Have you decided to use part of your yard or the whole facility in the best possible way by raising chickens? Great idea! It is not easy to miss quality chicken meat and fresh homemade eggs. If you are really ready to start raising chickens, be prepared for full-time work. Things are not as simple as they seem.
At the very beginning, you will encounter a lot of questions related to the organization of your idea. Some of the questions represent the key so that the idea can be further developed and become real. If you are still confident in the business with chickens, then the first thing you need to do is make a chicken coop where the chickens will stay.
And at the very beginning, one of the most complicated issues, but very important for your further business. Of course, you will not just get the basics of the tool and start driving a nail into the door. The chicken coop must be designed and meet the needs of the animal, at least the basic ones.
Every animal needs as much space as possible, however, it is not always possible to provide absolute freedom and comfort. This main question, the question of the size and shape of the chicken coop, opens up other questions. By answering them, you will have a clear insight into what you really need.
The first question you need to ask yourself is how many chickens you plan to raise. It’s not the same to plan a dozen chickens or hundreds. This is the first question on which your next step depends. While you are thinking about the answer to this question, check how big is the space you have provided for your chicken coop. No one wants to live without the ability to move and freely walk. Keep in mind that chickens need between 2.5 and 4 square feet for their healthy rise.
Question number two is about what kind of chicken you want to have. Not all types of chickens are the same. You have low-growing chickens and chickens that grow quite large. You have to consider their full size. While they are small, it’s quite easy ti deal with them. Problems arise only later. And, finally, question number three: do you want your chickens to be out all the time, or do you have a fenced space planned in which they will be able to walk freely.
So, a lot depends on the organization of the space in which the shallows will stay. Don’t forget that cramped and unconditional space creates stress for chickens, so they can progress very poorly due to such conditions. In order to be as it should be, think about the needs that chicken has.
What could be the needs that chicken has?
As much as you think it’s an animal that isn’t that intelligent, you’re wrong. Regardless of the development of consciousness, animals have their needs, most often instinctive, which if they are not satisfied could create an unhappy animal. So, keep in mind that chickens need a lot of things. They need solid space for several reasons:
- they need to be able to express their natural behavior
- to have a certain type of privacy
- to have space to evade the attack of another chicken.
When we talk about natural behavior, we are actually talking about their free walking, resting, raising their wings, scratching, eating, and emptying. So, the chicken coop is not only a place where the chicken will stay, but it also needs to fulfill its natural behavior. True, it doesn’t take too much space for these activities of such a small living being, but this is more of a psychological benefit.
Next, is the privacy of the chicken. Now you must be laughing and thinking how insane this is. But it’s actually not that silly, it’s the opposite. You need to understand how complex not only the social but also the emotional interaction of chickens is. Chickens are social living beings, just like humans. But remember as much as you love people and socializing, very often we just miss our space, to be alone for a while. It’s the same thing with them, so take care. No, that doesn’t mean that every chicken needs more space, but one little corner will be enough. They will take turns there and return to their society.
And next is the aggression that can happen in your chicken coop. As with humans, so with chickens, there can be struggle, intransigence, and even without any specific reason. They can pluck each other’s feathers, peck at each other, fight with their beaks, and sometimes cannibalism can occur. If you notice these things, you are not to blame for the chickens, but for your organization. If they are too close, there is a great chance that they will try to get rid of certain members of society. So, in order to avoid this, take care of the space for everyone.
And finally, after all the conditions and factors have been considered, it is time to give an answer to the first question asked, although it is not that simple. If your chickens have the opportunity to go out and move as freely as possible, then they do not need too much space inside the chicken coop.
They will certainly just burst there or get away from the rain. But if your chickens don’t have the opportunity to go out, things are a little more serious. Depending on the size of the chicken, as well as whether it is females or roosters, the size of the space they need will also depend. Smaller chickens can be satisfied with 2.5-4 square feet. Still, larger chickens and roosters of standard growth require a little more. Between 5 and 8 square feet.
As you can see, it’s not that simple. So, think carefully about everything and make a detailed budget and pan. If you are not sure that you can make a good chicken coop yourself, you can find top ideas, but also professional help at aivituvin.com. the chicken coop not only has to be well functional but can really look nice aesthetically. don’t forget that the quality of the meat, but also the size of the eggs they lay, is envious of your chickens’ happiness. Therefore, learn everything about chickens and try to successfully satisfy most of their needs.
