-4 months of age, and then they can be added to the main coop.
132.
At what age can baby chickens be moved into the main coop area ?
As long as they are with their mother, they can be moved in to the main coop at a young
age. However, if the main coop is too small, or if there is a lot of stress or fights or lack
of food in the main coop, then it may be best to leave the mother hen and chicks in a
separate "nursery coop" until you can extend the main coop, or build additional coops.
If the chicks were hatched in an incubator, then it is probably best to let the chicks grow
up in a safe, separate area until they are nearly adult before placing them in the main coop
– especially if there is a lot of stress or fights or lack of food in the main coop.
133.
How to care for chicks ?
If the chicks are with their mother hen, there is little you need to do, apart from making
sure the mother hen and chicks have a safe environment, a warm, dry nesting box, and
plenty of appropriate food and water.
If the chicks were hatched in an incubator, then you will need to provide more care or
facilities for the chicks. A light globe in their cage can provide the warmth they need,
and you will need to ensure that they have sufficient water and appropriate food (e.g.
chicken mash or chicken booster) during the day. You will need to ensure that they are
safe from predators and have sufficient shelter and warmth at night.
Chicken Coops
General
134.
Why do chicken coops have two doors ?
If they had four doors, they'd be chicken sedans !
Page: 26.
135.
What is a "Chicken Coop" ?
For the purposes of this book, a chicken coop is defined as a large structure consisting of
an indoor, sheltered sleeping area and an outdoor area where the chickens can forage
during the day.
So, a chicken coop is a bit like an enclosed house with 1 room and a large veranda or
garden area.
136.
Is a coop mostly for sleeping, or do chickens spend a lot of time in
them ?
This depends on their human owners. Chickens enjoy roaming free and foraging for their
own food.
However, some people have vegetable or other gardens that they don't want the chickens
to go near, so they keep them cooped up all day. Alternatively, some people are away
from home all day (or all night) and live in high predator risk areas, so they don't let their
chickens roam free very much, if at all.
137.
Why do chickens have to stay in houses why cant they just run around
in the backyard ? Are coops and houses really necessary ?
If you live in an area where there are very few predators, and/or you are home most of the
day, then it certainly is possible and even desirable to let your chickens roam free all day.
You would provide still them with a shed with perches and roosts in it, and laying boxes,
and a bit of extra feed in the afternoons (so that the chickens remember where home is),
but the chickens would be free to come and go whenever they wanted. Many people
keep chickens in this way, and the chickens certainly enjoy this lifestyle.
However, if you live in an area with a lot of predators (wild dogs, hawks, etc) and you are
away all day, then the coop is essential to protect the chickens.
In addition, if you have large vegetable gardens, then it may be easier to fence in the
chickens than fencing off the vegetables.
138.
What is the best way to move chickens to a new home ?
The easiest and least stressful way for the chickens is to wait until dark, when the
chickens are in bed and very easy to catch. Place them in cardboard boxes in the car,
transfer them to their new coop, and (after letting them calm down for a while), release
them quietly and gently.
139.
What is the height of run necessary to prevent chickens flying over the
top ?
6-8 feet is usually the minimum height. If you clip a wing of your chicken, then you
could get away with less height, but this may allow predators to more easily attack your
chickens.
Page: 27.
Things to consider before you start
140.
Have you ever owned chickens before ?
If not, it is highly recommended that you get half a dozen chickens and see how you go
for at least a month or so before deciding to undertake any major expansions or
purchases.
141.
How much coop area does each chicken need ?
Some people believe 6-8 square feet is enough coop space per chicken. However, if you
are not going to allow the chickens to roam free outside the coop for at least a few hours
a day, then additional space may be needed to avoid causing the chickens unwanted
stress. All of the grass and vegetation in a small coop will soon be pecked and eaten out
of existence by the chickens. When this happens, they rely solely on the feed you give
them. To keep your chickens happy and healthy, provide the chickens with a big coop
and (provided you aren’t in a high predator risk area) let them out to roam fee for at least
a few hours a day.
Here is a table to give you a rough idea of the bare minimum size of a chicken coop for
the number of chickens you have. This is based on the bare minimum size of 6 sq feet
per chicken.
Coop Dimensions
5 x 5 feet
5 x 10 feet
10 x 10 feet
20 x 10 feet
30 x 10 feet
40 x 20 feet
50 x 25 feet
Coop Area
25 sq feet
50 sq feet
100 sq feet
200 sq feet
300 sq feet
800 sq feet
1250 sq feet
Maximum Chickens
4
8
16
33
50
133
208
142.
How much room is needed in a run or pen ? Same as inside the coop
or more ?
Usually, the sleeping quarters section of the coop is much smaller than the main outdoor
area of the coop. For example, the sleeping quarters could be one-quarter the size of the
main coop. This is because chickens need more space when they are awake, and they
need to be able to forage for food, have dust baths, etc.
143.
How much dirt do the chickens need to clean with ?
For dust baths, chickens usually just rake up whatever dirt is available and use that. So, if
the chickens cannot get out of their coop, they might use the dirt in the main area, or the
dirt in the sleeping quarters. Also see "12" above.
Page: 28.
144.
What about when it's muddy, and rainy and wet ?
Then the chickens do without dust baths until the weather warms up again. If you are
worried about this, then you could always supply some dry sandy soil for your chickens
to dust bath in, especially if the rainy period has been long.
145.
How many chickens are you planning to get ?
This is an important question. If you are planning to get 30 chickens, but you are going
to allow them to go broody, the you could have over a hundred chickens within 6-12
months. So, think about how many chickens you want, allow for reasonable expansion
(depending on what your plans are), and build accordingly.
How many chickens you want may also depend on the number of eggs you need. See
"19" above.
146.
What are the most important factors if you absolutely want chickens no
matter where you are located ?
The most important factor, without a doubt, is that there will be someone to look after
them and care for them at least once a day. A person with a kind heart and the time to
look after them is the best a chicken can hope for.
The next most important considerations are temperature and weather conditions and
predators. If you live in an area crawling with nasty predators, then the chickens aren't
going to have much of a life. Also, if you live in Antarctica or in the middle of a desert,
then the chickens are not going to have a very good life.
If you live in an area that is not freezing cold or boiling hot, and you have some land with
suitable vegetation, and you can provide them with safe and suitable shelter and a regular
supply of safe food and drinking water, then your chickens should have a pretty good life.
147.
What should I consider before choosing a type of chicken coop ?
The type of coop that is ideal for you and your chickens depends on many factors. For
example consider the following questions :
•
Are you raising chickens for meat, eggs, breeding and expansion, or a
mixture of these ?
•
How large a flock are you planning to keep ?
•
Are you going to let your chickens roam free for a few hours a day (or
more) ?
•
How much land is available for the coop ?
•
How fertile is the land ?
Page: 29.
•
Is the land flood prone ?
•
Does water accumulate at the coop site ?
•
Where does water from the coop site drain to ?
•
What is your overall budget for the coop building project ?
•
What is your monthly budget for providing food supplements to your
chickens ?
•
What predators are there in your area ?
•
How many breeds of chicken do you want to keep, and do you want these
breeds to remain pure ?
