They specify a minimum stocking density of 6 birds per square metre for large fowl. This means that each laying bird has a floor space of xmm. You will notice that there is quite a difference in these figures.
It is, of course, up to you to decide which standard you wish to adopt, but you should remember that these are still minimum figures - more floor area is usually better. When calculating the floor space in a particular house, remember the following:. Perch Length Once again, standards vary, though not as much as for perch space. For large fowl, the Soil Association requires mm per bird while the Poultry Club recommends mm. Once again, these are minimum figures - more perch space is better, especially as it allows a bird that is bullied to get away from the bully.
We recommend you simply use mm as your guide. Thses figures are for large fowl, and you can safely get away with less for bantams - about mm will do. If there is more than one perch, then there needs to be adequate space between the perches, ideally about mm. Worked Example Here is an example calculation: House size, internal, is xmm. It has an internal nest box xmm.
Since you can't have 'part' of a bird, you need to 'round' to a whole number. They'll know how to consume each, by nature. If you do not want chicks then simply collect your eggs daily.
They can not hatch what they can not sit on. Other than that nothing else is needed. Your eggs are all good for sale. At least as far as I have found. I have a Rooster, he is the protector of the girls, not only from other animals but he also keeps the flock in order.
I collect my eggs each morning and before I lock up for the night I do a final check. I have no problems with my eggs and everyone loves them. Something digs holes outsise the coop and getting into my chickens.
It kills and eats part of them. I am so upset. It sounds like a possum or a weasel They are nuts over eggs and they kill and eat chickens also. Try throwing a few old eggs in a place near your hen house but not right next to it. A possum will take the eggs and leave your chickens alone as long as he is getting a meal. Possums can be great to have around - they eat rodents and old seed. Just remember he is there and give something to him to eat so that your chickens aren't such a temptation to him.
It could be a racoon or oppossum they both will chew the head off a chicken and leave the carcass laying there, very sad but it happens. The best thing to do is is dig down about " around your coop and lay chicken wire down and fill it in. This will stop them from digging under it.
Otherwise fill your coop floor with chicken wire or some small hole fencing you can buy at your local co-op store.
An easier way to lay chicken wire instead of digging a trench for the wire is to lay the wire out about 18" running away from pen, then cover with a little dirt and let grass grow over it.
When a critter tries to dig in he hits the wire and gives up. Has worked for me for years. After about 5 years replace the wire because it will rust. I've got some beautiful bantams, 3 d'uncle and one buff brahman, I've had them about 9 months, and they are all laying well. About a month ago they ganged up on the brahman and took all the feathers out of her chest, so I had to move her out of the coop.
I tried to introduce her back into the flock with only one other hen, but each one I tried her with lasted about 15 minutes before the pecking began. After a terrible afternoon, she's without feathers again and I'm desperate for suggestions I can't have this poor bird spend her life in a dog cage in my garage! Unfortunately, she's the, "bottom of the pecking order".
It's a real thing. If you have the room, keep her by herself. If you don't have the room It sounds brutal, but more brutal to have her try to live through that. She'll be too stressed to lay, eat or socialize.
I have 3 Bantam chickens, one is a Rooster, and I have 9 other full size chickens. I have found that my Roo will quell most pecking order issues that the girls may have. He is protective of his ladies and will stop their squabbling before anything gets that serious. If you can have one that is what I would do.
I think that is better than killing her just because she is the one getting picked on. Ill have my chicken coop ready for spring. I also have 6 nest, prep for the chickens I plan on only having 4. Also I was wondering will they return to the nest after the day is over? No, you don't need roosters at all! I have 4 in my coop, which would never go back in when I first got them, I had to put them in every night.
Then it got really cold and I had to shut them in the coop for a few days, and after that - Voila! They understood that was their "bedroom" and they go in without any encouragement.
So wait for a cold snap, and keep the coop door shut for at least 48 hours. You'll need to feed and water them as normal, but don't let them out. As soon as the weather improves open the door, and they will go in and out as if they've done it all their lives. Enjoy your eggs! You do not need a rooster but, if you are allowed to have one then why not? You do not have to wait for a cold snap to get your chickens to take to the coop either, just put them in there for a few days and do not let them out, then when you do they will start going in on their own.
