Raising Chicken Tips: Producing High Quality Chicken Eggs

The effort to produce high quality food sources and quality farm products has been a major focus in all sectors of the food industry. For the average man working in the poultry industry, the changes, complexities, and practices in producing high quality chicken eggs and meat could be stressful if not bewildering, but what happens in the farm determines directly the quality of the products that the poultry produce.

In egg production, the main focus of safety is to prevent salmonella contamination. It is also the ensuring that the chicks and pullets are not harboring the bacteria. One effective way at preventing this from happening is insuring that the feeds used are free from pathogens. Regular vaccinations are conducted to assure that the flocks are healthy and the observance of proper sanitation, eggs washing and refrigeration is observed from the farm to the market.

Producing high quality chicken eggs is straightforward. It only requires keeping healthy hens that are free from infection. The things to do:

• Reduce stress in the chicken house. Chickens that are not over stressed are more resistant to infections. For this the chickens must not be disturbed, if that cannot be avoided, prevent disturbances to the least possible. Chickens are naturally evasive to contact from those that it is not familiar with, even unfamiliar human scent.

• Except for scheduled management and maintenance, the supply of water and feed must not be interrupted. Even when the chicken can do with yesterday's water, the water supply nonetheless should be as clean and uncontaminated as possible.

• Maintain ample spaces for hens. A layer would need 4 to 5 square feet in moving space. When hens are crowded, irritations between hens occur that leads to pecking and fighting disturbing egg production.

• Make sure that the chicken house is secured from other animals and unauthorized personnel. Contact with poultry must be minimized.

• Do not feed broken eggs to the chicken. Doing so will develop the habit and will start them pecking at eggs. Instead, clean the chicken house of all residues of the eggs and dispose of it immediately.

• Keep a clean chicken house. Cobwebs, dust, dirt, and broken eggs harbor bacteria. This includes good housekeeping in all aspects of egg production like, egg packers, conveyors, elevators, and egg belts.

• All eggs must be collected promptly. Collecting eggs twice each day works well for most farms. For bigger farms the collection must be done often.

• Eggs must be handled carefully to prevent cracks, washed, and refrigerated soon afterwards.

• It often happens that pesticides are to be used to aid sanitation and cleaning. That being the case, only use pesticides that are approved for egg production. Likewise, use chemicals only when necessary.

The above-mentioned guidelines are sufficient practices in producing high quality chicken eggs. For further assurance, a common test it to place the eggs between a light and the eye. The yolk of high quality eggs appears translucent. Those that appear cloudy are already stale and may no longer be fit for consumption.

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Raising Chickens: What Chickens Need to Survive and Thrive

Ancestrally, chicken are jungle birds. They are survivors living in trees and are good at adapting to outdoor conditions. Taking good care of chickens then is easy provided that the chicken raiser give them what they need to survive and thrive. The needs of chickens are few and simple.

Housing

• The first among the basics for raising chickens is a housing that is clean and secured from predators. Chickens are a good prey for foxes to badgers and for cats to rats. The chicken house then should be secured that every possible entry point of predators are closed and barred.

• Build a chicken house that is elevated from the ground. This will keep them away from damp and diseases. While chickens are sturdy birds, they are prawn to bacteria and diseases, many of which come from the damp ground.

• The chicken house should also be made of materials sturdy enough to withstand different weather conditions and it should have ample ventilation.

Space

• Provide enough space for chickens. Chicken could be irritable creatures when the mood strikes them and that could be just about anything. When they are, quarrels will start. When blood is drawn, the blood will strike the fancy of other chickens in the henhouse will start pecking at the bloodied chicken sometimes to death. A chicken house is already cramped when there is less than three square feet of space per chicken.

• Likewise, the nest box should not be designed to accommodate more than four chickens. Two chickens per nest box are good.

• Chicken runs should be secured and fenced around with the base of the fence buried at least 10" into the ground while the height should be at least five feet.

Food and Water

• Chickens could live on yesterday's water but when the water has droppings it has to be cleaned. A steady supply of clean water is essential if the chickens are to be healthy. Vitamins and minerals could also be introduced into the water to boost the chicken's immunity from diseases.