•
What is the weather like in your area ? Do you have hot summers and
very cold winters ? Is your area very windy ? Do you get a lot of rain ?
•
How many doors do you need to enter the coop ?
•
Would you like to be able to collect the eggs by opening doors to the
laying boxes from outside the coop ?
So, for example, if you want to keep 20 chickens, but don’t want to buy much feed for
your hens, then you will need a lot of land and either make the coop very large, or make
do with a smaller coop and let the chicken’s roam free for most of the day.
148.
What are the steps in building a coop ?
The steps vary depending on the type of coop you are building. However, the typical
steps to building a coop would be :
•
Determine the maximum number of chickens that you plant to get, and
double or triple that number to allow for expansion.
•
Study your area, talk to neighbours, read your local paper, and so on to
determine the types of predators that are in your area. Make sure that you
build the coop well enough to keep these predators out of your coop. This
will directly influence your choice of building materials and how far you
can put the coop from your house.
•
Review the weather patterns for your area – and take into account the
costs for additional insulation and stronger materials if you live in very
hot, very cold, very windy or very rainy locations.
•
The weather patterns in your area will have a large bearing on your style
of coop. For example, you may need to provide additional drainage, or
you may need additional shade cloth or roofing materials or wall materials
to provide adequate shelter for your chickens.
•
Talk to your chicken keeping neighbours, examine their coops, and use the
ideas that work well or that you like best. Seeing lots of different coop
designs and ideas will give you inspiration for building and improving
your own coops.
Page: 30.
149.
•
Work out how large your coop needs to be, and what special features it
needs. For example, if you live it a very cold climate, the coop might need
to be very well insulated or even heated. If you live in a very hot climate,
then the coop will need to be well insulated and (parts of it) well shaded
from the sun.
•
Determine your project budget and estimate the cost of all building
materials and labour before you start building the coop !
•
Choose the best location for your coop, and put stakes in the ground to
mark the perimeter of the coop.
•
Build a barn or shed for a permanent structure that will house the laying
boxes, nesting boxes, and roosts. This area needs to be large enough for
you to walk into and gather eggs, and for you to be able to clean the coop,
check for predators, check on hens and laying boxes, and so on.
•
Build an adjacent, outdoor, fenced-in run for chickens. If the chickens are
to be in the coop 24 hours a day, then make this area as large as possible,
so that the chickens have plenty of room to forage, and so that they aren’t
walking around in their own mess all day. Once again, you need to be
able to enter this area to clean away refuse and clean and refill the water
and feed dishes.
•
Provide nests for laying hens. Be prepared to install additional boxes if
you see hens queuing up to use the laying boxes.
•
Provide abundant perches for chicken roosts. Be prepared to install
additional perches (and/or lower perches) if the perches are over crowded,
you hear lots of commotion at bed time, or see some chickens sleeping on
the ground.
•
Purchase chickens, feed and water containers, and chicken feed.
•
Introduce your chickens to the coop.
How "attractive" does the coop need to be ?
If you have a really flash, prestigious mansion, then you probably wouldn't want any old
home-made, quickly built, chicken coop, made from odds and ends, old roofing
materials, and so on. Indeed, you may wish to have a beautifully designed and
professionally built chicken coop that is very attractive to look at, and an asset to your
house.
However, if you live in an old farm house, then you might be less fussy about your coop,
and a home-made coop, using second hand materials and old roofing iron may be
perfectly acceptable.
The size, design, attractiveness, and materials used to build a chicken coop can have a
huge bearing on the cost.
Page: 31.
A home made coop built from left over, second hand, or scrap materials can be built for
next to nothing. Flashier, more attractive coops can cost a lot of money.
150.
What do we need to consider in building a coop ? (size, portability,
protection, materials, getting access, cleanliness, price, etc)
Yes, all of these factors - size, portability, shelter, local weather patters, protection from
predators, building materials, human access, chicken access, cleanliness, price – are very
important, and you should certainly estimate the size of coop you need depending on the
number of chickens you want to get, and your other criteria (appearance, attractiveness,
doors / access, etc) and then use these to estimate the costs before you start. Also see
"147" and "148" above.
151.
Do coops have to be built directly on the ground ? Can they be build
above the ground ?
Yes, elevated coops can be built. However, these are generally more difficult to access
for chickens and humans, and they probably wont provide significantly better protection
against predators than a well built ground coop.
152.
Portability / Movability ?
Portable / movable coops can have a number of advantages, and enable you to move the
chickens around the yard or garden while keeping them cooped up.
Advantages :
•
The chickens get access to fresh ground and grass with every move of the coop.
When the chickens have pecked at a piece of ground for a day or so, then simply
move the coop to a fresh piece of ground.
•
The chickens are always on fresh ground, so they aren’t wading around in their
own mess all the time.
•
The coops tend to be small, light and easy / cheap to build.
Disadvantages :
•
Portable coops aren’t anchored down or fixed in place, so they can blow around in
storms and cause a great deal of damage and present a significant health risk to
humans.
•
The coops generally tend to be small, so they cannot be used to hold a lot of
chickens. More chickens = more coops = more cost = more time spent moving
them around = more hassle and more cleaning.
•
Portable / mobile coops tend to be fairly low in height – so that they don’t blow
over too easily. This means that chickens need to perch lower to the ground than
they may normally like.
Page: 32.
•
153.
They can be relatively high maintenance because they are being moved and
dragged around all of the time.
How can you make a coop portable ?
If the coop is light enough, then you could simply drag it to a new location by hand, or
use a car or tractor if the coop is larger. However, if the coop is small enough, you could
also put wheels on one end of the coop, and simply lift one end and wheel it to a new
location.
154.
What is a "Chicken Ark" ?
A chicken ark is usually a self-contained mobile chicken coop. It usually has drinking
water, feed dishes, perches, shelter, etc all built into the coop, so that the chickens can
live in there more or less permanently. Every few days, someone moves the ark to a new
piece of ground or lawn, so they chickens always have fresh ground to forage on.
155.
What is a "Tractor " or a "Tractor Coop" ?
A tractor is another name for a mobile chicken coop or a "Chicken Ark".
156.
Also, there is very little info about the stages between chicks and
housing in a tractor/coop. How old when they start to tractor ?
You can place the mother hen and chicks in a mobile coop as soon as the chicks are
hatched. In fact, this is a very common practice – it means that the young chicks don’t
have to endure the stresses of living in the main coop, and they also get plenty of fresh
food and lots of one-on-one time with their mother.
157.
How many nest boxes for a tractor ?
Usually tractor coops are small / mobile coops, for maybe 2-5 chickens, so 1 laying box
should be enough. If you have larger coops and more chickens, then you may need to
have more laying boxes as well.
Roosts and Perches
158.
Is it necessary to have roosting places within the coop ?
Chickens instinctively like to roost in a high location for the night, as this provides them
with a lot of protection from ground based predators. As such, it is very common to
provide plenty of high perches in most chicken coops. However, in Nursery Coops,
mother hens sleep on the ground with their chicks nestled up under them, so perches
aren't necessary in these types of coop.
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159.
How many roosts do I need for my chickens ?
