Chicken coops plans

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Cheap Chicken Coops And What You Should Consider

If you are thinking about having chickens, then that is a very good idea. However, have you thought about what those critters will need? Of course, they will need food and water, but where will they be staying? Some people have a tendency to think they can get chickens and just release them in the yard. Where will they sleep? Your chickens will need to have a coop to rest in. Why would you want to spend so much on a hen house when you could build some cheap chicken coops? In all actuality, one that is self made with some extras can cost you under half the price of a brand new one. It won’t take long to build either. If you work on it every day, it will only take one day or two to build it. Below, we are going to give you some coop options that you should look into. The coop you choose is all going to have to do with how big your backyard or farm is. It is also going to do with how many chickens you plan on housing and how much energy and time you are willing to invest in it. Now, let’s go over the three options with you. Option number one: Your first option involves a small coop. This type of coop is great, especially if you are not looking to house many chickens. If you are renting a home or you plan on moving in the future, then you may want to go with the small one. This is because you can move it around without busting it. To be exact, you can hold anywhere from one to three chickens in it. If you do not think this option is for you, because you want to house more than this, then take a look at option number two. Option number two: This next option will involve a medium one. It will be a box-shaped coop. If you do not plan on moving around, then this will be great. However, moving it can be done, but since it is a bit bigger, it will be more difficult to do. To be exact, this one will house anywhere from four to nine critters. If you plan on having more critters than this, then you may want to look at our last option, which is option number three. Option number three: This is a large sized one. It is a premium chicken coop. Of course, since it is large in size, it can hold ten or more chickens. Is this what you are looking for? This is every chicken lover’s dream. It probably goes without saying that you will find it extremely difficult to move this one, because it is so big in size. Are you new to keeping chicken, yet you would like to have a decent amount to produce enough eggs? If so, then we recommend you going for the medium one. Later on, when you are used to it and your flock starts to grow, you can expand the medium one. Personally, we don’t recommend the small one as being a permanent home for the birds, because it’s unethical and is going to reduce the overall egg output. So, which one are you going to choose?

Chapter 14: Legal Aspects by Christine Heinrichs Christine’s website, blog

“As with any agricultural enterprise in our complex world, raising chickens is subject to a variety of laws and regulations. Finding out what they are and abiding by them will save you many headaches.

Raising chickens is generally governed by local zoning and land-use laws and ordinances. With the advent of the NAIS and individual state systems, you may also have to register your premises with the state and identify every chicken you own.

Local law may not be the only standard you have to meet. Some planned-unit developments place restrictions on the deeds that prohibit livestock, which is generally understood, if not specified, to include chickens.

Keeping land in agricultural use provides green space. Small farms, under pressure from development as cities expand, may be able to present economic value if they are producing eggs and meat for local markets. Planners are learning the value of green space and may be amenable to persuasion of the importance of small farms.

Local Poultry Ordinances The laws regulating chickens will be part of the municipal or community laws that govern your property. That could be a city ordinance or, if you live in a rural area, it could be the county policy. Your local health department may also have a role in regulating the raising of poultry. In addition, your deed may have restrictive covenants that include chickens. Laws generally regulate the number of chickens permitted, crowing roosters, waste, smell, housing, and backyard butchering.

Chickens are usually classified as livestock or barnyard animals. That makes some people think of them as unsuited to urban and suburban life. Negative attitudes about the status and connotations of keeping chickens in the backyard have resulted in restrictions on them and outright bans.

Locate accurate information from your local government. Most local governments have online resources for those who have Internet access. All local governments are required to provide information to the citizens who live within their boundaries. In some states, municipal authority to control livestock and poultry may extend beyond the municipal boundary. Start with the information desk in the municipal building. Keep asking questions until you find a local government employee who is knowledgeable. As a general rule, erroneous information provided by a local government official is not a defense for violation of a local ordinance.

Where a restrictive covenant in a deed regulates poultry, local government officials will not have any information about this. You should read your deed and consult an attorney if the language that it contains is difficult to understand. If your neighborhood has a homeowners’ association, it may have adopted rules governing the raising of livestock and poultry.