Our little man was a free rooster. He is beautiful. When he came into his roster roll, I hated him. He is very bossy to the girls. I must admit, he goes out of his way to protect them. Everyday I let them roam outside of their enclosure.
He wrangles them up just before dusk, and they go in to roost. He is terrifically protective. I love to watch him shake his head and make his jesters to get the hens to behave. I collect my eggs once a day.
I'm going to hatch some eggs this spring. I have a whole other space for that though. Hello, we inherited 2 chickens with our coop. Raised chickens as a child and starting over many years later. I would like to know if one of these is a rooster! The bigger one is more agressive. Trying to figure out how to send you a picture! A rooster has a larger comb the fleshy crest on top of their head than a hen, and longer tail feathers as well. They are noticeably flashier, with some species having colorful and vibrant plumage.
If a chicken is aggressive, it does not mean it is a rooster. There is a pecking order in flocks of chickens, even among two, with one picking on another. We hope this helps! I have been raising broilers but now want to switch to layers.
Is there any concerns if I clean the coop my broilers used to used and put layers in? Will that hurt them anyway? We would NOT advise raising them together. Hi, I'm Jessie and I'm just starting with my free ranch chickens project. I observed that a few of my chickens started developing a weird behavior moving erratic, loosing balance like they have a neurological problem.
The hen died few days later. Please can you help me with this situation and give me the best advice. Sometimes chickens need more room to exercise. Sometimes they are too hot; ensure they are not getting overheated. Give your girls some concentrated chicken vitamins and see if they improve.
Great Post! I had to go through a whole process of trial and error in which I made a couple of mistakes that I could have easily avoided had I known some basics. My journey is not yet over. I guess there are many many things to learn. A chicken that is over heated They also can have, sudden onset, heart attack and just, "keel over" and die.
More common than anyone would believe of a chicken! Fresh cool water, times, daily during summer. I even freeze my corn cobs and let them have at it, the day after putting up my corn. Cold, refreshing and it's a, "yummy pecking toy". For some reason I started thinking about the way about the way I used to keep eggs fresh without Refrigeration in the olden days After Gathering eggs I would put them in a egg carton and turn them over twice a day to keep fertile eggs fresh.
This kept the sperm from floating to the top That way I can plant them under a hen that is sitting and the eggs still hatch but once you refrigerate the eggs there's no use trying to put them under a hen to hatch cold it kills the sperm Has anyone else heard of this. Also when Gathering eggs you must always leave at least one egg in the nest so the hen will come back and lay again in the same nest for some reason a chicken can just count up to 1 I have even used a golf ball to keep in a nest and the Hen didn't tell no different.
I also remember one time that I had a hen laying eggs in a box and I put something over the top of the box and move the the box with the hen and eggs and put it back porch and kept the cover over the top of the box for about a day and she come back and laid eggs on my back porch I even seen one hen waiting on another hen to get off the nest to lay an egg what gets confusing Is when more than one hen wants to sit on the eggs..
Raising chickens? Your gonna need water! My wife raises a lot of chickens and i got tired of all the work. Check out this automatic watering system- autowaterkit. Hi i will like to know which places around gauteng and Northwest where can i buy small chickens to raise.
Will also like to know to whom will i sell? Am a beginer eager to start my own farming ,however what i read recently was also educative and can lead me some where thanks.
I have land an was trying to c,what do I have to have to start my own farm. A friend of mind was telling me since u have ur own land u can get help. No, you do not need a rooster if you just want hens to lay eggs to eat. However, if you want eggs to raise chicks, you do need a roaster to breed your own hens. If you vacation, know that you have someone knowledgeable to tend your flock. Start small. Have a Cool or Chicken Tractor built before you purchase pullets.
A good hatchery will mail your day old chicks to you. Be prepared to RUN to the post office when they arrive!!! Have a chick brooder ready and waiting for your babies. Have chick feed and feeders, chick grit, chick waterers and heat lamp. I was once a, "dummie". I have five hens,a good sized Coop, fenced In yard for My chickens,we feed them a diet of chicken feed, mixed with corn and sunflowers, fresh water, and any fresh food we do Not eat,also throwing In weeds and greens,they are tended to daily,we get maybe three eggs every other day,what Am I doing wrong?
