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Starting with Chickens

An extract from the book by Katie Thear
published by Broad Leys Publishing Ltd

Shown here is a double page spread from the book
(Photos by Katie Thear)

Poultry Housing

The best time to buy a house is before the chickens arrive, but you would be surprised how many people buy on impulse, at a show for example, and then bring them home where there is no house awaiting them. There are several options when it comes to housing. There may be a manufacturer locally who has a ready made range or will make a house to order Perhaps a nearby garden or pet centre sells them. It is also worth checking with pet and livestock feed suppliers for they often act as local agents for national suppliers. We are are fortunate in the UK in having several manufacturers who will supply by mail order. The houses may come as flat packs for self-assembly, or the manufacturer may erect the housing himself. Another option is to make a house and run yourself. There are plans available from a number of sources.

The ideal position is a sunny, well-drained area where there is also shade and wind protection. Hens do not like wide open spaces, for they have an instinctive fear of large birds of prey. When one remembers that they are descended from the wild Red Jungle Fowl, this is not surprising. A plane overhead is a bird of prey to a chicken. Trees, shrubs, fences or walls provide a sense of security as well as weather protection, and the average garden usually provides these. Place the house so that the pop-hole (the hens' door) is on the side protected from the prevailing wind. If there is still a whistling wind funnelling into your garden, consider putting a 'porch' around the pop-hole, or place some sort of screen, such as garden mesh, straw bales or wattle hurdles to deflect the wind.

Houses are available in different sizes, so it is important to get one that is appropriate for the number of birds likely to be kept. Ideally, this is a maximum of 10 birds per sq. metre or 15kg live-weight of birds per 1 sq. m of floor space. Remember that if you have large breeds such as Brahmas, the normal nest boxes and pop-holes may be too small for them. It is something to mention before ordering, for some manufacturers will adapt their designs and build to order

Checklist

Check the timber

Has it has been treated so that it will stand up to the weather? Tanalized, protimized or cuprinoled timber are popular choices. Pressure treatment is the most effective because it ensures the maximum degree of penetration. Creosote is used by some manufacturers. This needs to be completely dry and 'weathered' before hens can be introduced, so that they are not affected by its toxicity. If you are re-proofing a house at any time, remember to buy proofer that is non-toxic to bats. (Bats are protected by law in Britain and builders are required to use proofers in the roof timbers that will not harm them). If it's safe for bats, it's alright for chickens!

Dimensions of the support timbers

These are normally 2-3 cm thick. If they are too thin the structure may not be strong enough. If too thick, the house may be difficult to move.

Is the roof sound?

The roof should have an overhang for shedding water. It may be a pitched roof, coming to a point at the top, or be angled away from the door so that water is shed backwards. It may be wood covered with bitumenized felt or be made of a modern material such as Onduline. The latter is popular because it does not provide hiding places for mites which can take up residence in the roof felt. Whatever the construction, it needs to be drip-proof and have a good level of insulation.

How easy is it to move?

If the house is a movable one, how is this accomplished? Some houses have wheels, while others may have them offered as an optional extra. The structure needs to be easy to grasp if it is relatively small, so carrying handles need to be provided in the appropriate positions. A larger house may have skids rather than wheels so that it can be pulled. If the house is to be moved by one person, it needs to be easily accomplished or the task can become a nightmare.

Easy access to the inside

Does the house have a poultry keeper's door or is there a 'lift-up' section of the roof. Whatever it is, it needs to provide easy and convenient access to the inside of the house for cleaning, and so on.

What is the floor like?

It may be solid-boarded which is warm, or slatted which is colder but does allow droppings to fall through. An alternative to slats is a rigid metal mesh floor that is more secure against rodents.

Is it well ventilated?

Stale air can cause health problems so a house needs to provide fresh air without draughts. Depending on the size of house, ventilation is provided by a window, roof ridge or ventilation holes covered with galvanized wire mesh. Check that air inlets can be opened and closed easily.

Is there a pop-hole?

A 'pop-hole' entrance allows birds in and out of the house. This is normally closed by mean of a sliding shutter or 'drop-down' ramp. It is a useful feature to be able to open or close the pop-hole door from outside a run, otherwise you will need to go into the run. All doors, pop-holes and windows should fasten firmly to exclude predators. A lock may also be appropriate to deter thieves. Pop-holes are around 25cm wide x 30cm. Big birds they may need 30cm x 38cm.

Perches

There needs to be a perch for the birds to sleep on at night, with a minimum 20 cm of space per bird (30 cm if you have large birds). The width is 4-5 cm and slightly rounded at the sides for ease of grasping. Ideally the perch should be placed higher than the nest boxes so that the chickens are not encouraged to sleep in the latter. If there is more than one perch they need to be arranged in such a way that chickens are not directly below each other. The perches should be easy to remove for ease of cleaning.

Is there a droppings board?

A droppings board beneath the perch is useful for catching droppings in such a way that they are easily removed by sliding out the board. Alternatively, thick plastic sheeting can be placed under the perches. In a shed or outbuilding, a droppings pit or box with mesh cover or slats may be used.

Nest boxes

Nest boxes need to be placed low down in the darkest area of the house because this will discourage egg eating. There should be one nest box for every three birds, with wood shavings or sawdust as a liner. Make sure that the shavings are from non-treated wood otherwise they may be toxic. Wood shavings are preferable to hay or straw which may harbour mites and become mouldy with disease causing spores of Aspergillus fumigatus or 'Farmer's Lung' can also affect humans.