Extension agents, 4-H leaders, and high-school agriculture teachers are good resources for getting started, but they may not know exactly what applies to your property. Check the original documents to make sure you know what you have to do to comply with the law.

If the law is unclear or confusing, ask for help. If no one knows for sure about chickens, pursue the question further. The animal control officer may know how the community deals with chickens and chicken coops, or be able to direct you to someone who does.

If no one, including your elected representatives, can determine what is meant by the law, you may be the person to lead a movement to change it. This happened in Madison, Wisconsin, where, up to 2004, no laws prohibited chickens, but building a coop for them was not allowed. Chicken-lovers kept chickens in their yards, a sort of open secret. So long as no one complained, there was no problem. Occasionally differences arose among neighbors and a city inspector would come out and talk to the chicken owners, sometimes even telling them they would have to get rid of their chickens.

Sometimes they did, and sometimes they simply moved them down the street to a friend’s yard for a few months and then quietly moved them back. They considered themselves the Poultry Underground.

In 2003, Alicia Rheal and Bryan Whiting decided to get the law changed to make chickens legal in Madison. Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, already had ordinances on their books, giving them models from which to work. Alderperson Matt Sloan was sympathetic.

After six months of publicity to inform the public, backed with experiences of other communities and the endorsement of Mark Cook, a professor in the Poultry Science Department at the University of Wisconsin, the city Common Council adopted an ordinance specifying the conditions for keeping chickens inside city limits in May 2004.

Being a good neighbor is one of the most important ways to avoid complaints about your chickens. In addition to meeting the basics of local laws, always keep your chickens clean and avoid smells. Replace litter frequently and compost or dispose of manure properly. It is a valuable fertilizer, but make sure you don’t create a situation that will offend your neighbors. Information about composting can usually be obtained through your local cooperative extension office. Landscaping can camouflage the chicken house and yard, making it more palatable to neighbors.

Giving neighbors fresh eggs occasionally can win over doubtful neighbors. You can also invite them over to meet the chickens and explain your interest to them. Enthusiastic advocates can influence detractors. They may never want chickens for themselves, but at least they can be convinced to tolerate them in your yard.

Some communities have tightened laws about chickens since the avian influenza scare of 2005. You may need to prepare information to reassure neighbors and local officials that your birds represent no danger to anyone.

A restaurant owner in Long Island has kept half a dozen chickens, including a rooster, since he moved to the area in the 1970s. He prefers the fresh eggs for the eggs Benedict he serves his customers. A new law forbidding farm animals in town was not immediately enforced. Existing businesses are usually protected from new laws by a grandfather clause, allowing the business to continue operating as it has in the past.

A homeowner in New Jersey had been keeping chickens for a year before someone complained to the city. The Board of Health investigated and found them in violation of local ordinance. After consulting with a lawyer, the family decided to apply for a zoning variance that would make their chickens legal.

These situations reflect the legal confusion that exists in many places. Chickens trigger strong feelings in some situations. Stay calm, research your options, and be pleasant and polite. Nothing is gained from a shouting contest.

Ultimately, you are going to be part of a community. With tact and goodwill, you can convince the community to include your chickens.

Voluntary Agricultural Districts A recent strategy to keep land in agricultural use is the voluntary agricultural district. On the county level, land already in agricultural use can be shielded from nuisance lawsuits and protected from nonfarm development.

Owners of land currently in agricultural use can agree to be included in a voluntary agricultural district, exempting them from sewer and water assessments that are required for residential and commercial development. They usually have some protection from being sued by new neighbors who don’t want to hear the rooster crowing.

The agricultural district can work with insurers to provide coverage for agritourism activities. The district offers a structure through which landowners can advance public education about agriculture. Forming a district can attract supportive infrastructure such as feed stores, processing facilities, and marketing opportunities for your eggs and meat.

In an era of mini-estates encroaching on agricultural land, voluntary agricultural districts can maintain land near urban and suburban areas in agricultural uses that enhance the open green space. They are a tool to support agricultural uses against the pressure of development. If your state has an agricultural district program, information is usually available from your state department of agriculture or your local cooperative extension office.