• There are two basic types, the corn, and the pellets. Corn feed is mixed with other seeds and the seed mixed to the corn does not differ much from one manufacturer to the other. The other type is pellets. Pellets have three categories. First is the starter mash or layer mash, the second is the crumbled pellets that are recommended for feeding the pullets and the third is the pellets. There is no difference in composition and nutrients present. The difference only lies in the manner of fineness and coarseness of the feed.

• Chicken eats most food and it is good to let them roam around for variety. Chickens should also be fed grits, as they would need this for digestion to prevent having a sour crop.

These are the basics that the chicken will need to survive and thrive. There are other minor issues like disease prevention, selecting the breed, laws and regulations, but for chicken keeping, these are the things that come first.

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Raising Chickens 101: Protecting Chickens From Other Animals

Chickens have a lot of attributes but unlike most animals in the food chain, except for their typical if not initial distrust, they have none for defense. Aside from that, chickens do not move fast, are noisy, meaty, and tasty, that makes them the ideal bird to prey upon. To protect chickens from predators and other animals, observe try the following.

Introduce human smell.

The scent of humans is very repulsive to animals. It has often been claimed that the reason that man is the least to be preyed upon is due to human smell. There is not much study to support this but the fact is man will only be preyed upon when a predator is starving and there is nothing else available, when a predator is sick and is unable to hunt or is very old that their movement and ability has been limited, when the animal is threatened with its back to the wall and escape routes are closed and sometimes when a man is mistaken for another identity. To do this, hang bags of hair and used clothing inside the chicken coop and the fence preferably near entrances.

Discourage predators from your premises.

This will depend much on the predators that are in your area. Different predators use different methods. Consult with the animal control or the local authorities in your area. Aside from that you could use chemical deterrents. An electric chicken fence may also be ideal. Outside of these, remove places and clear spaces where predators could hide. Having dogs around will discourage most predators from getting near the place.

Build sturdy chicken coops.

Build the chickens living spaces free from gaps and holes. If the flooring of the chicken house is made from slats, install wires underneath to prevent predators from digging from underneath. Cover weak posts with wires to prevent them from biting through and lock up the chicken hutch without fail when the chickens are roosting in their coops.

Prevent access.

Predators will dig underneath a fence if they could not jump over it. When building the fence, ensure that it goes at least 10" or more below the ground to discourage digging. See to it that there are no weak points either in the fence or in the chicken house itself.

Provide barriers.

When the fence is made from chicken wire, bury planks that are at least 8" deep into the ground, also put footplates near the fence. Make the height of the fence at least five feet to prevent foxes from jumping over. Leave the top of the fence rough for added measure. Generally foxes could jump as high as their length. There are foxes though that could jump more than that. Leaving the top of the fence rough could catch if not scrape their underbellies on it.

Other methods of protecting your chicken from other animals could be provided by other farmer/residents in your area who have been raising animals longer than you do.

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Raising Chickens: Important Information on Feeding

Chickens can eat almost everything from meat to vegetables. You can give them dog food and they’ll peck it with full gusto. You can give them pig food and they’ll eat it without hesitation. Chickens are cleaners of garbage tidbits. They can even wipe out every insect, worm, or anything little and more vulnerable than they are. The good thing about raising chickens in your backyard is that it needs no feeding qualifications other than vitamins and boosters.

Grains can also be fed to your chickens. Scraps of food bits and peelings can also be fed. You see, feeding isn’t that hard for as long as you save some of those leftovers for your poultry to feed on. Chickens are also intelligent for they know when the bucket of treats is ready for lunch.

You can feed your chicken in many ways. You can either put it in a container that is big enough to accommodate their number during mealtime. Scattering their food isn’t also a bad idea without the worry that it will go to waste and remain scattered. Bones with tiny bits of meat are also their favorite.