Are they new? It can take 6 weeks for hens to settle in. Are temperatures too high? Could your hens be stressed about anything like predators? Is there a rooster stressing them out? Are they actually eating their mix? What Breed are your chickens? Heavy layers lay approx eggs a year, average layers around a year. Breed can make a huge difference on the amount of eggs you get and some breeds lay once every 3 days approx eggs a year. If your chicks are young they all might not be laying yet either.
I wish you the best in your farming adventure. Hope this helps. I am considering raising chickens for egg. I need the basic material and accessories for a foul coop am thinking a 40 by 20 foul pen. I have a barred Plymouth Rock chick that has a growth on the back of her leg that is sharp and poking a hole on her backside. She is eating and drinking and I have her separated from the others.
I can send pic if need be. Do I cut this off? What can I put on the wound? She is about 8 days old. Any help would be greatly appreciated. In general all other requirements being fulfilled, such as a rooster , a hen will be more likely to produce fertile eggs if she is healthy and has good nutrition.
Breeder feed is recommended when the hen is laying eggs for hatching; or second best, provide layer feed for hens that have started laying eggs. For more advice, see:. What a great site! We used to raise chickens when I was a kid in Illinois, but I don't remember hardly anything. Now, I live in North Texas and want to build me a li'l ol' chicken coop, with a big flock of 3 or 4! I want them to lay through the winter, but the summers can be brutal here. What breed would y'all suggest?
Hi Rusty, Welcome! Readers have reported good results. I have a rooster that apparently hurt his leg and has been limping for several weeks now, now he has been doing nothing but sleeping and staying in the coop, his tail is down and he doesn't even crow anymore, can you help me and give me some suggestions??? Thanks Jim. Another question sorry but I just saw a garden snake entering the coup!
Small only about 2 ft. But can they be a problem? And they haven't been sleeping in there coup was thinking it was the heat.
But could it be the snake or all the flies?? What is to cooled for chickens. I have 3 adult chickens. Thanks for what u do. I have a problem with a attack chicken.
I've raised them from babies but now 1 is literally coming after me pecking, then she does her little squat and shake? What's going on? You've probably been so kind that this hen thinks she's above you in the pecking order.
Never let her attack or chase you or she is showing her dominance. You chase her around. Then you can gently hold her down and force her to bow.
Or, you can also hold her upside down. Flip her around, and carry her around for 15 to 30 minutes in front of the other girls. Thank you I can report today was the first day with no attack! Everything she tried I picked her up and send her flying so far so good thanks much We are in the Great North East.
First, we have chickens need more for colder climate. Good layers and good meat. During winter, they lay better. We shore up their runs and coops with bales of hay and each coop has an infrared heat lamp, on timer. Summer they want in high heat, but we make sure they have fresh, cold water daily. Winter, we make sure water didn't freeze a. And p.
We have never had issues. But all chickens are different! Hello, If possible I'm looking into a small, cheap as possible chicken project.
I'm looking into maybe getting 4 hens for egg production. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Also, Can you please tell me of a chicken that can take the heat pretty well? Also, what is the difference between white and brown eggs? Hi to all, with eggs prices these days I am thinking to get a couple of chickens and commit to them but I live in far west texas in the middle of the desert, here is very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter not like new york.
Does you guys have any recommendation for me? I just got 20 young chicks and 4 days later I lost one and 3 others are acting strang what should I do I don't want to lost all. Make sure aloes they have water and food available. To reduce mortality very important add special vitamins to the water, you can by them in any pet store. I just got 20 young chicks and 4 days later I lost one and 3 others are acting strang what should I do I don't want to loose them all.
Our neighbors raise chickens…I love chickens, I love their sounds, and I love their eggs. Their tunneling is destroying the brick patio and back fence line flower bed.