Each chicken needs about 1 foot of perch space. If the chickens are part of a group, then
they will often roost close together at night, and need less space than this. However,
other chickens may squabble and need more space. However, 1 foot of perch space is a
good rule of thumb. Make sure that you provide some lower and middle level perches so
that it is easier for the chickens to work their way up to their desired roosts. Do not put
the perches directly under each other – see "164" below.
160.
What should the roosts / perches be made of ? What is best to use for
a perch - width, round or square, etc ?
If the perches are perfectly round, then it could be difficult for the chickens to grip the
perch, and they may keep falling off. Seriously. It is much better to have irregularly
shaped perches or square perches with rounded edges. In addition, your perches must be
strong enough to support the weight when fully stocked with chickens.
161.
How high should the roosts / perches be ?
Perches should be placed as high as possible in the coop – while leaving at least 1.5 feet
of headroom above each perch so that the chickens can actually fly up and land on them.
A good height range for perches is 6-10 feet above the ground.
Make sure that you provide some lower and middle level perches so that it is easier for
the chickens to work their way up to their desired roosts. For example, you might have
some lower perches at 4-5 feet, some middle perches at 7-8 feet and the highest perches
at 9-10 feet.
Also, do not put the perches directly under each other – see "164" below.
162.
If chickens cannot roam-free, do they get too heavy or too big to fly (i.e.
fat) ? Do we need to include a ramp they can walk up to the roosts ?
Actually, chickens that can roam freely tend to be heavier and healthier because they eat
more. However, they are stronger and fitter also, so you should not need any special
ramps or anything for the chickens to get to their perches – provided their perches are a
suitable height and there is enough head room for them to fly up and land on them.
163.
What is the lowest a perch should be ?
Young chickens tend to perch close to the ground because their wings are not yet
sufficiently formed to fly up to the highest perches. Perches that are 1-2 feet above the
ground would be ideal for these young chickens.
164.
How should the roosts / perches be positioned ?
Perches should be in a sheltered and roofed part of the coop. There should be at least 1.5
feet of headroom above each perch so that the chickens can actually fly up and land on
Page: 34.
them. Lower and middle perches should also be placed in the coop, so that chickens can
use these to reach the highest perches.
However, some chickens, lower down in the pecking order, may be forced to use these
lower perches as their roosts for the night. It is very important that lower perches are
NOT placed under the higher perches. The reason for this is that chickens produce a lot
of poo during the night, and you don’t want to have any of your chickens showered with
poo all night.
165.
What should spacing be from 1 roost bar to the next ?
If the roosts / perches are 1-2 feet apart then that is pretty good spacing.
166.
Do chickens always return to their "roost" to sleep ?
Yes, chickens almost always return to the same roosts each night, unless something bad
happened previously. For example if a chicken is attacked by a predator while roosting
in a particular area, then it and other chickens may look for alternative perches in the
future.
167.
Encouraging chickens to choose a new roost ?
Chickens will automatically try and fly up to high perches when it is their bed time. If
the chickens are using perches that you do not want them to use, then wait until they roost
and then move them to the perch you want them to use. The next night, they will usually
use the new perches. If they don't, then repeat the process for a few nights until they do
accept the new perches as their night roosts.
The Perfect Coop
168.
How do you create the perfect coop ?
There is no such thing as the perfect chicken coop. You can build a coop that is exactly
what you want and need, and then discover that this design can be improved. Improving
on previous designs and coming up with new ideas is all part of the fun of keeping
chickens and building coops.
Seeing lots of different coop designs and ideas will give you inspiration for building and
improving your own coops.
169.
What is the best way to keep predators out ?
No shed or coop is 100% predator proof. Even if a 100% predator proof coop could be
built, then it will not be predator proof for ever - wire rusts and becomes weak or brittle
with age, wood rots and decays, and so on. In addition, some predators will be very
determined to get at your chickens. Some will dig or burrow, some will squeeze
themselves through incredibly small gaps, and some will try and exploit or introduce
Page: 35.
weakness into parts of the coop. It is far better to become vigilant and regularly check on
your chickens than to fall into complacency because you think that your coop is predator
proof.
Here are a few things to consider or implement in making the coop as predator proof as
possible :
•
Search for and close all gaps.
•
Wrap the entire coop enclosure with wire mesh.
•
Bury the wire mesh buried at least 6-12 inches into the ground.
•
If predators manage to dig under the wire, then dig it deeper, or add in unpleasant
surprises for the predator – such as stones, barbed wire, or curve the wire back
away from the coop in an "L" shape.
•
Barbed wire around the bottom of the coop.
•
Electrification of the wire.
These and other defences are discussed further below.
Size and Facilities
170.
What is the best Coop Size Vs Number of Chickens ? How big an area
per chicken do you need for the birds to be happy and disease free ?
See "141" and "159" above.
171.
Do you have any building designs, and where can we find more other
designs ?
Several of the most common designs along with diagrams are presented in "178" to "157"
below. There is almost no end to the possible designs you could choose. You need to
find a coop that you and your chickens are happy with. Also see "147" above.
172.
How many water/feeders should I have per chicken ?
This depends on how often you will check on and refill the water and feed containers in
the coop. If you check and refill the containers daily, then you will need fewer water
containers and feeders. However, if you can only check on your chickens every second
or third day, then you should have more water containers / feeders. It is certainly better
to have too many than too few.
173.
How much water per chicken per day ?
As a general rule, each chicken should be provided with at least 1/10th of a litre of
drinking water per day – more if they are in a location with a hot climate.
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174.
What kind or type of container do we need ?
Tall skinny containers are too easy to knock over and spill, and too difficult for young
chicks to access. The best water and feed containers for chickens are low, broad
containers.
If your budget allows, you can also buy feed and water containers that you can top up
once a week, and they automatically refill the bowl around them.
175.
Where exactly in the run and the coop should we put the water and feed
containers ?
Place at least one set of feed and water containers in the chicken's sleeping quarters, and
at least one other set of feed and water containers in the main coop area.
If you have lots of chickens, then you will need more than this.
176.
How or what are the best ways to care for and take care of the coop
(clean it, get into it, maintain it, put electric and water to it) ?
Basically the sky is the limit. You can have all sorts of sophisticated designs of coop,
with easy access doors to the laying boxes, easy access doors to waste boxes (under the
roosts), power connected to the coop to provide lighting, water connected to the coop so
that the water dishes automatically refill when empty, an so on. All of these advanced
features will add to the cost. The best thing to do, is view some pre-made coops, see
what other people are using / building, think about what you need and what you like best,
and take it from there. Also see "150" above.
177.
What is the best way to keep my chickens safe in an outdoor running
pen ?
You could enclose the coop or running pen with wire. However, if you aren’t in a high
predator risk area, then you can safely let your chickens out for a run – especially if you
are at home and keeping an eye on them.
Types of Coops
178.
Is there a suitable storage shed on the market ?
Old garden sheds and water tanks with doors cut into them work very well for the
sleeping quarters for chickens. You would then need to extend a wire mesh run out from
this, so that the chickens can safely forage during the day without needing to worry about
being attacked by predators.
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179.
Is it better to raise the coop off the ground or can you use an old shed
and put nests on the ground ?
Raised coops can have some advantages against selected predators. Be very careful to
secure such coops to the ground so that they cannot be blown around in strong winds /
storms.