Now, when it comes to hens laying eggs, calcium is required for their diet. During the months when laying season is on its verge, you can feed your hens calcium just by including in their meal clam shells that are already crushed. Do not, by any means give clam shells that are whole. They may be at risk of recognizing these clams as their own egg shells. So you have to see to it that the clam shells are thoroughly crushed into pieces before giving it to them. These are available in your local feed stores.

The most advisable food for your chickens are feeds, pellets, corn and grains. Meat, fruits and vegetables can be given out too. But chickens can’t have all the fun gobbling everything up. Their diet must also be kept in observance because there are certain kinds of food that aren’t advisable for them to eat. These foods can either be harmful or worse, deadly. Aside from the foods mentioned below, basically, other feedings are safe.

Reason why chickens should not eat these types of food

Chicken If you were given the opportunity to eat the thigh of your neighbor, would you do it? Same reason why chickens will dearly object if served with their own kind. But they will not know this. They never will. That’s why, it is alright if you have included chicken bones to their meals. But the consequences can be outstanding because if given large amounts of chicken meat or parts of the spinal cord and brain, this may lead to the development of encephalopathy.

Apple: An apple every two weeks given to 4 birds is fine but if this routine is done every day, you could expect digestive problems.

Peelings of Potato: Chickens don’t really like the idea of eating roots crops. The taste isn’t that enjoyable either.

Orange Peelings: The toughness of this is too much for them to take.

Tomato: Given in small quantities, tomatoes can be good but be careful cause if given in excess, they might affect the chicken’s droppings.

Banana: For some reason, they just don’t like them.

These are just some of the foods that aren’t really advisable to give to your chickens. Just take note: Root plants aren’t on top of their list; hard fuits can never be favorite; if given in large quantities, whatever the food is, will give their digestive system a hard time.

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The Do It Yourself Chicken House

Building chicken houses from prefab is a good idea to many. For one thing, it will definitely save time. For others though, the cheaper route is better as every cost incurred when raising chicken will always add to the cost of every head of chicken produced. Besides, there is really a definite satisfaction when you build and design your own chicken house. If the do-it-yourself chicken house is the route for you, the following will be helpful.

The Layout

The key point is that chicken houses are places of shelter. As chicken are creatures of habit, the chicken coop must be a permanent safe retreat for chickens where they can roost, nest, feed, and stay healthy safely. A chicken coop will also need a chicken run. Chicken runs are the area outside of the coop where the chicken could roam about, forage for additional nutrition, play, and have dirt baths. The chicken run will depend much on the available space or local regulations. Generally, rural area regulations are relaxed followed by urban areas with strong farming backgrounds. Whether the dirt run is free range, confined, or fenced will vary on the type of predators that are in the area.

The Design

Typically, a chicken will need about four square feet of space and three hens could share a nest. Each hen will also need a perch about 9" long. The design should also include a hatchway, storage area, ventilation, lighting and a feeder system. For a cleaner and healthier environment, design the floor to accommodate deep litter. This is normally done by piling three to four inches of wood shavings under the floor. Most people will design or make allowances for a feeder and water container and supply system, often though it is convenient to purchase the system in a local farm supply store.

The Materials

• You will need 4x4 wood for corner posts/studs and skids
• For boundary and floor joist, framing for walls and roofs you need 4x2's.
• 2x3 will be needed for perch support and perch and a 2x2 for the nesting perch.
• Plywood will be needed in building wall cladding, flooring, cladding battens, doorstops, parts of nest boxes, roofing and litter boards, and tarpaper for under roofing.
• Hardware
• Feeder system

Tips for Building the Chicken House

Chickens have virtually no defense against predators. Due to this, the do-it-yourself chicken house must be built in such a way that even when there are boards or planks for flooring, it will still be wise to add chicken wires under the floor to discourage rodents from entering the coop as they could easily chew through the wood. Possible weak points and entry points should be wrapped with chicken wire as well.

The perimeter fence of the chicken run must be constructed in a manner that the fence goes deep into the ground (about 10") to discourage predators from digging. The height of the fence must be about five feet in height to prevent foxes from jumping over.

