The Chicken Coop

In my last post I gave you just a taster of a few breeds, that are worth trying. But there are around 400 different breeds of chickens to choose from. A useful website that has a special tool that will find you the right chicken, is mypetchicken.com. You can also look at the many different breeds, and info about them.

Part 3 of my guide is looking at the next stage – getting the coop and other equipment.

THE SHOPPING LIST.

The first item on your list is the chicken coop/house and run. Chickens won’t be fussy about how their home looks, but you will need to make it predator-proof and weather-proof. However, if you want it to look attractive in your garden, you’ll be able to find many companies selling different designs and styles online. Each design will be specifically made to accomodate a certain number of birds. The other option is to build a coop yourself.

What to consider when buying the coop.

1. It’s a good idea to buy a coop with a wooden floor, so foxes can’t dig underneath the house. Depending on where you live, you may have a variety of predators in your area - foxes, racoons, skunks, rats that will eat baby chicks etc.

2. If you’re building a fence around the coop, it should  ideally be 2 metres high. This will stop the birds from flying out. The chicken wire for the fencing should be a 19-gauge thickness and 5cm mesh. Also dig about 30cm of fencing wire in to the ground, to stop predators from digging through.

3. Inside the coop. The birds will need a couple of perches across the house to roost on at night, and some nest-boxes for laying eggs.

4. The coop should have good ventilation, to prevent respiratory diseases. This can either be a window or built-in ventilation on the sides of the coop, covered with mesh wire from the inside.

Other items on your shopping list.

Water and feeding containers will be needed. These can be bought online or from an animal feed supplier. Containers to store food – I use plastic dustbins. This will keep the food fresh, store the bins in a shed if possible. 

 Bedding – The floor of the coop will need to be covered with either straw or wood shavings. This helps to absorb the bird droppings. You’ll probably need to clean the bird droppings away several times a week, because chickens definitely poop a lot! The nest-boxes can be lined with hay.

Food – Commercially prepared poultry feed is easily available from a good animal or horse feed supplier. This will provide all the nutrients they require. It is usually in the form of pellets or mash. Chickens can also be fed mixed corn and cereal feed.

Hi! All, we were having some fantastic hot weather here in the UK, but as you probably know with the british weather, you can’t rely on anything. It has now returned to cloud and the odd glimpse of the sun. So, you’d think my girls would be happier, and start laying again, but I think they’ve decided they are having a long summer break.

Here is the next part of my guide to keeping chickens.

The Best Breeds for Beginners.

Before deciding on a breed of chicken, it’s a good idea to visit a few poultry shows, and talk to breeders. You’ll be able to have a look at various breeds, and find out some information on them.

There are a few factors to consider when choosing a breed.

1. The type of eggs the chicken will lay. Some chickens, such as bantam’s lay small eggs. Larger breeds lay bigger eggs.

2. Do you want chickens just for the eggs and as pets, or for the meat?

3. How much space do you have? Some breeds are happy to be confined.

4. How hardy is the breed? Some birds won’t endue bad weather in winter.

Below are my 5 favourite breeds.

Silkie – An ideal breed for children to have as pets. They are docile, and their unusual feathers make them appealing. They have feathers on the feet, and an unusual comb, which is known as a mulberry or cushion. They have bluey-black skin, and lay a small creamy coloured egg.

Sussex – A small pretty bird, with a solid body. They make good pets and are excellent for the novice keeper. These birds are hardy, active and adapt to confinement or free range. The breed has six types – speckled, buff, silver, white, brown and red. They lay creamy to light brown eggs.

Belgian D’Uccle – Millie Fleur is the most popular variety of this breed. These are bantam’s, and are very colourful. They make great pets, and the roosters are friendly. They lay tiny creamy white eggs.

Rhode Island Red – These birds are well known as excellent layers. They are fun to have, with a lot of character. A friendly pet to have, and will adapt to most weather conditions. They lay light brown eggs.

Australorp – These birds make good pets for children. They become very tame and can be handled. They are generally not aggressive to each other.

I’ve decided that a good place to start with some tips on keeping chickens, is at the very beginning. Maybe you’ve given it some thought, but need to know some basics, before getting your chickens. So, here is my beginners guide to get you started.

1. Check local laws about keeping chickens where you live. If you live in the UK, you probably won’t have to many problems, especially if you live in a rural area. In the US there are more restrictions in the cities. So, check this out carefully.

2. You need enough space in your garden for a chicken coop and run. Do some research on-line for  suppliers, or if you know someone locally that can make a coop for you, it will probably be cheaper. Each bird will need approx 2-4 sq ft – if they can roam free-range in a fenced area, that’s even better.

3. The coop will need perches inside for the birds to roost at night, and nest-boxes for laying eggs. The run should have sufficient space for the chickens to exercise during the day.

4. Buying your chickens – Visit a few poultry shows if you can. This will help to decide what breed you’d like, and give you contacts of breeders. Look through the classified section of your local newspaper or poultry magazines.

The next post will cover the best breeds to buy for beginners.