The vast majority of coops are attached to the ground and build into the ground.
180.
How to build one that is so unusual that it will stop traffic on the road ?
A really ugly and ramshackle chicken coop might stop traffic – but for the wrong reasons.
A very well designed chicken coop – for example, a coop in the same shape as the house
or barn it is near – may be a very eye catching asset for your property. Plans for these
types of sheds are usually produced by the people who want them. However, if you see a
coop you especially like, you could always ask the owners for a copy of the plans, or do
the best you can from a photograph or a tape measure and a rough sketch of the coop.
181.
What's a good Nursery Coop ? How do you build a small brooder
coop, one that will hold the setter and her clutch, and keep them safe ?
You can buy ready made "Nursery Coops" for good prices from farm supply shops.
However, the are also quiet easy to make. Nursery Coops tend to be small – just for 1-3
mother hens and their chicks. Perches are not needed, because the hens sit on the ground
with their chicks under them. As such, the coops can be low in height.
Here is a common design for a Nursery Coop using a fine mesh / chicken wire covered
"A" frame structure, with a sheltered / enclosure at one end.
Page: 38.
The average size for this type of coop are 3 feet high, 4 feet wide, and 6-10 feet long.
The coop should also contain drinking and food containers in the main area and the
sheltered area – for backup purposes.
182.
What is a basic mobile coop design ?
You can buy ready made mobile coops for good prices from farm supply shops.
However, they are also quiet easy to make. Once again, the size and options you include
depend on your budget and needs.
The great thing about movable coops is that you move it to a different part of the garden
or lawn each day, and the chickens get fresh food, but cannot get near your vegetable
garden or the other plants that you don’t want them to eat.
You can also make the coop semi-permanent – by adding sleeping perches, laying boxes,
etc.
The coop should also contain multiple drinking and food containers – for backup
purposes in any are spilt or knocked over.
Here is a common design for a mobile coop using a fine mesh / chicken wire covered box
frame structure, with wheels at one end, and a handle at the other.
Page: 39.
N.B.
•
•
This coop has no iron roofing or shade cloth sections on it, so it offers the
chickens virtually no protection from the rain, wind, or sun. This coop might be
suitable for use as a day coop for chickens underneath trees.
Another issue with this coop, is that the water and feed dishes might fall over
when it is being moved.
You may decide to have a wire mesh floor or no floor at all – depending on how level
and even your ground is and how determined your local predators are.
You may also like to have one of the sections of mesh on hinges so that it can be opened
allowing access to the chickens and feed containers within.
The average size for this type of coop are 4 feet high, 6 feet wide, and 10-15 feet long.
Here is a slightly improved mobile coop design – it has shade cloth and roofing iron
sections to provide shelter from the elements for the chickens.
Feed and water dishes clipped to the inner wall so they don't fall over when the coop is
moved.
Page: 40.
You could also hinge one of the iron or mesh sections so that it can be opened allowing
access to the chickens and feed containers within.
The average size for this type of coop are 4 feet high, 6 feet wide, and 10-15 feet long.
183.
Large basic fixed coop
Most basic chicken coops are large mesh and roofing iron structures, that are fixed to the
ground so they cannot blow away in strong winds or storms. They are not particularly
flash or attractive structures, but they are cheap to build and perfectly functional /
adequate as a chicken coop.
These type of coops also provide very good protection against predators, make plenty of
high perch space available, and are easy for humans to access via a door. Laying boxes
can be placed along the back wall for the hens.
And, the coops can be easily extended to allow for increases in the number of chickens,
or to provide additional space and green grass runs for the chickens.
Here is a diagram of a typical fixed chicken coop :
Page: 41.
The average sizes of this type of coop are approximately 10 feet high, 20 feet wide, and
60 feet long, but they can be much larger (or smaller) than this depending on your needs.
Materials
184.
What materials can and should we use to build a coop ? Cheapest vs.
best material ?
The materials you use depends mainly on your budget. If you want a stainless steel
framed coop with all the bells and whistles, then it will cost a lot more than a home-built
chicken coop using second hand materials.
185.
?
How often do you need framing cross beams to make the design sturdy
If you build to the same standards as a house, then your coop should be able to stand up
to the extremes of weather. For example, have cross beams every 4 feet or so.
Page: 42.
186.
What is a shade cloth and where can I get it ?
Shade cloth is thick nylon netting material that blocks out almost all of the sun. Shade
cloth can provide a lot of protection from the sun and the area underneath it can be
several degrees cooler or more. Shade cloth is used on verandas and over pool areas in
hot locations. It is also used to cover large parts of chicken coops in hot regions.
187.
What about using plywood ?
Plywood is OK for wall sheeting, provided it is kept out of the weather and painted or
stained. If you use plywood as a wall sheeting in the sleeping quarters section of your
coop, then paint it and make sure that the roof extends out 1-2 feet past the walls so that
the walls are protected from the elements.
Flooring
188.
What should I do about good drainage of the waste ?
It is definitely best not to have the chickens standing in water or their own waste all day.
It is a good idea to build the chicken coop higher up the slope from a vegetable patch or
some other garden area, and drain the water from the chicken coop into these.
189.
What kind of flooring (timber, wire, cement) is best and why (easy
waste handling, sanitation, and comfort for the chickens) ? What about
pricing on these?
Cement floors are good because they make cleaning out the coop easier. However,
chickens need to be able to scratch around in the dirt, so you should leave most of the
floor as dirt. Cement floors are the most expensive option.
Timber floors are probably the second most expensive option. Timber floors make
cleaning out the coop easy, but once again, chickens need to be able to scratch around in
the dirt, so you should leave most of the floor as dirt. Timber floors may also provide
places for snakes, rats, etc to hide.
Wire / mesh floors are OK, but if the wire is continually damp or covered with chicken
poo, then it could rust and degrade fairly quickly, and perhaps cause a hazard to the
chickens if left unchecked.
Bare dirt / grass floors are probably the best and cheapest option – especially for the main
area of the coop.
190.
Does sand and gravel in the run really work for good drainage of the
waste ?
Yes, a sand / gravel / dirt floor is probably the best / cheapest option and works quite
well. Also see "188" above.
Page: 43.
191.
How deep the concrete or mesh has to be around the coop ?
If you are in an area where predators are strong and determined, then you may need to
edge the entire coop with concrete that extends a 2 feet into the ground, and then attach
the superstructure of the coop (e.g. wire mesh, etc) to this concrete.
Walls
192.
What should the walls be made of ?
Wire mesh walls in the main part of the coop are fine. And, unless you live in a very cold
or very hot climate, corrugated iron roofing makes good, cheap roofing and wall material
for the chicken's sleeping quarters section of the coop.
193.
What about building the walls ?
There are many ways you can do this. You can pre-fabricate wire mesh panels and bolt
these together to form the main outdoor area of the coop, or you can attach the wire
directly to the poles and support structure.
You will need sufficient roofing and wall beams to provide support for the corrugated
iron roof and walls, or whatever other materials you decide to use.
194.
How about windows, are they needed ?
Windows are not really needed, although they can provide a quick and easy way for you
to check on your chickens without having to venture into the coop.
Roof
195.