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Raising Chickens 101: Chicken Behaviors

The groups that chickens live in are called flocks. Chickens are very social birds. But they are often aggressive toward each other.

They have a “pecking order” which is the order of the weakest bird to the strongest. Chickens dominate the weaker birds especially when they are competing for food or a nest.

Chickens are noisy like many other birds. They often cluck at each other and roosters’ cock-a-doodle-doo at dawn.

Chickens are not very fond of water. So instead of taking a bath in water, they like to take dust-baths. They like to keep their feathers in good condition so they also stroke themselves with their beaks.

When chickens aren’t feeding or exercising, chickens enjoy taking a nap by perching about the ground on a branch or pole. Most times the chickens stand on one leg. The muscles lock into place so when they are resting, they won’t fall off of the perch.

Like back in the day, chickens still peck and scratch at the ground to fine yummy food for the day. Even though it is many years later, chickens are still the same animal as before.

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Do Chickens Make Good Pets?

Gone are the days when chickens were only kept for their eggs and meat. Nowadays, people take a liking for chickens because of their domestic appeal, and many would even claim that they get a sense of kinship with their poultry, that same kinship people get from common pets such as cats and dogs.

But before you entertain the idea of keeping chickens as pets, you have to check the local zoning laws in your area for the simple fact that some counties prohibit the housing of "farm animals". Once you're able to verify this, the one thing left to do is to pick the particular breed of the chickens you want to have as your constant feathery companions.

You will need to have extensive knowledge of which breeds are most suitable to your preference. A bit of visual appeal can also go a long way into sparking and maintaining interest. A chicken can have a variety of colors and styles to choose from - red, gold, brown, spotted, dappled, high-tailed, bushy tailed, feather-legged, the list goes on. Be very nit-picky, for it's your sole responsibility to ensure that your chickens are not only well fed, but also nurtured and yes, loved. Why keep a pet in the first place if you're not going to shower it with attention?

If there are kids always hanging around the chicken coop, it might be advisable to choose the smaller breed, or in poultry talk - bantam chickens. That way, kids won't be afraid of them, and will be drawn to them as much as they do to small pets like rabbits and cats. It goes without saying that you need to pick one that is young, more preferably a one-day old chick. This gives the bird ample time to get domesticated and get used to being handled by people. The birds won't "fly the coop" and be predisposed to hurt anyone every time people get close to them.

In that parlance, hens make better pets than cockerels since they are more docile in nature. The fact that hens are capable of providing you a steady supply of eggs without the requirement of fertilization only fuels that premise. Sexing the chicken is not as easy as it looks, so you are better off asking the help of a “chick sexer” if you're not well trained to do it on your own.

Pet chickens naturally have to be free-range. They love to have enough space to walk around with, so make sure there's enough of it. Perches also need to be set up since it is hardwired into a chicken's instincts to roost and sleep on an elevated surface. Also make it a point to scatter some dirt into the ground since they love to dig and scratch with their feet.

Feeding your chickens occasionally with special treats (worms, fish, table leftovers, etc.) in the palm of your hand can also help tame them as they grow. In this manner, they associate you as a source of food and will always cluck in anticipation every time they see you.

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Raising Chickens101: Inside the Egg

A chicken’s egg is a wonderful thing. It provides things that soon-to-be-chicks need to help them grow and unfertilized eggs are delicious and nutritious.

The shell of a fertilized egg protects the embryo as it grows and prevents dirt and germs from getting inside the egg. When the egg is first laid, the chick is nothing but a tiny white disc.

For a chick to grow correctly and to hatch, the egg needs to be kept warm or incubated. After the egg is laid, the hen will sit on it and occasionally rotate it to warm it evenly. The nest should be damp too. If it isn’t, the egg will dry out and die.

As the days pass by, the chick gets bigger and bigger inside of the egg. The body begins to form, and then in three days, the embryo has a heart and blood. The egg is ready to hatch in 21 days.

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Building Chicken Nest Boxes

Chicken nest box design comes in all sizes and shapes. The suggestions for better designs also vary. The large variety of suggestions speaks so much about personal experiences and thereby the preference. In building chicken nest boxes, there are designs that stand out in view of practicality and function.