State and Federal Regulations The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has proposed a system to identify every livestock animal in the country. Individual states, such as Wisconsin and Indiana, have also passed laws requiring all properties that have livestock to register with that state. Find out what laws apply in your state in order to comply with them. These programs have aroused a lot of controversy and resistance, so implementation varies across the nation.

The USDA’s National Animal Identification System suggests giving every farm animal a seven-digit number and tracking its every move off the premises on which it lives throughout its life. Animal Identification Number is being used as the proper name for this requirement, often seen as AIN. The goal is for animal health officials to be able to trace back to the source of any disease within 48 hours of its discovery.

Radio-frequency technology in the form of implanted microchips is one possible means of tagging animals. Chickens and other poultry may be allowed to be identified by numbered leg or wing bands. Animals that leave their premises for any reason, such as to go to a show, will be required to have an identification number. Even chickens that never leave their premises are encouraged to be identified.

Databases of identified animals will be kept either through breed organizations, commercial producers, state premises registration, or any other databases the USDA needs to track every animal.

Organizations supporting sustainable agriculture, rare-breeds conservation, and individual rights have rallied their members to oppose NAIS. You can join them by contacting any organizations of which you are already a member to find out what you can do to oppose NAIS. ”

Chipotle chili is one of my favorite savory spices! It’s smokey and has a slight hint of sweetness. Just a tiny bit of this ground chili packs a serious punch of flavor.

A few weeks ago I really wanted a grilled chicken sandwich. My co-worker Jennifer makes homemade grilled chicken paninis. She uses fresh sourdough bread and makes a chipotle mayonnaise spread using Duke’s and canned chipotles. Jennifer also adds a slice of fontina cheese to her chicken for serious melty-goodness.

If you started drooling at the mere mention of sourdough bread… it’s okay. I did too.

I really wanted to try Jennifer’s chicken paninis… minus the sourdough (*sigh*)…

And so we did!

How do you make a low carb chicken panini? You use the chicken as your “bread…”

Sound crazy? It was delicious! We pounded the chicken breasts super flat and grilled them in the george foreman for about 5 minutes until they were chargrilled and juicy and then added lettuce, tomato, and sliced havarti in between two peices of chicken. It was fantastic. And NOW these spicy sandwiches are in our weekly dinner rotation.

Tell me what you think! You don’t need bread to have a good sandwich. I promise!

Carrie’s Chipotle Chicken Paninis

1-2 lbs. chicken breasts
1/2 cup Dukes mayonnaise
1-2 teaspoons ground chipotle chili
salt-free tomato basil seasoning
freshly ground black pepper
1 medium tomato, sliced
6-7 leaves romaine lettuce, washed and patted dry
3-4 slices havarti or fontina cheese
Non-stick cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat indoor countertop grill or start outdoor grill.

1.) Making chipotle mayonnaise: In a small bowl mix mayonnaise with ground chipotle chili. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.

2.) Grilling Chicken: Using a clean pair of kitchen shears, cut chicken breasts into at least 3 peices each. Pound peices of chicken with a meat mallot until very thin. Sprinkle chicken peices with tomato-basil seasoning and freshly ground pepper. Grill on countertop grill for 4-6 minutes until chargrilled and juicy. Place cooked chicken on a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep hot while continuing to cook remaining chicken.

3.) Preparing chicken paninis: When ready to serve place 2 peices of chicken on a plate. Slather chipotle mayonnaise on both “slices” of chicken. Place several slices of havarti or fontina cheese on the chicken along with slices of tomato and peices of romaine lettuce. Place the 2nd “slice” of chicken on top of the “sandwich” and place back in the countertop grill for about 1-2 minutes until cheese is slightly melted. Serve IMMEDIATELY!

Enjoy!

Chili’s Shanghai Wings with Wasabi Ranch Dipping Sauce – A friend sent me this in an email and it’s wonderful!

2 chicken breast fillets
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 egg
1 cup milk
4 to 8 cups vegetable oil (for deep fat frying)

Ginger Citrus Sauce:
1 1/4 cups water
1 tablespoon corn starch
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Wasabi Ranch:
1/2 cup Hidden Valley Ranch bottled salad dressing
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1/2 teaspoon powdered wasabi

Slice each chicken breast into 6 pieces. Combine flour, salt, peppers and paprika in a medium bowl. In another small bowl, whisk together egg and milk.