How about the roofing and keeping the coop from leaking and keeping
chickens dry?
A wire mesh and/or shade cloth roof in the main outdoor section of the coop are fine.
Unless you live in a very cold or very hot climate, corrugated iron makes good, cheap
roofing and wall material for the chicken's sleeping quarters section of the coop.
196.
Protection from predators ?
If you live in an area where there is lots of hawk activity, then you may need to enclose
the top of the coop with wire and/or shade cloth and roofing iron.
Page: 44.
197.
Is corrugated iron easy to cut or bend to get to the height and shape
needed ?
Corrugated iron was much stronger and thicker in the past. Old iron can be hard to cut.
However, modern iron is very easy to cut – all you need is a good pair of tin snips. As
you cut the iron, scissor the cut sections in opposite directions, and this makes it easy to
keep cutting.
198.
Is there a specific weight / gauge wire and size wire you recommend ?
The best answer to this is to use several layers of different types of wire with different
gauges and mesh sizes. If large feral dogs are in your area, then you should have a heavy
duty inner mesh in addition to lighter, smaller sized layers of mesh. If there are small
predators in your area, such as pythons and weasels, then you should also add a layer of
very fine mesh.
Doors / Entrances
199.
Is it necessary to close the entrance(s) each night after the chickens
have entered ?
If you live in an area with predators (especially foxes or feral dogs), then it would be a
good idea to shut the chickens in at night.
200.
It seems that varmints can enter through the slight air opening even
when the entrances are closed.
Yes, indeed this is so. Snakes, goannas, and other predators can enter through incredibly
small openings. Even foxes and feral dogs can dig under the wire and use their snout to
bend the wire to force their way into a chicken coop.
201.
How about doors for chickens and also for people ?
A door to allow people access to the chicken coop is a very good idea. It enables you to
do maintenance and cleaning inside the coop, collect the eggs, check on the laying boxes,
and search for any predators (such as snakes) than may be hiding within the coop.
In addition, small, chicken sized doors can also be a good idea, as they allow chickens to
leave the coop and roam around on their own and re-enter the coop at bed time. These
small doors may still let predators into the coop, so it is best to secure these and all other
doors at night.
202.
Large coops might have multiple doors for human access.
Yes, this is certainly possible. A door could be at each side of a very large coop
structure.
Page: 45.
203.
What about ramps for elevated coops ?
Ramps can certainly be used for elevated coops, or coops in stilts. They provide easy
access for the chickens and can make it more difficult for some predators to access the
coop.
Nest Boxes (Laying Boxes)
204.
How big should the hen's nest be ?
Nest boxes can be fairly small – such as shoe box sized. In fact, hens tend to prefer
smaller laying boxes – especially if they are broody.
205.
What shape should a laying box be ?
It is important that a laying box has a low front – so that newly hatched chicks can get out
of the nest with their mother. Laying boxes often have fairly tall walls and a roof to
make the hens feel more secure. A "lip" or slightly raised wall should be along the front
to stop eggs from rolling out when the hen(s) enter and leave the nest.
Here is a diagram of a "typical" laying box :
If nest box is elevated, do you need a ledge in front for chickens to walk on ?
Page: 46.
Yes, having it set-up so that the chicken to fly up to and land and then walk inside the
box. is a good idea, but it isn't essential. Chickens are very agile and they can easily leap
3-4 feet off the ground and perfectly land in their laying box, providing their laying box
isn't too small.
206.
Can the laying boxes be underneath where they sleep ? Or will that
make a big chicken poo mess on the nests ?
It is best to move the laying boxes out from under the perches / roosts. If the laying
boxes have roofs, then the chicken poo probably wont be too much of an issue, however,
it is better to maintain cleanliness as much as possible around the nests.
207.
Do hens share nests ?
Yes, indeed they do. If there are not enough laying boxes, and sometimes even if there
are, multiple hens may still try and lay their eggs in the same box and at the same time as
other hens.
Hens who have hatched chicks at the same time will often team up and look after their
combined brood as they walk around during the day. See "61" above. And, at night they
will often nest together on the same nest with their brood of chicks under them.
Often, non-broody hens will lay their eggs in the nest of a broody hen, and the broody
hen will then move the new egg underneath her so that she is sitting on an extra egg. You
can often look under a broody hen and see twice as many eggs there as there was
yesterday. This is why it is important to mark the eggs of broody hens when they go
broody. See "59" above.
208.
Where do you put and how do you build and set up nest boxes ?
Put them in the sheltered, undercover, sleeping quarters section of the coop. Hens may
be spending several weeks in them while incubating eggs, so it is important that they are
sheltered from the wind, rain, sun, etc.
209.
Is it better to have nest boxes at ground level or off the ground ?
Laying boxes can be any height that is convenient for the hens to reach, for example from
0 to 6 feet above the ground is a good height.
However, if the boxes are to be used by broody hens to hatch and raise chicks, then it is
better to place them near the ground – especially when the eggs start to hatch – so that the
chicks can leave the nest with their mother during the day and re-enter it at night.
If you live in a very cold climate, the it might be best to elevate the nesting box a few
inches above the ground.
Page: 47.
210.
How many "laying boxes" are needed ? (1 per chicken ?)
Not all hens lay their eggs at the same time of the day – although the vast majority of
hens lay in the mornings. As such, it is not usually necessary to have more than 1 laying
box for every 4-8 hens or so. However, if you see hens queuing up to lay their eggs, then
it is time to add more laying boxes.
211.
I have three chickens and one nesting box. Is this going to be okay ?
Yes. However, if one of the chickens goes broody (assuming you let her and the eggs are
fertilised), then you may need another laying box.
212.
How do you encourage chickens to use the nest boxes ?
They will naturally look for somewhere to lay their eggs. Hens like using nesting boxes
– as long as they are dry, safe from predators, and offer protection from the weather.
213.
Also, what is the best bedding to use (wood shavings, leaves, moss,
hay, sticks, etc) ?
Dried grass, leaves, wood shavings, straw, and so on are all perfectly acceptable.
214.
Where and how do you put in the bedding ?
Place a few handfuls in each nest, and place some on the floor around the nests, and the
hens will soon sort things out and get things the way they like them.
215.
I have wood shavings, but am unsure where to put them ! I've put some
in the nesting box, and some on the floor. How much should I use ?
As above, simply place a few handfuls in each nest, and place some on the floor around
the nests, and the hens will soon sort things out and get things the way they like them.
216.
What is the best way of building a chicken coop in order for the hens to
lay eggs comfortably and for the owner to collect the eggs easily ?
Laying boxes with some straw or dried grass in them are perfect for the hens. See "214"
and "215" above. If you don’t want to have to enter the chicken coop to collect the eggs
each day, then you could build the laying boxes onto the back wall of the coop and place
a little door in the back of each one through to the outside. Then you could simply walk
along, open the little doors, and collect the eggs without entering the coop.
217.
What would be the best way to collect your eggs from the coop with out
disturbing the nesting ? I have heard of coops where the chicken lays the
egg and the egg rolls into a collecting compartment
Yes, this is possible. The sky really is the limit. It all depends on how much work you
want to do and how big your budget is.
Page: 48.
Cleaning
218.
How often should I clean the coop out ?
