In this report, I will be talking about how accommodations for chickens should be set up and maintained. This will include information about the legal space requirements, the types of fixtures that chickens require within their housing and the best bedding materials for them, as well as how the buildings should be set up to make cleaning and the movement of animals in an emergency (such as a fire) easier and more efficient.
There are several factors to take into consideration when designing accommodation for chickens, such as size, materials, the structure itself, and any environmental factors that may have an effect on the housing. Chicken accommodation should be made out of untreated wood, with a smooth wooden floor as this is easy to clean and helps keep out predators, and have an enclosed area made of chicken wire for them to use as a run [1]. The enclosed area should have either a soft bedding material or be on natural ground, as chickens like to scratch the floor and dig around [2]. Each chicken requires around one square meter of space [3]. The building should be built in a way that keeps the main door facing away from the prevailing winds, to protect the inside of the accommodation from the weather.
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As well as making sure you use the right materials, you also need to fit the proper fixtures that chickens require in their housing. Chickens are known to knock their water troughs, food troughs, and other fixtures over, so heavier or well-secured equipment is needed. Water and food troughs should be accessible to all of the chickens in the building, and should be properly secured to the floor. If the troughs are kept outside, then they should be raised off the floor in order to prevent pests, such as rats, from having access to them [5]. Chickens can also benefit from having a perch set up in their housing for them to sit on.
One type of bedding that can be used in chicken accommodation is straw. Straw is good for chicken bedding because it’s warm and comfortable, and allows urine to drain out. It’s also cheaper than a lot of other types of bedding, however, it does get more expensive during Winter due to a lower supply for higher demand.
Another type of bedding that can be used in chicken accommodation is wood shavings. Wood shavings are good for chicken bedding because it’s comfortable, absorbent, and easy to clean off the floor. However, dust masks have to be worn while cleaning them out due to the dust that comes off of them. This dust can be inhaled into your lungs, which can lead to respiratory issues.
If I were to clean out chicken accommodation, I would use wheat straw to bed it back up because wheat straw is fairly cheap, dust free, warm, and comfortable. It’s also absorbent and can be cleaned out easily. [6].
The best accommodation for chickens would be a building large enough to comfortably accommodate all of your chickens made out of wood, with a smooth wooden floor. Chicken housing made out of wood is both waterproof and weather resistant, meaning it won’t need to be as closely monitored and maintained as other types of materials would. A smooth wooden floor stops the chickens from digging up the flooring and makes it both easier and quicker to clean out the accommodation. As for bedding, wheat straw is cheap, dust-free, and absorbent. This, along with the wooden floor, should make cleaning out the chicken housing quick, easy, and fairly mess-free while still providing the chickens with a warm, comfortable layer of bedding to sleep on.
The environmental conditions that affect the health and welfare of chickens include the ventilation, insulation, lighting, and drainage in their housing and where the accommodation and any outside space they have access to are placed. The best type of ventilation for chicken accommodation is a stack effect system [7]. This method of ventilation uses convection to bring in cooler air through vents in the sides of the buildings while pushing the warm air out through vents in the roof, allowing the chickens a constant supply of fresh air. If the chicken housing has been insulated, it should be a fairly consistent temperature all year round as heat will only be lost through the ventilation system.
You should also make sure the chicken accommodation is lit properly, as chickens can be sensitive to incorrect lighting. Their housing should be dimly lit, especially around the resting areas, as chickens do require some light to be able to identify objects such as feeders and other chickens [8].
Before you try to clean out chicken accommodation, you should first move all of your livestock out of the building and into either another building or a fenced-off field. Once the chickens have been moved, the best way to clean out the chicken accommodation is to remove all of the bedding, animal waste, and old food from the floor and into a pile outside of the accommodation. This can be done with a shovel or a pitchfork, depending on the bedding material used. Once the accommodation is empty, it should be disinfected and left to dry for a few hours. This is to kill off any bacteria present on the floor before putting fresh bedding back into the accommodation. After putting new bedding down, the chickens can be let back into the housing. [9].
It’s important to maintain chicken accommodation as neglecting to do so will lead to the accommodation becoming damaged and unsanitary over time. If the structure or fixtures get damaged, they could potentially injure the chickens if any sharp edges are sticking out or any loose fixtures fall into the chickens. Not maintaining the accommodation can also lead to a build-up of bacteria, which could give both the chickens and any workers diseases. These lead to an overall loss in profit for commercial farms and a large cost in vet bills for chickens kept as pets. [10]
One potential maintenance task for chicken accommodation would be a build-up of food waste in the feeding troughs. This can be a problem as old food can start rotting in the bottom of the feeding troughs, which could potentially lead to diseases and other health problems in the chickens. Leftover food can also attract pests, such as rats, which can then either damage the walls or flooring of the accommodation or spread diseases to the chickens. We can prevent a build-up of old food in the feeding troughs by emptying them every day and by cutting down on the amount of food being given to the chickens if they’re consistently leaving some of it.
Another potential maintenance task would be a loose fixture, such as a perch. This can be a problem because if left, it could end up falling on and injuring one of the chickens. We can avoid this problem by securely fitting all permanent fixtures when they’re installed, and then by checking them every day to make sure they’re still properly attached.
A third potential maintenance task for chicken accommodation would be a loose or missing roof panel, which would usually happen during strong winds and storms. This would be a problem because a loose roofing panel could easily fall into the accommodation and crush the chickens, and a missing panel opens the inside of the accommodation up to the weather, such as rain or snow, which may cause health issues for the chickens inside. This can be avoided by properly securing the roof down, picking a sturdy material for the roofing, and keeping an eye on the weather. If it’s likely to be stormy, the accommodation should be checked before and after to ensure that any problems can be dealt with quickly.
In this report, I have discussed the best materials used for building chicken accommodation, the most efficient ways to clean and maintain it, and considered the environmental factors that contribute to the health and welfare of chickens. Overall, the best way to house chickens is in an untreated wood shed with a wooden floor as this is sturdy, easy to clean, weather-resistant, and difficult for both the chickens and any pests to damage.
References:
- https://www.dummies.com/home-garden/hobby-farming/raising-chickens/typical-building-materials-for-chicken-coops/
- https://www.forloveoflivestock.com/blog/chicken-coop-floor-options-the-best-materials
- https://www.omlet.co.uk/guide/chickens/should_i_keep_chickens/how_much_space_do_i_need/
- https://www.wireshop.co.uk/product/chicken-coop-cc002hr-6-12-hens/
- https://poultrykeeper.com/general-chickens/choosing-equipment-for-chickens/
- https://www.yourchickens.co.uk/care-and-advice/bedding-for-chickens-1-4495481
- https://www.royalrooster.com.au/articles/why-its-crucial-to-ventilate-your-chicken-coop/
- https://www.thespruce.com/light-in-the-chicken-coop-3016562
- https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2011/03/naturally-disinfecting-the-chicken-coop.html
- http://www.idph.state.il.us/health/infect/Poultry.htm
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