One or two at a time, dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture, then into the breading blend; then repeat the process so that each piece of chicken is double-coated. When all chicken pieces have been breaded, arrange them on a plate and chill for 15 minutes.

Preheat 4 to 8 cups of canola oil in a deep fat fryer to 375 degrees.

Ginger Citrus Sauce:
As the chicken is resting, make the ginger-citrus sauce by dissolving the corn starch in the water. Pour the water into a medium saucepan along with the rest of the sauce ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. When the sauce begins to bubble, reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until thick. Remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool a bit.

Wasabi Ranch:Make the wasabi-ranch dressing while your ginger-citrus sauce is simmering. Simply whisk together the ranch dressing, buttermilk, prepared horseradish, powdered wasabi, and green food coloring in a small bowl. Cover and chill this until the wings are done.

When the chicken has rested and you’re ready to cook, lower the boneless wings into the oil and fry for 5 to 6 minutes or until each piece is browned. Depending on the size of your fryer, you may want to fry the chicken in batches so that the chicken isn’t too crowded in there. When chicken pieces are done frying, remove them to a draining rack or a plate lined with a couple paper towels.

When all the chicken is fried, place the pieces into a covered container such as a large jar with a lid. Pour the Ginger-citrus Sauce over the chicken in the container, cover it up, and then gently shake everything around until each piece of chicken is coated with sauce

Chicks, no kidding, come in a box via the US Postal Service. This box held, with ample room, 26 chicks from the Murray McMurray Hatchery. You can also buy chicks from your local farm store, like Agway, but we’ve found that there is a limited selection there, and the chicks are expensive. However, the hatcheries require a minimum order of 25 birds (so they keep warm in transit). If you want fewer birds, go to your farm store. The birds in this box are Buff Orphingtons, a “heavy” bird which will produce brown eggs and grow to a generous size for eating. A sort of all-purpose bird, this breed is friendly, gentle, and a lovely gold color when feathered out. They’ve been bred to be winter-hearty too, which is important to us up here!

When they arrive, chicks are tiny! And they need to be kept warm. Since we raise chicks almost every year, we’ve gone to the fuss and bother of building a little brooder box for them. The box is 50″ long x 27″ wide, by 20″ tall, and will take about 50 little chicks… at least until they have a bit more mass and can stand a little chilling.

Do not build a box 27″ wide unless you have a heated garage!! Big mistake. This thing barely squeeks through a doorway. Go for 25″ and add length. And unless you’re building to protect your little flock from preditors, it really isn’t necessary to made it as heavy as ours is… in fact, all that weight is a liability when you want to shift the thing around.

Chicks do not need such fancy accomidations, and one of these old wash buckets would work just fine too. We used to use a wading pool, which worked very well when we had the space for it. Waterproof, round (so no pileups in corners if they got spooked), and nice and generously sized (from a chick’s perspective). But whatever you use, you’ll need to be able to put a screen lid on it to protect the chicks from pets and curious children.

A quick word about your new chicks and children. Chicks are, at this age, very, very, fragile. So fragile we do not allow anyone but an adult to handle them for at least 3 weeks. Chicks can catch colds. They can be dropped by accident. They can be squashed by an overly excited toddler. But more to the point, while you can hand tame a chicken, they really don’t benefit by being handled. They need to put their energy into growth, not stress.

You should, in theory, be ready when your birds arrive. I never am. I know when they are supposed to be here, but I never seem to be ready when the post office calls and says “come and get ‘em!” Trust me. If they have to sit in a box for another hour, it probably isn’t going to kill them.

This is our brooder box (in the dining room). If you don’t want the box in the house you need a heated garage or shed… or you need to order the birds when the nights are warmer. These arrived May 20th, and it snowed that day!

The box (or pool, or washtub) will need a heat lamp (ours is a shop light), a water font, a feeder, and shavings. Your chicks will start out on Chick Starter Medicated Feed. Yes, a product of evil agribusiness with antibiotics built in. Get over it. Go organic once they’re established. We had to buy liquid antibiotics to treat chicks with colds a couple of years ago… expensive and time consuming. Now we start them on a bag of medicated feed, and shift over to an unmedicated growing feed at the end of the first bag.