The answer to this really depends on how many chickens you are keeping, and the size of
their coop. Crowded coops will become littered with chicken poo more quickly. As a
general rule, if you see a lot of chicken poo on the floor, then it is time for your coop to
be cleaned out.
Usually, once a month is enough to keep most coops clean – especially if you let the
chickens roam free for at least a few hours a day.
219.
How do you clean the coop out ? What do you do ?
Simply get rid of all chicken poo with a rake, shovel, or whatever tools you prefer.
220.
How thoroughly should I clean ?
A quick rake out is usually good enough. However, if things are really messy, you may
need to do more. Once every few months or so, you might like to give the coop a really
thorough clean out.
221.
Do I need to disinfect ?
If your chickens are sick or if something has died in the coop, then it would be a good
idea to disinfect the area as well. Also see "40" above.
222.
How can I make the coop easier to clean out ?
There are many things you can try to make the coop easier to clean out. Some things
work better or are favoured by some people but not others. For example, some people
place all of the roosts over a low, long wire mesh box that has low doors than can be
opened and shovelled out from outside the coop. In this way, you can shovel out the
fastest accumulating mess without even entering the coop.
223.
Is it dangerous to breath in "Chicken Poo" dust ?
Yes, the dust contains a mixture of chicken poo and bacteria, so it is best to avoid
breathing in too much, or getting it in your eyes. A few breaths shouldn't hurt you, but do
try and avoid prolonged exposure. Some goggles and a dust mask would help reduce the
danger – especially if you have a lot of chicken poo to clean up, and it is very dry and
dusty.
224.
How to keep the run healthy and clean ?
Clean the coop regularly. Ensure the chickens have ready access to lots of clean water
and feed. Also see the "Health" section above.
Page: 49.
Insulation and Heating
225.
Insulation / heating for cold climates ?
Insulating the sleeping quarters section of a coop can be essential in cold and hot
climates.
Ventilation is very important in hot and cold climates.
In cold climates, you should try and block up all of the holes in the chicken's sleeping
quarters so that they aren't sleeping in cold draughts all night. Rain proofing the sleeping
quarters is also important. You should also consider enclosing all sides of their sleeping
quarters and closing all entry doors at night, as this will help trap the heat. Make sure the
chickens have plenty of food and water in this section of the coop.
In very cold climates, it may also be necessary to heat the sleeping quarters section of the
chicken coop – especially at night. It is also important to make sure that their drinking
water does not freeze over. This can be achieved by suspending an electric light globe
over their water dish and turning it on. You can also warm the roosts and coop by
placing turning red flood light bulbs on in the coop. (These red bulbs will disturb their
sleep less). Use timer switches to make sure this happens daily.
In very hot climates, shade cloth can also be very useful in reducing the heat, as can
moving or extending the chicken coop so that it is underneath trees. Additional
ventilation may also be required in very hot climates.
Also see "47", "48", and "49" above.
226.
I am also concerned about air circulation within the coop. I live in
Texas and the nights are hot and humid.
Good ventilation will help.
Also see "47", "48", "49" and "225" above.
227.
Would it be o.k. to keep a waterer within the coop in case the chickens
are thirsty ?
Yes, this is a good idea. In fact, the chickens should have ready access to water in every
part of their coop. If a door blows closed in the wind, then you don’t want your chickens
to be without water.
Page: 50.
Drainage and Run-Off
228.
Can you explain how to get good drainage in the run ?
The best way to ensure that the coop drains well during heavy rain, is to place the coop
on a slope. i.e. don’t place the coop at the bottom of a valley or depression, as water will
pool there.
229.
What should I do with the run-off water ?
A very good thing to do is to make the water drain into a vegetable garden or a garden
bed of some sort. This will help fertilise the garden, which in turn might be able to
provide feed for the chickens.
Inside the Coop
230.
What things are necessary ?
Laying boxes, roosts / perches, and water and feed containers are the main items needed.
231.
Do you need food and water inside ?
Yes indeed. Every section of the coop should have feed and water containers. If a door
blows shut during the day, you do not want to leave any chickens without food or water.
232.
How about heat and electric ?
Electric lights can be very useful inside coops – especially if you need to enter the coop
to fight off a predator that is attacking your chickens. Heat may also essential in very
cold climates.
233.
I am curious about the in between stages of tractor/coop - is a tractor a
day use area and they need a coop at night and in winter ?
Possibly but not necessarily. A tractor is just a movable coop, and such a coop could be
made into fairly permanent accommodation by adding perches, laying boxes, etc. See
"182" above.
Page: 51.
Predators
234.
Warning sounds – ground predators Vs Air predators
Chickens have 2 sorts of alarm calls – one for airborne predators, and another for ground
based predators. When the alarm is sounded, chicks hide under their mothers, or run with
their mothers to the nearest shelter.
235.
What happens when chickens are attacked ?
When chickens are attacked, they will usually panic and run and try to fly up into a tree
or on top of a shed to escape the predator. This is their best and only real defence against
larger or more determined predators.
If any chickens are caught by a predator and are being mauled by the predator, they will
scream and screech very loudly and make a great deal of noise.
In addition, roosters will rush to the defence of their hens, and will do their best to try and
drive the predator away. Other hens and roosters will cackle and cluck from the side
lines or from their perches in relative safety. There will be a lot of flapping of wings and
running around. Any attack on a flock of chickens will cause a lot of commotion - the
whole flock will become very agitated - even at night when the chickens are dopey and
sleepy and at their most vulnerable.
236.
Can clipping a chicken's wings reduce their chances for escape from a
predator ?
Yes. If their wings have been clipped, then they will not be able to fly very well, and
they may not be able to escape the predator or reach safety.
237.
Can the chicken coop wire reduce their chances for escape from a
predator ?
Yes. When a chicken is attacked, it will panic and try to escape. In their agitated state,
they often fail to see or negotiate their way around the chicken coop wire. The result is
that the chicken runs into the wire and is often entangled in the wire or trapped by the
wire, making them easy pickings for a predator.
238.
What happens after chickens have been attacked ?
After an attack, the chickens will be very wary of venturing near the place where the
attack happened – possibly for several weeks or more. If the attack happened in their
chicken coop, then they will be very wary of entering the coop again for several weeks.
If the attack happened in the chickens favourite roosts, then they will probably look for
new roosts the next night and use these from now on.
Also, after an attack, the chickens may be frightened to venture out in the open. If you
see chickens grouped up and sheltering under a bush or some other object for no apparent
reason, then it might be because of a predator.
Page: 52.
Sometimes chickens are so frightened after a predator attack that they will go to the place
that they feel safest – to their night perches / roosts. They will even do this in the middle
of the day if a predator has frightened them or attacked them.
239.
How can you tell if your chickens are being attacked ?
If ever you hear unusual commotion coming from the chicken coop, then the chances are
that they are being attacked by a predator.
Also, if ever you see chickens walking around on the ground like lost children during the
night, then something has disturbed their sleep, and the chances are that the flock is being
attacked or has recently been attacked by a predator.
240.
What should I do during an attack ? How can I prepare for an attack ?