How can we get through to our neighbors that they need to make a change? Please HELP!! You can have rat problems without chickens. The best way to handle rats is to put out some fresh coke in a container where they can get to it. Rats love the sugar in coke and will be attracted to it. They can't burp, so the carbonation in the coke expands in their intestines and explodes, killing them.
They won't have time to dig holes. They come, drink and die. By the way, rats are very prolific and produce hundreds of little ones each year. So if you have rat holes you likely have nests of rats in the ground.
The coke will attract and kill all of them. But, you can expect to pick up dead rats all over your yard until they have been eliminated. I have two hens and one rooster In a 5'-5' coop. I am not wanting to eat the eggs I am wanting babies. One of the hens laid 3 eggs and after the third day I noticed the hens ate the eggs. What should I do?? Well a couple of things. First, if you want your hens to hatch out their eggs, you need a hen that is "broody".
Not all hens are broody and a lot of breeds are bred to be non-broody. A broody hen has a behavioral tendency to sit on a clutch of eggs to incubate them. She will be very defensive, refuse to leave the nest, often she pulls feathers from her breast to line the nest and keep the eggs warmer.
They will not eat or drink while exhibiting broodiness. If you don't have a broody hen you wont have chicks. Once hens start eating their eggs, they are very hard to stop. If you want to hatch your own chicks, you will need to get rid of your current hens since they are now eating eggs, and find a hen that is broody.
Easier yet, buy an incubator and hatch the eggs yourself. I would also increase the number of hens that you have to at least six. An aggressive rooster will really tear up just a few hens.
Totally new here. Just researching raising chickens and am so glad I found you. Told my husband when we get home, I want some! We live in north east Indiana and have no idea where to start. My biggest concern is predators and weather. I have no idea where to start and love your input. He is a backyard chicken breed and very well taken care of. Spoiled in fact hahaha. Hi Tiffaney, The first thing I would do is check your local town laws and ordinance.
Best of luck, Claire. Hello my name is Lucy and I have a small chicken coop 5 square feet with a 12 square foot run attached to it. My garden is pretty big. I live in Australia too, Is there anything I should put in my coop or can do to make sure they are ok in the hot summer?
I bought myself a house at the end of last year, and my greatest wish was to have chickens in my garden! I have a very nice sized back garden that is fenced and gated. Thank you for all of your invaluable advise. I have 23 chickens in a square foot portable fence. My question is with this much space do I need to supplement their diet with laying mash?
I hope that makes sense. Hi Ruth, I would always recommend feeding them laying mash regardless of how much roaming space they have. This is becuase if you want your hens to lay well they need protein. The garden is big enough for them but they eat everything in sight. I could let them out in the yard but I am afraid they would run into the road or get caught by a coyote or a hawk.
Is there something else I could do? Have you looked at chicken tractors Abby? You can even get them with mesh floors to stop predators such as Coyotes digging underneath… Claire. My wife and I are considering getting chickens and might have a larger space to put a few coops in. Hi Chris, In short no! Is there any particular reason why you want to split the flock? We have around an acre which in theory could hold hundreds of chickens.
Maybe a couple of different coops to help us better manage until we get used to it. Starting slowly mind you, but settings things up far in advance would be necessary for more critters. Ah ok I see.
Personally I would try to house them all together, otherwise it could cause trouble with the pecking order. Hi Claire, We are a small family intending to keep maybe 3 chickens. Both meet your suggested mins and are not easily moved. We will have 1 enclosed run about 6ft x 15ft with an outside mobile tractor also.
Is it OK to build both coops inside the run or will 2 cause issues and we recycle one please? Are there any particular breeds that wing clipping would not be necessary, provided the fencing is ft tall? Great article, it had nearly everything, however I was wondering what is the max coop square foot size per bird before it becomes to large for them to heat it.
Me and my little sister are getting chickens an d I was taking notes and I got over a full page thank you guys for the great article.
I am new to the chicken world. I am also planning on giving the. Access to another portable run during the data, allowing access to grass. I have 4 silkies, 2 Cochins, 1 welsummer, 1 ameraucana, 1 Barred rock and 1 Easter egger. Is it ok for them to roam on buffalo grass field?
