Secrets Of Top Chicken Coops
Friday, May 21st, 2010Before building chicken coops, it is important to keep a few things in mind. First off, give your chickens some room. More room to spread their wings makes them feel comfortable and, well, normal. Since stress will adversely affect their tendency to lay eggs, make sure your chickens are happy and comfortable.
Giving them open space also encourages your chickens to utilize their natural pecking instinct to find food. You can further encourage this behavior by tossing a handful or two of feed on the ground in the morning.
Excellent egg production also requires a secure, comfortable nesting area for your hens. Nesting boxes come in all shapes and sizes, based on regional preferences and local climate, but all should include ample space for your chickens. Large nesting areas allow chickens to find the right spot to lay their eggs. Hen chickens will look for safe places to sit on their eggs and ensure the viability of their chicks. A secluded place away from the feeding area is important.
Give your chickens cut straw or some hay to mimic what they might find in the wild. Fluffy sawdust can work too, but try to avoid wood chips. Young chicks often mistake it for their food; eating too much wood can kill them. For mature chickens, however, wood chips can be a possible choice.
For your own comfort, make sure the eggs are easy to collect. You will be coming to the coop every day or so; make it as easy on yourself as possible. Accessible nests also mean less disturbance for the chickens. Less disturbance means less stress and less stress means more eggs for you. For a box style nest with several nesting areas, a hinged roof is simple and easy to use. If your nesting area is open, it should be easy to reach the back corners from the front for ease of collection.
Chickens want to be protected from the elements and also from predators. A strong roof that keeps off the rain and good walls that keep out the wind are necessary. If it gets really cold where you live, make sure you put a heat lamp in the nesting area. Design alone will give the chickens a feeling of security, but you can add to it by placing the coop in an area that is quiet and does not get a lot of traffic.
Now you are ready to go out and build your own coop. Safe secure chicken coops are the secret to happy chickens and happy chickens are the secret to getting more eggs.