First though, a good chicken nest box must be planned to get the chicken lay eggs in manners that are most productive. The basics are the same. You build a box, put in some straw or wood shavings and when the time comes so too the eggs. But when there is low egg production chances are something must be done to improve the nest box. For as much eggs as possible, here are suggestions:

Often, chicken nest boxes are built to house more chicken and there are practical management reasons for this. The fact though is that when the nest box is crowded, chicken prefer laying eggs on the floor where the eggs are dirtied, trampled on, and even eaten lowering production. Chicken are actually more productive when they nest on smaller boxes. A box that could house four chickens at a time is good. Smaller is better. When nesting boxes are smaller, there is also less room for the chicken to kick around the straw or wood shavings, creating less mess and keeping the straw where they should be.

The roof of the chicken nest boxes are sloped for the purpose that chickens do not roost on the roof. A roof not angled steeply will invite chickens to roost there and when that happens expect where the eggs will be. Inside the nest box, keep at least two inches of straw but if you could have wood shavings (pine is preferable) that is even better.

If you could provide a chute where the eggs will roll after being laid, and collected at a separate place, the added cost of the chute will be paid for in terms of more eggs that could be used. It will also be practical as frequent intrusions disturbs chicken and that destroys eggs in the process let alone the muck that you will help splatter around.

In place of the egg chute, construct the chicken nest box with doors constructed at the backside so that you could collect the eggs from outside the coop without disturbing the chickens very much. Build a lip at the opening to prevent the eggs from falling when the doors open. A two-inch high lip is enough to keep the eggs safe. Likewise, build also a similar lip at the entrance to the nest boxes that serves as a chicken step. This will prevent the eggs from falling from inside the chicken coop as the chicken kicks around before laying more. The lips will also keep the straw inside the nest.

The sizes in building chicken nest boxes vary widely. In general though the height would be about 9" and if you intend to limit the chickens inside the box, a 12" square is sufficient and let the nest boxes be cave like, cold and dark.

Easy D.I.Y. Chicken Coop Plans

Raising Chickens: Tips How to Clip their Wings

Clipping a chicken’s wings is an owner’s way of saying “You can’t go anywhere.” It is basically defined as the method of preventing backyard chickens to fly anywhere they want. Some, who think that wind clipping is inhumane, would rather see their chickens flying and wasting their time chasing them around the pen so as not to lose them. But others, who do it, believe that it is more of an advantage than a disadvantage.

One of the basic advantages of clipping is that if you keep your chickens in a free-range status, you lessen the thought of worrying that your chickens will go flying around and say “Bon Voyage!” If you wanted to keep your chickens inside their pen and make them lay those eggs, you have to adapt to certain measures no matter how brutal it seems.

For those who agree in the idea of clipping and are fascinated on how to clip the wings of their chickens, don’t dare think that there is bloodshed involved because there is none. Well, maybe just a drop.

You don’t have to clip everything including the actual wings with muscles, bones, veins and all. The only part that is needed to clip is the ones with the feathers. Long primary feathers. For first timers, ask for assistance from someone who knows how because if you don’t, things might get messy between you and your chicken.

Clipping chicken wings may be inconvenient and needs caution but it is the best way to outsmart your chickens. If done correctly, you can take away the balance and flight coordination thus making them want to stay even if they are against it.

There are pointers to know on how to properly clip a chicken’s wings but first, you have to organize the things you’ll need.