You’ll need a lid if you have pets, and, as you can see, we roll out a blanket cover to trap the heat. Note the old pan on the table… we place it over the light before unrolling the blanket, and check the situation often… try not to start a fire. Chicken flambe is bad.

As you take each chick out of the mailing box, dip its beak into the water so it gets the hint. Very shortly, you’ll have a bunch of thirsty chicks tipping their heads back and swallowing water. We’ve never had them fail to find the food trays, and in a little while you’ll hear the tap-tap-tap of chicks pecking at the plastic.

Chickens need grit to grind their food so we go out to our dirt road and find some very, very, fine sand to sprinkle over the food. If you can’t find fine sand, it is sold at most ag centers.

The chicks will stay in this box, growing like weeds (you can see them change size day by day!) for a couple of weeks, or until they start to look frankly crowded. The moment it looks like chicks are pecking at each other, they need a bigger home.

They will, however, be much too small to throw outside at this stage. We set up a pen in the garage with shavings on the floor for them to play in. They’ll continue to need a heat lamp, and you’ll want the sides of their pen to be high enough to discourage them from flitting up and over to explore the rest of the garage!

At this age they are pretty durable and curious. Children love to hold them, and while the chicken might not share the joy, they are at least resigned to the whole experience. They start homing in on bugs at this age, and will scratch and peck at straw, or gobble down any early thinnings from the garden you throw into their pen. You can waste the good part of a morning just watching their antics.

In about 8 weeks (or earlier if your weather is mild) they’ll be feathered out and ready to move out into the world.

Want to see an incubator in action? University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension in Lancaster County has an egg cam… and a lot of info on raising chicks from eggs (incubating eggs) Go to Egg Cam!

Moving out into the world…. chicken’s next step

Visit us: We’re in Stowe, Vermont

Chicken ShedIf you are searching for a top-of-the-line chicken shed, www.horizonstructures.com is your best choice. Create a totally customized chicken shed and our skilled and experienced carpenters will bring your vision to life.

Our chicken sheds are unique and incorporate the following:

Handcrafted means our chicken sheds are built-to-order. We guarantee all our chicken sheds are produced with a consistent quality of workmanship and leave our shop more durable and well-constructed than any coop built on a factory assembly line.Different styles and options – We offer choices in siding and roofing materials and colors resulting in the ability to design a chicken shed that looks right at home with the existing structures on your property. Our long list of options allows you to maximize the utility of your chicken shed while keeping the cost down by selecting only the extras you want. You don’t pay for something you don’t need.Designed with chickens’ needs in mind means your chicken shed is designed to provide plenty of natural light, fresh air and protection from predators. Quite simply: happy, healthy chickens lay more eggs.First quality raw materials – Pressure-treated wood legs and base, solid wood siding (pre-painted or stained) and a 25-year asphalt shingle warranty are just a few of the “ingredients” ensuring your chicken shed will be around for many generations of chickens.Unique nest box design makes gathering the eggs fast and easy. You don’t even have to go inside the coop!

It can be a challenge finding a chicken shed that won’t break your budget. Rest assured www.horizonstructures.com considered that right from the start. Our chicken sheds are delivered pre-built and ready for immediate use saving you money AND time. Features for bird safety and comfort are already incorporated into the design. So, if you’re just getting started with chickens, you don’t have to worry that you overlooked something. Simply go online at www.horizonstructures.com to select the chicken shed model and options that best suit the size of your flock and budget. You won’t find another website so user friendly and informative.

“We received our chicken coop a few days ago! My husband and I want to thank you for building it just as we hoped to. We love it! It is the sweetest thing! Our neighbors walk by or drive by our house and we can see them just marvel at it. We are very pleased with it. Our rooster likes it too! We are getting some chickens in the spring. Thank you again!”- Bonnie and David, Martville, NY

For information on chicken sheds, and other prefab structures such as: horse barns, storage sheds, garages, and more visit, www.horizonstructures.com today!

