Chicken Hutch
A Chicken Hutch Fit For a Queen
Here are some tips for setting up a good chicken hutch, so your birds will be safe, happy and comfortable.
A chicken hutch or coop (or hen house) can be made of various materials as long as it keeps the birds from getting out and vermin from getting in. Chicken wire or other types of wire are fine, just so they have a small enough mesh. The house should be on blocks and a solid floor. Otherwise, snakes and other predators can crawl in through the bottom of the coop.
Floor materials: Provide a good lining for the floor of the chicken hutch. As they poop a lot, you must use an absorbent material for the lining. Some things that do not work well although commonly used are cedar, newspaper, and paper towels. Cedar is touted as a great lining to use, but it actually causes allergies or breathing problems in chickens. Newspapers and paper towels become wet and soggy, making the floor slippery and slimy. This places the chickens in danger of slipping, resulting in leg and foot injuries. A good choice used by professional breeders is pine shavings.
Food and water containers: To live in comfort to an old age your feathered friends need a good water delivery system. Using a bowl means the water is always full of shavings, food, and poop, so you have to keep changing it. For baby chicks, don’t use a rabbit feeder for water. Only one chick at a time will have access. There are water dispensers designed specially for baby chicks, which are the best choice.
There is also a special feeder for babies. Although it costs a little more, a bowl is not a good feeding method either. It becomes a receptacle for all sorts of things besides food. Worst of all, when tipped over a chick can get stuck underneath and suffocate.
Heating: You need to have good lighting and heating. They don’t sleep well if their living space is brightly lit. A good alternative is a red light/heat blub. This colored light actually keeps them from bothering and pecking one another.
Then, make sure their heat source is accessible while allowing freedom of movement. Crowed into one space and huddled under one heat lamp, they will be cold and miserable. Instead, move the lamp lower for better coverage. On the other hand, the lamp can be too low, causing overheating. You’ll know this is the case if they are clinging near the edges of the coop, and dripping sweat (not really). They should be free to move around without becoming too hot or cold.
Food: Chicken feed is designed to give birds the proper nutrients, including baby starter feed, which can be medicated or unmediated. To determine they right type, consider what vaccinations they’ve had. Occasionally give a treat like bugs, worms or dairy food. Use sparingly because it is unhealthy in large qualities.
This information should get you started in asking more questions. It is advised that you check with your local 4H club to get a complete overview of the proper care and housing of your chickens. Doing this, you’re sure to be raising prize-winning chickens in no time.