Keep your eyes and ears opens for the tell tale signs of attack at all times of the day and
night, and regularly check on your chickens. Be prepared. Keep a good pair of boots, a
metal garden rake, a strong stick or axe, and a good torch near the coop. If you have a
rifle license, then keep the unloaded rifle and bullets handy as well. Make sure you have
a plan of action in place for when an attack occurs. When an attack happens, then be
prepared to execute your plan immediately - even at 3:00 AM in the morning. Quickly
determine what is happening and what is attacking, take a deep breath, and enter the coop
and fight the good fight alongside your chickens against any predator - otherwise, your
beloved chickens may all be killed.
Most Common Predators
241.
Goannas
Goannas are large lizards that live in Australia. The adults can grow to around 6 feet
long, and they can be fearsome predators for small animals and birds. They can easily
climb the tallest, smoothest trees and posts to get at the highest and most secure of nests.
They can squeeze through wire fences and small gaps. They are very fast runners and are
very agile. They will enter the chicken coop without fear, because they are mostly
impervious to the attacks and pecks of hens and roosters. They will easily fight a broody
hen off her nest and eat all of her eggs or chicks.
Goannas are frightened of humans and will usually run off as soon as they see a human.
If they are chased or threatened by a human, then they will probably climb the nearest
tree. Be careful not to be standing still, because they may think you are a tree and climb
up you. It is unlikely that a goanna will stand its ground and attack a human, however, if
you trap one or attack one with a stick, then it may turn around and try and bite you.
A goanna's bite will bruise and tear your skin, but their jaws are not strong enough to
cause a human any serious physical injury. However, their mouths and saliva are full of
Page: 53.
bacteria, and if they bite you and tear the skin, then some highly dangerous bacteria could
enter the wound, causing grave illness. Seek medical attention and strong antibiotics
immediately if you are ever bitten by a goanna.
242.
Wild and Feral Dogs, Coyotes, and Dingoes
Wild and feral dogs can be a serious problem for free roaming chickens, because they
will usually attack in a pack and work as a team. Dogs are very fast and agile, and make
formidable predators. If any chickens reach the relative safety of a high perch, then the
dogs will leap up at them to try and scare them into making a reckless decision (like
trying to reach another perch). Wild / feral dogs are active and may attack at any time of
the day or night.
They are very strong predators and usually very determined. They will tear at wire with
their teeth, use their snouts to try and prise their way into coops, and they will dig in the
ground to try and get under the wire.
Barbed wire can help deter these predators. However, in extreme cases, the only way to
keep dogs out of the coop may be to electrify wires in the coop structure.
243.
Family Pets
Family pets – such as dogs, cats, etc – can also kill
chickens, or chase chickens constantly and cause
them a lot of stress and grief.
If dogs and cats are brought up with chickens, then
they will usually ignore each other.
If dogs are introduced to chickens later in life, then
they will usually get used to chickens very quickly –
especially if you are there to keep an eye on them
and yell at them if they do chase the chickens. They
should stop bothering the chickens fairly quickly.
However, occasionally, a family pet has a dark side
that only comes out while you are at work, and noone is there to protect the chickens.
244.
Boogle – friendly to everything,
including chickens.
Foxes
Foxes can be a serious problem, particularly for chickens in a coop. They will look for
weak points in the coop and exploit these whenever they can. They will also dig under
the wire to get at the chickens. The really rotten thing about foxes attacking your
chickens is that they will go crazy with blood lust and may end up killing most or even all
of your chickens. Foxes are very fast and agile, and make formidable predators. Foxes
are mostly active at night.
Page: 54.
Chickens seem to have an innate / inbred fear of some predators, especially foxes. A
flock of chickens who have never seen a dog before, are not particularly frightened when
they see their first dog. However, if a dog resembles a fox (e.g. a corgi dog), then the
chickens can become very frightened. So, it possible that chickens are naturally scared of
foxes.
245.
Snakes
Many snakes could potentially attack and eat chicks. Some snakes,
such as carpet snakes and pythons, will even swallow whole eggs
and crush and swallow whole adult chickens. The worst thing
about carpet snakes is that they will often try to hide and sleep in or
near the coop after the attack, and keep returning in the future to
kill more chickens and eat more eggs. In addition, carpet snakes
are nocturnal, and they attack the chickens in their nests or on their
perches when they are most vulnerable.
Chickens are very dopey and sleepy at night, and they have virtually no chance of
escaping a hungry python. If there is any chance that carpet snakes (or similar snakes)
could be in your area, then you must ensure that you leave no place for them to hide, and
check inside your coop regularly to make sure they aren't wrapped around one of the
beams, or sleeping under a pallet.
246.
Wild / feral cats
Feral cats are usually only a problem to chicks and smaller chickens, however, they can
occasionally attack large adult chickens. Cats are ferocious predators. They are very
sneaky and are terrific at stalking their prey. They are excellent climbers and can squeeze
through very small gaps. Chickens are no match for the claws and fangs of a feral cat. If
the chicken isn't killed by the cat, then it will probably be in a very poor state and very
close to death after the attack. Feral cats may attack at any time of the day or night.
247.
Hawks
Hawks are very dangerous for your chicks and small and
even adult chickens.
They will hide in trees and keep out of sight, and then
swoop down all of a sudden from a great height, stun or kill
their prey, and then either eat it on the ground, or else they
will carry it off to eat in a safer place or carry it back to their
nest to feed their own chicks.
Putting chicken wire or shade cloth over the top of your
coop is a good way to keep hawks out of the coop.
Page: 55.
248.
Raccoons
If you find an explosion of feathers on the ground, then the culprit was probably a
raccoon or a fox. Raccoons can be very dangerous predators because they can climb and
dig. They can also be very determined and clever, and will explore a coop thoroughly
and exploit any weak points it finds. Strong wire mesh, buried in the ground and
wrapped around the entire coop is the best way to stop these predators.
249.
Weasels
If you find dead chickens with wounds around the neck and the crop eaten, then a weasel
is the most likely culprit. If a weasel gets into your coop, then it can kill a lot of
chickens. Fine wire mesh and solid walls, buried in the ground and wrapped around the
entire coop is the best way to stop these predators.
250.
Opossums and Skunks
Opossums and skunks will usually go after the eggs in the nest. However, the may also
go after young chicks. Fine wire mesh, buried in the ground and wrapped around the
entire coop is the best way to stop these predators.
251.
Cane Toads
Can toads are large toads that were mistakenly introduced to Australia. The rotten thing
about these toads is that they contain two sacks of poison behind their shoulder blades.
Dogs, snakes, hawks, or any other predator killing and eating these toads is almost sure to
die a horrid, painful, foamy mouthed death.
These toads are almost always nocturnal. And, because chickens go to bed at dusk, the
two species rarely meet. And, if they do, then chickens don't tend to worry about the
toads anyway, as they would not see them as a threat and would see no reason to attack a
toad, and the toads don't worry or attack the chickens directly. (Although a large toad
may have a go at a very young unprotected chick).
However, these toads will swim in the chicken's drinking water, and this can result in
chickens becoming sick or, in extreme cases, even kill the chicken – especially if the toad
has been attacked by another predator before swimming in the chicken's drinking water.
252.
Can I kill any bird or animal that comes into my coop and kills my
chickens ?