Chickens don’t need many supplies to keep them happy and healthy. Chickens and other poultry are often one of the first farm animals for beginning farmers. They’re easy to care for and don’t require a lot of specialized attention. With these supplies, you’ll have happy, healthy laying hens or meat birds. Find them at your local feed store or online.

Waterer and feeder. Check out hanging waterers and feeders; these prevent the birds from roosting on them and keep the contents free of shavings and poop. You’ll need 4 hanging feeders or 300″ of trough space per 100 birds. For waterers, aim for 96″ of trough per 100 birds. For large numbers of birds, look into an automatic waterer system.

Feed. Feed stores sell different feeds for the various stages in chickens’ lives. There will be a “chick starter,” fed for varying amounts of time depending on the feed manufacturer. There is a higher-protein layer feed for laying hens. For birds raised solely for meat consumption, a “grower/broiler” and sometimes “finisher” feed is used. Organic and conventional feeds are available.

Scratch. Scratch is a combination of grains such as corn, oats, wheat and rye. There’s also plain cracked corn, which chickens love. Scratch is a nice “treat” for your flock — just scatter some on the ground and they’ll scratch through it with their feet and eat it.

Grit. Some feeds have grit included, but if you feed your hens your kitchen scraps (and you should!), or even scratch grains, they’ll need grit. Grit is simply small stones that the birds store in their crop to help them break down food. If your birds have access to a gravel driveway or other source of small stones or sand, you don’t need to supplement with grit.

Bedding. Pine shavings, straw and hay are all potential bedding choices for your chickens. It’s really a matter of personal preference, cost and availability. Some folks feel that straw or hay can encourage insects and lice to breed more than pine shavings.

1) Chickens are social animals and they have a very complex structure to their hierarchy. A chick that is by itself will stress- you should always try to buy chicks in multiples- any number is better than a lone chick.

2) It’s not necessary to have access to grass, however just bear in mind that they’ll probably need their toenails trimmed every so often if they can’t wear theirs down naturally by scratching. They’ll also need access to a dust bath which you can make yourself- a large shallow dish with a combination of sand and ash works well.

3) The best way to protect them from foxes is to keep them enclosed in an appropriate coop.

4) Chicken waste is not good mulch unfortunately- it’s much too strong when it’s fresh and can burn your plants. You can however put it in a compost bin and allow it to break down some, in which case it turns into an amazing fertilizer to dig into your beds once a year.

5) Can’t help- am in a whole other country! Here you would approach your local council who would be able to not only tell you if you can have chickens but the sorts of restrictions that are placed on keeping chickens. Some of the restrictions that may be placed are the number of birds you’re allowed to keep, how far away they have to be kept from neighbors fence lines, residences and entry points if you have to pay for a permit to keep them, if you are permitted to let them “free range” in your backyard or if they have to be enclosed at all times. if you have to get written permission from your neighbors, if you are allowed to have roosters, if the coop requires inspection etc, etc…. everywhere is different!!

6) Do you mean YOUR house or their house/coop? Chickens automatically have a degree of “homing instinct” and if they are used to sleeping in a particular area, they will try to return to that particular area for the evening- generally that will be their coop. If you mean your own house- well if you want to use your house as a chicken coop, it would be just the same- but be warned that there is no way to house train a chicken and they are fairly messy creatures! That said, I do keep my Japanese roosters inside over winter to prevent damage to their combs but they have their own large boxes to live in and I have to keep them really clean. I don’t generally allow them to roam around the house though. Japanese are only about the size of a large parrot.

Hope this is some degree of help.

Chickens are not hard to care for – just make sure they have plenty of room to scratch around in, a steady supply of food and a comfortable place to roost and lay eggs. They are friendly and sociable creatures; each having their own personalities, and you can even buy rescue chickens from battery farms.

Taking on chickens is a big responsibility. They can live for up to 10 years and will need feeding and caring for as much as any pet. For the first three years of her life, a chicken will produce an egg every one-two days, however this will decrease with age.

