Chicken Coops for Sale in Versailles, Illinois
Chicken Coops for Sale in Versailles, Illinois
How To Set Up Your Chicken Coop
Often when people buy chickens from us they’ve never owned poultry before therefore I usually find myself explaining the basics of operating a healthy and effective coop. As I grew up on a farm much of it is second nature but many city folk are unsure of just whats involved. The easiest and quickest way to get the message across is to take them on a tour of our back section to see how everything in our coop has be arranged.
The important aspects I talk about are:
Feed …
Because chickens grow so fast I use larger feeders as soon as possible. If you are raising them from day one there are feeders available that have been designed to cover the first couple of weeks. After that one on an adjustable rope works well as its just a matter of raising the height from time to time as the chickens grow. To get the best results it needs to be kept high enough to be accessible but not too low as to allow litter and droppings to be scratched into it. As can be seen in the photo above an off cut of PVC down pipe with holes drilled through it works well as a cheap grit feeder. Commercial feeds normally have grit added however I wonder if its sufficient as our hens regularly go through a 2 kilo bag of crushed oyster shell.
Feeding guide …
Day old to 6 -8 weeks … chick starter crumbles. 8 – 14 weeks … pullet grower or similar. 14 weeks onward … regular chook feed. 18 – 20 weeks or just prior to the commencement of laying … oyster shell grit.
Don’t over do the kitchen scraps as the nutritional value from these is fairly low. If they are fed as a substitute for a properly balance diet egg production will suffer.
Water …
Its important to have a plentiful supply of good clean water at all times. Hens don’t drink much at anyone time but they do drink often and even more so during spring and summer when air temperatures increase. I always leave the coop door open when our hens free range as they can get cool water whenever they need it. Hens drinking dirty contaminated water from containers and puddles is a recipe for disease.
If its not clean enough for you to drink you shouldn’t give it to your hens.
As shown above I prefer to used a fixed water container as the hanging versions leak and spill water when knocked. Its easily removed for cleaning and is installed in such a way to prevent debris getting into it.
Perches …
Chickens have a natural instinct to perch therefore it important to provide good sturdy perches. The ones in our coup are about 5cm square and have the sharp edges taken off to make them more chicken friendly. Tree branches of a similar diameter also work well if they are reasonably straight. The perches shown above are approximately 50cm and 80cm above the floor however I set them at lower levels when I first introduce 3 to 4 week old chicks. They should be fixed securely to the coop walls whilst being easily removable for cleaning.
Even when I have day old chicks under lights I provide perches as its a habit that I want them to learn as soon as possible because it makes my job so much easier. There’s no space on my daily to do list for cleaning dirty nesting boxes and eggs. Perch space per bird should be about 20cm.
Without suitable perches hens will perch on what ever is handy namely nesting boxes, feeders and the like or they will crowd into a corner of a coop. The end result will be a hard mound of droppings which will ultimately end up in feathers on claws then into nesting boxes and subsequently onto eggs. Correctly positioned perches eliminates crowding, flighty hens, dirty eggs and ensures your hens will be more relaxed and manageable.
Like all females of the species they need to be pampered. My other half constantly reminds me that I pay more attention to our Flora’s that I do to her. Its not true of course !!
Nesting boxes …
For me keeping hens is all about egg production therefore when we I invested extra time and effort into creating workable nesting boxes.
- One nesting box for every 4 hens, wonder why sometimes as they all seem to lay in the same box.
- Easily accessible for me from the outside.
- Easily accessible for the hens from the inside.
- Removable for easy cleaning.
- Spacious … 40cm height x 40cm width x 40cm depth or thereabouts.
- Weather proof.
- 10cm lip at the front to keep shavings and eggs in.
When introducing young chickens I keep the boxes closed off until near the time when they will start laying. This is to ensure that they use the perches rather than sleeping in and fouling the boxes. As mentioned previously this means only one thing, dirty eggs.
Deep litter …
We use a deep litter system as it makes for easy maintenance and reduces the need to be continually cleaning chicken manure out of the coop. Simply put the floor is covered with a 10cm layer of untreated wood shavings which is raked over every few days. A more detailed explanation of this concept can be .
Access – easy and straight forward …
- Human sized entry, applicable if you need a large coop.
- Removing old litter is almost effortless, especially when I have to work the camera !
- Predator proof entry- exit.