1. Sharp scissors with a rounded tip.
2. Pliers
3. Used towel
4. First Aid Kit
5. Your vet’s number

Procedure:

a. Look around you. Do you see a candidate? Yes? Time to catch her. The perfect candidate for wind clipping is the chicken that has her wings growing very prominently. Usually these are the chickens you see who fly proudly above other birds. Catch the bird by the feet. This is the most ideal way of getting her under your grasp.

b. Hold the chicken by the legs and support the body by holding her underneath using the palm of your hands to stop her wriggling. Use the towel to wrap it around your chicken’s body to avoid any unnecessary movements. Leave either the left or the right part of her wings free.

c. Spread the wing displaying the entire feather section that needs cutting. The feathers must be the primary ones. From the tip of the longest wing feather, estimate at least 5 inches then start cutting at that point. Use very sharp scissors so that the process will not be that agonizing for your chicken to take.

d. You know you’re done if you see that the clipped wings are already on ground and the remaining ones are aligned in proportion. In cases of mistakes, mistakes that made your chicken bleed profusely, either call the vet and ask for an advice or rush her to the nearest animal clinic for treatment.

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Raising Chicken Tips: Requirements for Building a Coop

A coop is what you normally call a chicken’s house. It’s their kingdom! A hen’s castle. So you have to make sure to keep their house maintained at a four star accreditation for this will help the chickens grow healthy and happy. Therefore, to keep it the way it should be, there are specific requirements to cope up with to build a coop that will satisfy both you and your chickens. You, the poultry owner, of all people should understand this.

Requirement #1

Regarding its design, the coop must be secured from any kind of predator. Every single angle in the pen – sides, below and above, must be structured to withstand the wrath and longing of predators who are always on the lookout for a free meal. When selecting a wire mesh, be sure it is the right one. Predators are more than one. They scour within the area of your coop unnoticed just waiting for the time when they can attack. You have to make sure that the coop is impenetrable because some predators like raccoons just reach out for their prey, easily.

Requirement #2

In connection with requirement number one, this is a continuation. Aside from predators, you have to secure the coop from those nasty rats. They burrow through the ground and come up from below. If the coop floor is not blocked, these rodents will slip into the hen’s quarters. Rodents are attracted to the food you’re giving your chickens and the droppings they excrete.

What’s more devastating is that these pesky rats love eggs. So whenever laying season comes, they gather too. Want to get rid of them? Good idea. But prevention is better than cure. That is why preventing them to come into the pen is better that getting rid of their presence completely. All you need to do is construct a floor within the pen, otherwise, bury a fence about 12 inches deep around the hen’s house. Be sure that the materials you will use for the fence and the floor is thick or hard enough for them to impossibly bite through.

Requirement #3

The way you build your coop must not be drafty or breezy. Subsequently, seasons will change and so would the weather. That is why; your coop must be able to endure any kind of natural effects.

Requirement #4

Roosting poles must be provided for your hens to slumber. It must have an approximate 2-inch wide rounded edges. You allot an 8 to 10 inch space between every bird. Put nest boxes to encourage egg laying. One nest box is equivalent to three to four chickens. Situate the boxes inches above the ground. Do not let it touch the soil. Place these nesting boxes somewhere private where no one can bother them while they’re doing their thing. Safety is the very first policy one should follow.

Requirement #5

Your coop must be roomy. Spacious. You have to allot at least 3 square feet for every bird. There should also be space where the feeder and the waterer can hang to which is 7-8 inches above the ground.

Requirement #6

The coop must be accessible for the owner’s sake ONLY. Predators and rodents not allowed. Easy accessibility can help you clean the coop so that bacteria and bugs do not fester.

Easy D.I.Y. Chicken Coop Plans

Build a Chicken House Quickly With These Techniques

Do you think that it’s going to take weeks to build a chicken house? If so, you may want to think again. With the right techniques and tips you can easily accomplish this goal in as little as a few short days and have great success while doing so.

Here is what you need to know in order to build a chicken house properly.

Plan The Entire Inside Before Building

The first thing you must do as you build a chicken house is take the time to plan the entire coop before you build. Many people make the mistake of building too early and then find out they have built too small because of all the additional pieces that have to go inside.

Remember that the measurements that you get in terms of total free space are just that – free space. If you start adding the feeders, the waterers, the perches, and so on, this will take away from the total amount of free space you have, making your chickens feel more crowded.

To solve this problem, draw a blueprint out first and then proceed to build a chicken house according to that design.