The Chicken CoopIf you build your own coop, ensure it is made with strong materials, to protect your hens from predators, such as foxes. The coop needs to be comfortable as the chickens will spend each night there and lay their eggs, but accessible to you to clean and retrieve the eggs. There are many designs you can choose from, or you could be creative and design your own. You can use any materials to make your coop, including plastic, metal and wood.

Your coop should be well ventilated to provide the chickens with plenty of fresh air. It should have places for them to perch, including different levels where they can climb up and explore. It should also have areas where they can seek shelter from the heat in the summer and the cold in the winter.

Bury chicken wire 20cm under the surface of the soil to protect against rats and mice, which may try to burrow under the coop to get to the eggs. Chickens are curious birds, so ensure there are no potential hazards in the coop, such as nails and staples sticking out where the hens can injure themselves.

Cleaning Your CoopClean out the coop once a week, wiping down the perches and nesting areas, and scrubbing the feeders. Replace the straw ever week to prevent a build up of pests and diseases.

Outside the CoopYou will need to decide whether your chickens will have a free range of your garden (where they will eat many garden pests), or remain in a caged area around the coop. Whatever your choice, they will need to have plenty of room to scratch around and establish a pecking order. If you do let them roam free in your garden, it is unlikely they will stray far from the coop.

Feeding Your ChickensChickens thrive when fed with a pelleted poultry feed or crumble (you will have the choice of feeding them with organic feed). Chickens also love kitchen scraps and weeds and insects from the garden (if you allow them to roam and pick food from the garden, make sure there are no slug pellets around and avoid using pesticides, which can poison them). Replace the feed regularly to prevent it from going stale, and ensure the hens always have a supply of water to drink.

Chickens are fabulous creatures to keep. They are friendly and sociable, and will reward you with delicious fresh eggs every 1-2 days. Keep them safe and comfortable, and you will have healthy, happy birds for many years to come.

Chickens are already an integral part of human life. Chickens are one of the major sources of animal meat, aside from pork and fish. As a business, they offer an opportunity for people to earn big that’s why there are many poultry farms out there. One of the major customers for poultry farms are the major fast-food companies, although some of them have their own chicken farms to supply their needs.

Don’t get behind the profits, and start setting up your poultry farms now. It is not hard to do so. Here are some useful tips that can help you along your way.

Get Financing for your Poultry Farm to Start Quickly

Setting up a poultry farm requires a lot of money, as poultry farming requires an expanse of land a hectare or more wide. You would also have to procure a large herd of chickens that are more than hundreds in number in order to generate the proper returns in income. Fortunately, you can avail yourself of loans that are offered to those that are starting or even those that are already in the business.

The loans can be used to cover these aspects of the business:

• Start-up costs for the farm
• Construction expenses
• Animal feeds
• Operational expenses that need to be paid urgently.

It is also easy to apply for these loans, as there are lenders that can be found online aside from the local loan providers in your area. The terms and conditions of these loans can also be customized for your needs and your circumstances. You can also choose from secured and unsecured poultry loans. Some lenders will also offer you advice from experts on the poultry business, aside from the monetary aid that you will be getting.

Getting Your Poultry Farm Compliant With Regulations

Another important preparation is to comply with regulations. If you plan on engaging in free range farming, then you have to make sure that the operations of your farm and the treatment of your chickens comply with regulations that are formulated for businesses like yours. Check with your local government agencies regulating laws and regulations promulgated for poultry farms.

Adequate Medical Coverage for Your Chickens

Chickens are just like your children and other animals. To ensure continuous production of chicken and eggs, your chickens should be regularly checked by veterinarians to ensure their health. Sick chickens will negatively affect your production, so it is important to have adequate medical coverage for your poultry animals.

FAQs

Q. How much floor space required per chicken?A. It depends with the chicken type. 3 sq ft needed for light chicken and 4 sq ft required for general purpose chicken.

Q. How many types of chicken sheds are used these days?A. Most popular ones are the cage sheds and floor sheds are the ancient ones.

Q. What is the shed area required for 10,000 birds?A. 30,000 sq ft house is needed for 10,000 chickens, if you prefer cage type shed then the built-up area will be 4000 sq ft to 7500 sq ft depending on the type of cage you use in your poultry farm. Average space needed for a bird in cage type shed is from .4 – .75 sq ft.