It is possible to use nest boxes that slope backwards, with a collecting bay at the back, so hens cannot reach the eggs and be tempted to peck them. Nest boxes should be accessible to the poultry keeper from outside the house.

Is the house easy to keep clean?

The fittings should be easily removed for cleaning and the house itself should also be easy to dismantle. A stiff brush and dustpan are good cleaning tools, but having a droppings board or polythene, as referred to above, saves a lot of time and effort.

The Run

Most small houses will have a run, either built on or available as an optional extra from the manufacturer. It is a good idea to buy the house and run from the same manufacturer because they will fit easily together. Some manufacturers have interlocking runs so that you can extend the protected area as required. Alternatively, buy a free-standing one that can be dismantled as needed. You can also make your own or provide a fenced off garden area. Some houses have runs which extend underneath. This maximizes the use of space so that the hens have more room to range. If part of the run is covered, it provides protection for the birds to go when it is raining or very sunny, so that they still have the benefit of being outside. It is also useful to be able to put the feeder and drinker under cover.

Perhaps the most important thing about the hens' ranging area is that it is changed regularly. If chickens are left on the same ground all the time, it becomes denuded of grass, and parasites and disease organisms build up. The ground literally becomes 'sick' and the birds succumb accordingly.

The simplest setup is to have a movable house and run which is moved regularly to fresh grass. Move it as soon as the grass shows signs of wear. Alternatively, have a house with two runs, letting the hens use one run at a time, so that as one is in use, the other run is 'resting'. Some houses have a pop-hole at each end, which is a useful feature for controlling access to alternate runs.

In winter, it may be more appropriate to have the chickens in a house and run on a concrete base which can be hosed down easily, while allowing the birds access to a sanded area for scratching. A really thick layer of hard, coarse wood chips makes an excellent winter run base when the grass has stopped growing. It also absorbs droppings and can be raked over and added to as required. Remember that wood chips are not the same as shavings or shredded prunings which are softer. Shavings are fine inside but not outside. Wood chippings are hard and allow rainwater to drain through leaving the surface dry.

A movable house and run is very useful if you want the birds to do your vegetable bed clearing in winter. They scratch up weeds and clear the soil of slugs and other pests. As one area is cleared, move the unit on to the next one. By the time spring arrives, the ground is ready for a light forking and planting.

Fencing

If chickens are in a garden with a substantial fence around it, and there is a family dog in residence, the fox is unlikely to take a chance and pay a visit. He will try somewhere easier. Having said that, every poultry keeper should be aware that the fox is the prime enemy of chickens, and they need to be protected against him. It is no good relying on the local hunt, for that exists purely as a sport for the participants, not as an effective deterrent or control for foxes. There are only two options for the poultry keeper: a fence that is high enough to stop him getting over, or the use of a device such as an electric fence or electronic deterrent.

Traditional fencing

A smooth wooden fence of the type that is used in many gardens is effective, if it is at least 1.8m (6') high. Most foxes would baulk at this, although they might try and dig under it, particularly if there is a 'weak' area such as a slight gap that could be enlarged at the bottom. It is worth checking the base of wooden fences and reinforcing them if necessary. Extra boarding or wire mesh can be used.
A really determined fox can get over a six foot fence, and if you are unlucky enough to have such a predator in your neighbourhood, then consider putting an extra 30cm (1') extension on the top of the fence. If this is angled outwards at an angle of 45 degrees, it will stop him, for the combination of height and angle will make it impossible to negotiate.

Electric fencing

In an orchard or field the chickens are much more at risk because these often have hedges through which predators can squeeze, or the fencing is lower. Here, unless a high fence of wire mesh poultry netting can be put up, the best option is to use electric poultry netting which can be erected and moved as necessary. It consists of a series of plastic posts with metal spikes which are hammered in, the netting which is electroplastic twine, straining post guys and pegs, and a rechargeable battery unit. Complete packages are available for the small poultry keeper, and represent the best value, rather than trying to put together a system of disparate items yourself.

Other devices

Mention should be made of other devices that are available for deterring the fox. It is possible to use a small electronic system such as the German AXT Electronic device that automatically closes the pop-hole and opens it in the morning. You need to ensure that the chickens do put themselves to bed before the fox starts his nightly prowl. Giving them some food in their house is an incentive for them to do this, and they will then form the habit of roosting before it gets dark. You need to be aware, of course, that in some areas where there are many foxes, they may go on the prowl before dusk arrives.

There are also electronic devices which can be used to form an invisible 'beam' around the area. If broken by an intruder (fox or human) an alarm system is sounded or alternatively (and much more desirable if you have close neighbours), a bright light comes on to deter the prowler.

Products such as Renardine are available which are sprayed around the perimeter of the area to be protected, and are said to have a deterring effect. I have never used these and so cannot comment on their effectiveness. They need to be reapplied periodically, particularly after rain which will wash away the effect. Mention was made earlier of the fact that the presence of a dog has a deterring effect on foxes. Many poultry keepers make a point of walking their dog around the poultry enclosure in the evening so that the scent is transmitted to any foxes. If you live near a zoo, placing the droppings of a lion or tiger is said to be effective, while llamas and alpacas are reputed to chase them away.

© 2004. Katie Thear.

From Starting with Chickens, published by Broad Leys Publishing Ltd

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