Or should the grass be mowed down first? My son is getting into 4H and wants to do chickens. Which is fine by me but I grew up in Oregon where our winters were like here in Eastern a Washington. Will we have to keep them inside for mos Tod the winter because of the weather?
Hi Morgan, No not at all. We just acquired 17 baby chicks from Murray McMurray Hatchery. My husband was supposed to order chicks…and then next thing I get an email confirmation for 17 baby chicks.
Our current coop has an inside measurement of approx 3. It also has 6 nesting boxes that are 1ft square each. I am concerned that the coop size is too small for this many birds. We are getting ready to build a fenced in run also that will be attached to the coop. We live on 10 acres, so birds will be free to roam, but we do have hawks and coyotes that we will have to watch out for.
Wondering what you would recommend we do for this many birds as far as adding additional coop space. Also how big should our fenced in run be? The coop is definitely too small. Now, can you get away with it? Perhaps… only through letting them free range all day and simply sleeping in the coop and laying, but your risking all the issues that arise with crammed quarters.
Your fenced run in, the larger the better. I have done a 4 x 16 for 20 chickens so when they cannot free range they still have some area for dust bathing and scratching and it has worked out well, considering they free range most of the day. We have 13 chickens, which are about to become laying age. Does that run sound reasonably sized? I have 4 barred Rocks and 3 Leghorns. Rocks were pullets, Leghorns were straight run and about 2 weeks smaller. At 16 weeks the Rocks are as big as the leghorns in height.
But weight? The Rocks are about 3 pounds. The Leghorns are at least pounds apiece. I assume their mass explains their huge legs. Or have I done something awful to my Leghorns? My setup is a coop for the Rocks that is comfortable for the 4 of them, complete with 4 boxes. The Leghorns have a separate coop bigger in scale to better match their size and the heat they generate. I have a total of 12 feet of roost bars both in the coops and in their runs.
Just as an FYI and hello! Hi what is the best time to let the chickens out of the coop in the mornings? Pecking can occur and depending on your nesting box cracked eggs can sometimes be an issue because of constraints. Sunrise and sunset is the rule of thumb. We sometimes because of circumstances leave them in an hour or so longer and they are ok, but they can get feisty and start picking on eachother.
She is one that comes from Switzerland. I got her from someone that said she was egg bond. Since then she has laid four eggs.
I have had her for about three months now. What do I do. I am getting three hens. We have a shed sized coup with a three partition nesting box and an outside run space of 36 square foot.
I think we overdid the size of coup. Do you think we should partition it off or leave it for when the hens need to be indoors? I have never post before, I try to post this Thur , but I guess it did not work. I would try about a tea spoon per litre of water only 5 days a month.. I was considering getting 8 more chicks this year, as we had lost 4 of our girls to a bobcat.
Is this too small to keep 15 chickens? If so how many can we accommodate? Hi I had 2 rescue chickens for a long time started as a 4 but lost 2 over time when 1 died leaving 1 on its own recently I decided to rescue some more.
Just over a month ago I got 4 rescues. The 4 new rescues have been bullying my existing chicken. My original chicken hardly comes out of the coop at the moment.
My neighbour sometimes comes in the day and gives them treats and says they 4 are relentless on the 1. Any suggestions about what I can do? Hi, We have a purpose made, concrete dog kennel that is 4 feet x 5 feet. It is inside a fenced area that is 10 feet by 8 feet and has a concrete floor. Is this a suitable space for up to 4 x chickens? I have read a previous post that stated he lets his chickens have free reign of the garden for 2 hours before dusk.
If this is acceptable I will probably do the same. What should I put down on the concrete floor for the best? Is 10 x 8 big enough? Thanks, Paul. I believe chickens are more comfortable sleeping on a flat surface. I hope this helps. I am wondering if anyone can tell me how to re-introduce a chicken to the flock after months of separation due to a bad leg? The leg is healed, but the flock looks at her as an intruder.
I let them all free-range in the yard when it is nice out. Please advise! LoL Thanks for any and all help! I have not yet bought my chickens yet, I want to make sure I do all the research I can. I was planning on having a good run for them and let them out in the backyard when I am home and can watch out for any predators.
Is this okay for them?
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