Yes, unless they are protected species of animal. However, even if they are protected
species of animal, you are usually allowed to kill them if someone's life is in danger. If
you can relocate an animal instead of killing it, then this is usually the most humane
option.
Page: 56.
Protection from Predators
253.
Would you talk about protection - How do you build coops so the
chickens stay safe ? (gaps and holes in walls, floors, and roofs) ?
If you live in an area where there is lots of hawk activity (or other flying or climbing
predators), then you may need to enclose the top of the coop with wire and/or shade cloth
and roofing iron.
If you live in an area where there is lots of feral dog or fox activity, then you will need to
use very good wire – possibly several layers and gauges – around the walls of the coop.
And, you may need to bury this wire at least 6-12 inches or more down into the ground to
stop predators from burrowing under it.
Barbed wire can also help deter dogs and other predators. However, in extreme cases, the
only way to keep dogs out of the coop may be to electrify wires in the coop structure.
If you live in an area where there is lots of snake activity, then you might need to use
very fine wire mesh.
In addition to all of these steps, you should regularly enter the coop and inspect it for
signs of predators.
In addition, the most important deterrent is you. By being vigilant and keeping you eyes
and ears open at all times of the day and night, you will be your chicken's best defence
against predators.
254.
How about wire mesh into the ground surrounding the coop - how deep
if used ?
Yes, it may be necessary to bury the wire into the ground around your coop. See "253"
above.
255.
Is a net needed over the run ?
Yes, this may be necessary – particularly if there are hawks and other flying or climbing
predators around. See "253" above.
256.
Guard Dogs
Guard dogs have been used to protect flocks of sheep and goats from ancient times.
Guard dogs can also be trained to protect chickens, and they will deter many predators.
In addition, even your family pets will bark if they sense wild / feral dogs in your area.
This can be a great help in discovering and combating predators.
Page: 57.
257.
Guard Donkeys
Donkeys are very intelligent and have been used for many centuries to protect sheep,
goats, and other herding animals, so they could certainly be used to protect the chickens
roaming free in your farm yard.
258.
Guard Llamas
Don’t laugh !! Llamas are intelligent and they instinctively dislike dogs. They are
capable of protecting a flock of sheep or goats from dog attacks. An adult llama can
weigh around 300 pounds, and a kicking, stomping, snorting, spitting adult llama can be
intimidating to dog (or even a human).
Bizarre and Amazing
Chicken living without its head – is this possible ?
Yes, this did happen. According to the Guinness Book of Records
(http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/) :
Longest Surviving Headless Chicken
On September 10, 1945, a Wyandotte chicken
belonging to Lloyd Olsen of Fruita, Colorado,
USA, had its head chopped off, but went on to
survive for 18 months. Mike's owner, Lloyd
Olsen of Fruita, Colorado, USA, fed and
watered the headless chicken directly into his
gullet using an eyedropper. Mike eventually
choked to death one night in an Arizona motel.
FIND OUT MORE
Sceptical scientists thought it was a hoax, so one week into Mike-the-headlesschicken’s physically-altered life, farmer Lloyd Olsen packed Mike up and took
him on a cross-country tour from Fruita, Colorado to the University Of Utah in
Salt Lake City. The axe blade, scientists discovered, had missed the five-and-ahalf month old Wyandotte rooster’s jugular vein, and a clot had saved the chicken
from bleeding to death.
Because Lloyd had aimed the axe so high, most of the brain stem was left at the
top of the spine. One ear had also survived. Mike, it seemed, had lost the power
to see and to cluck, but could still hear and think. Mike was also growing,
Page: 58.
weighing 1.1 kg. (2.5 lb.) when he first lost his head, and developing to a
respectable 3.6 kg. (8 lb.) by the time he passed away.
Celebrity status was guaranteed when a manager took the chicken on a national
tour, and his story was reported in well-respected news magazines Life and Time.
Like many legendary celebrities, Mike’s life ended in a hotel room. Mike began
to choke and Lloyd was unable to find the eyedropper to clear Mike’s esophagus.
It was the end of the road for Mighty Mike. Gone but certainly not forgotten,
Mike’s life is celebrated each year by Fruita residents, who simply remember him
as, "a big, fat chicken who didn’t know he didn’t have a head".
25 Other Amazing Chicken Facts
1. Fact - The chicken can travel up to 9 miles per hour.
2. Fact - There seven distinctive types of combs on chickens: rose, strawberry,
single, cushion, buttercup, pea, and V-shaped.
3. Fact -There are four places in the United State with the word "chicken" in their
name. Chicken, Alaska; Chicken Bristle; in Illinois and Kentucky; and Chicken
Town, Pennsylvania.
4. Fact - The greatest number of yolks in one chicken egg is nine.
5. Fact - The record for laying the most eggs: seven in one day.
6. Fact-There are more chickens in the world than any other domesticated bird.
More than one chicken for every human on the face of this earth.
7. Fact -The longest distance flown by any chicken is 301 1/2 feet. (as the crow
flies)
8. Fact - Every bird and mammal except the spiny anteater experiences REM (rapid
eye movement) sleep.
9. Fact -Did you know that some breeds of chickens can lay coloured eggs? Sure
enough, the Ameraucana and Araucana can lay eggs coloured in shades of green
or blue, depending on the breed and it's ancestry.
10. Fact - In 1994, 73,866 million eggs were produced in the U.S. proving once again
the U.S. has the best darn chickens in the world.
11. Fact - China not only has the most people in the world, but also has the most
Horses with 10,000,000 and chickens with over 3,000,000,000 of them.
12. Fact - Chickens and turkeys are known to cross-breed, these breeds are known as
"Turkins".
13. Fact - The term 'Chicken Pox' didn't come from people believing that they came
from chickens, it came from the Old English term 'gican pox' - which means the
itching pox.
14. Fact - Alektorophobia - Fear of chickens.
Page: 59.
15. Fact - Laid head to claw, KFC chickens consumed worldwide would stretch some
275,094 miles. They would circle the Earth at the equator 11 times or stretch from
the Earth approximately 50,094 miles past the moon.
16. Fact - There are approximately 450 million chickens in the United States.
17. Fact - There are more chickens than people in the world.
18. Fact - Chickens make sounds with actual meaning. They give different alarm calls
when threatened by different predators.
19. Fact-A rooster will attack anything that he thinks will harm the hens ( that
includes humans ). Their spurs (located at the back of their leg ) can cause a very
painful puncture wound.
20. Fact - If a rooster is not present in a flock of hens, a hen will often take the role,
stop laying, and begin to crow.
21. Fact - In Gainesville, Georgia - the chicken capital of the world - it is illegal to eat
chicken with a fork! [Source: local ordinance]
22. Fact - McDonald's in India doesn't serve beef -- only chicken, mutton and fish.
[Source: notice displayed in McDonalds Bombay outlet ]
23. Fact - The closest living relative of the t-rex is the chicken.
24. Fact -The waste produced by one chicken in its lifetime can supply enough
electricity to run a 100 watt bulb for five hours.
25. Fact -The longest recorded flight of a chicken is thirteen seconds.
Courtesy of :
• http://chickencoops.blogspot.com
• http://www.vfr.net/~tbruce/facts.html
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