Make Sure You Give Your Chickens Enough Light

Next, you also need to make sure that you’re giving your chickens enough total light. This is accomplished by being sure you add enough windows throughout the coop which will serve to allow the sun to shine in.

Just be sure with these windows that you are not placing them too low or the sun may shine directly at the chickens, which can make them feel uncomfortable. Locate the main direction the sun typically hits your chicken coop and be sure to focus your windows on that side of the house.

Never Build Smaller Than You Think You’d Need

Finally, as noted in the first point, size is one of the biggest things you must take into consider as you build a chicken house. If you aren’t sure how many chickens you plan to keep, it’s a smart move to build slightly larger than you think you’ll need, then if you do decide to add one or two more, you will have enough room.

The worst situation is when a chicken farmer builds the perfect size coop but then finds out he needs more chickens. Then you have to tare down the coop and rebuild parts of it or else add an extension onto the coop that’s in place.

So be sure you’re following these three tips as you build a chicken house. The process may seem quite intricate but by using a building plan that breaks it down into manageable steps, it really becomes something that you can easily handle over the course of a weekend.

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Backyard Chicken Pen Building Tips

As you get ready to start building a backyard chicken pen, there are some critical aspects that you must keep in mind so that you see optimal results from the process. Many people are overlooking some aspects of the process that then lead them to have to either go back and rebuilt later on or else have chickens that aren’t laying eggs on a regular basis – which is a frustrating issue to say the least.

By taking the time to consider the following tips, you can help ensure that you do things right the first time around. This will also help to save you money – sometimes hundreds of dollars depending on the particular backyard chicken pen you’re building.

Here is what you must keep in mind.

Plan Your Windows Before Building

The first thing you should be doing is taking the time to plan the windows before you build your backyard chicken pen. The windows are going to be the primary source of light for your chicken coop, so you want to make sure that they are placed in the correct position.

You normally should cut the windows in the walls prior to constructing the coop so that you can get this right. Also think about what direction is going to give you the most natural sunlight since that’s where you should be maximizing the window placement on the chicken coop.

Think About Predators In Your Area

Second, also think about what predators are in your area that you will have to watch out for. In some cases this will influence the type of design you use for your backyard chicken pen so it’s something you definitely do not want to overlook.

Be sure whatever building plan you use, it thoroughly discusses the different predators that hunt for chickens and gives clear indications what areas have to worry about these the most. This will give you a good starting point to work off of when attempting to maximally protect your chickens.

Consider Your Primary Light Source

Now, if you happen to live in a location that doesn’t get a lot of natural sunlight, it will be important that you think about wiring in some electrical light into the backyard chicken pen.

Chickens do not respond well when they are not getting enough light, whether it’s sunlight or electrical light, so find a way to make sure your coop is well lit.

Electrical light can get to be rather expensive so usually it’s better to avoid this if you can, but in some cases that just isn’t possible.

Don’t Overlook Ventilation

Finally, also be sure that you don’t overlook ventilation in the backyard chicken pen. This will help ensure that the air inside stays fresh and is not only enjoyable for your chickens, but for you as well. If you hardly want to go into the chicken coop, the chances that you’re regularly maintaining it and spending time with the chickens will be dramatically reduced.

By being sure you keep these tips in mind, you will increase your chances of creating a backyard chicken pen that’s a big success. The more information you can gain before you start to build, the better your results will be.

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Raising Chickens 101: The Laying of Eggs

For most of a hen’s life, she is laying both fertile and unfertile, eating eggs. Hens usually only lay one egg a day.

Hens like having a nice, tight nesting box to lay her eggs. Nesting boxes are made from wood and usually have hay at the bottom of them.

Hens like laying eggs in dark, warm places rather than light, cooler places. In the wild, they use a hollow on the ground and sometimes find corners of a farmyard.

The shell of eggs when first laid are usually moist but it air dries fairly quickly. When the days become longer, hens lay more eggs. As the days get shorter, the amount of eggs they lay gets lower and lower until winter when they don’t lay any eggs at all. Occasionally, they lay eggs all year round.

Build A Chicken Coop In 3 Days