A user friendly coop ensures that keeping hens doesn’t become just another unwanted chore so build or buy wisely.
Chicken Coop For Sale Near Me in Versailles, Illinois
A good place to start any search is the internet. Simply plugging in the phrase "chicken coops for sale in Versailles Illinois" into any one of the numerous search engines and a wealth of information will pop up. This information will provide links to other websites that will be informative and will provide the right direction for finding Versailles Illinois chicken coops. What to look for when buying a chicken coop in Versailles, Illinois With the big rise in chicken keeping there has actually been a just as big increase in the range of chicken paraphernalia for sale. Chicken housing is an instance in point. It's also a timeless instance of the great old bandwagon being jumped on as different potential poultry real estate experts market a selection of lodging asserting to be the excellent option to your chicken real estate requirements. Typically the cost looks eye-catching, your diy-chicken-coop-planshome looks desirable, hell also the clean-cut family members standing there feeding the chickens look desirable. Definitely they understand a quality chicken house when they see one? There are several low-cost and awful coops flooding the market. I know this as I've tested a number of them in the area, and seen a ewe run directly with one when the feed pail appeared. The outcome was just an expensive pile of fire wood and a little group of bemused as well as now homeless bantams.
Chicken Coop Pinterest in Versailles, Illinois
Typically these mass produced designs are created of quick grown up hardwood - come the first decline of rain they swell, leaving you either barricading a door that won't shut, or ripping the doorway furnishings off in a vain attempt to launch the squawking residents. The first warm day suggests the timber dries as well as fractures, the really felt roof covering bubbles and also boils, and come nightfall the chickens refuse to enter. This is not because of their dissatisfaction at the decline of their when attractive home however since the hovel is currently a place for, and also probably abounding, the chicken keeper's nemesis, red mite. Add that it stated on the blurb that it would certainly suit 4 huge chickens when that equipping density was based on the Circle Line at 5pm on a Friday, and also exactly what are you entrusted? A couple of joints and also some kindling. A respectable coop for thee to four birds should cost you approximately ₤ 300 though this can depend upon whether you choose for a complimentary standing house or one with a run connected. Thinking you are varying your birds in a big room and the pop hole doorway allows sufficient for the breed you maintain, then the major requirements of real estate come down to 3 factors which will specify the variety of birds your house will certainly hold; perches, nest boxes and air flow. The majority of breeds of chicken will certainly perch when they go to roost in the evening, this perch must ideally be 5-8cm wide with smoothed off edges so the foot sits conveniently on it. The perch ought to be higher than the nest box entry as chickens will likewise naturally seek the highest point to perch. A perch below that will certainly have the birds roosting in the nest box overnight (which is by the way when they create one of the most poo) resulting in stained eggs the list below day. They should not nevertheless be so high off the floor of your house that leg injuries can occur when the bird comes down in the morning. Chickens require concerning 20cm of perch each (in little types this is obviously much less), plus if more than one perch is installed in the house they ought to be greater than 30cm apart. They will hunker up with their neighbors however are not that crazy about roosting with a beak in the bloomers of the bird ahead. Preferably your home should have a the very least one nest box for every single 3 birds as well as these should be off the ground and also in the darkest area of your house. The house should have ample air flow: without it after that condensation will accumulate every night, also in the chilliest of climate. Know, ventilation works with the concept of cozy air leaving via a high void attracting cooler air in from a lower space - it's not a collection of holes on contrary walls of your house and at the very same degree, this is just what's known as a draught. If you have a house with a run connected after that the points above are still true, however you must also consider the run dimension. The EU optimum lawful stocking density for a totally free range bird is (and also let's encounter it, among the motivations for keeping some hens at home is potentially boosted or better welfare) 2,500 birds each hectare, that's maximum one bird per 4m squared. Take a close look at some of the bargain houses - it could well be your house has the appropriate perches, right ventilation and sufficient nest boxes for a sensible variety of birds, yet will each of the chickens have anything greater than an A4 sized item of ground to spend the day on? Therefore as the claiming goes, "you obtain exactly what you spend for". You might think you've grabbed a deal, yet you and also your group can rue the day you did. Acquisition the appropriate house as well as it will last for a few decades, otherwise longer given the proper therapy. Eventually your poultry as well as your poultry keeping encounter will be a lot the far better for it.chicken diy
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