Chicken Coops for Sale in Gibson, Pennsylvania
Chicken Coops for Sale in Gibson, Pennsylvania
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 Enclosures in Gibson, Pennsylvania
A good place to start any search is the internet. Simply plugging in the phrase "chicken coops for sale in Gibson Pennsylvania" 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 Gibson Pennsylvania chicken coops. What to look for when buying a chicken coop in Gibson, Pennsylvania With the massive boost in chicken maintaining there has actually been a just as huge increase in the variety of poultry stuff on sale. Poultry real estate is a situation in factor. It's additionally a timeless instance of the great old bandwagon being got on as various prospective chicken real estate experts pitch a variety of lodging declaring to be the ideal remedy to your chicken housing requirements. Often the cost looks desirable, the house looks attractive, heck even the clean-cut household standing there feeding the chickens look desirable. Certainly they understand a professional chicken house when they see one? There are lots of economical and unpleasant cages flooding the marketplace. I know this as I've checked a variety of them in the field, and seen a ewe run straight through one when the feed container appeared. The outcome was nothing but an expensive pile of firewood as well as a tiny flock of bemused and now homeless bantams.
Chicken Coop Materials List in Gibson, Pennsylvania
Most of the time these mass produced versions are constructed of rapid grown up timber - come the first decrease of rain they swell, leaving you either barricading a doorway that will not shut, or tearing the doorway furniture off in a vain attempt to release the squawking inhabitants. The very first cozy day indicates the lumber dries out as well as splits, the really felt roofing system bubbles and boils, and also come nightfall the hens refuse to enter. This is not due to their dissatisfaction at the decrease of their as soon as desirable home but due to the fact that the hovel is now a haven for, and also most likely abounding, the fowl keeper's bane, red mite. Add on the fact that it stated on the blurb that it would suit 4 huge hens when that stocking density was based on the Circle Line at 5pm on a Friday, as well as what are you entrusted? A few hinges and some kindling. A suitable coop for thee to four birds need to cost you approximately ₤ 300 though this can rely on whether you elect for a totally free standing house or one with a run attached. Presuming you are varying your birds in a large space and also the pop hole doorway is big sufficient for the type you keep, after that the major demands of housing come down to three factors which will certainly specify the number of birds your house will certainly hold; perches, nest boxes as well as ventilation. Most types of chicken will perch when they visit roost during the night, this perch ought to ideally be 5-8cm broad with smoothed off edges so the foot rests comfortably on it. The perch must be more than the nest box access as chickens will certainly additionally naturally search for the highest point to perch. A perch below that will certainly have the birds roosting in the nest box overnight (which is incidentally when they produce one of the most poo) bring about soiled eggs the list below day. They should not however be so high off the flooring of your home that leg injuries could possibly take place when the bird gets down in the morning. Chickens require about 20cm of perch each (in little breeds this is obviously less), plus if more than one perch is installed in your home they ought to be more than 30cm apart. They will certainly hunker up with their neighbors but are not that keen on roosting with a beak in the bloomers of the bird in front. Preferably your home should have a the very least one nest box for every three birds and these should be off the ground and also in the darkest location of your home. Your home should have adequate air flow: without it then condensation will accumulate every evening, also in the chilliest of weather. Know, ventilation works on the concept of warm and comfortable air leaving with a high space drawing cooler air in from a lower space - it's not a set of openings on contrary wall surfaces of your home and also at the same degree, this is just what's referred to as a draft. If you have a house with a run affixed then the factors above are still true, yet you should also consider the run dimension. The EU maximum lawful equipping thickness for a cost-free range bird is (and also allow's encounter it, among the inspirations for maintaining some hens in the house is perhaps boosted or much better welfare) 2,500 birds per hectare, that's optimal one bird each 4m squared. Take a close check out a few of the deal residences - it could well be your home has the right perches, appropriate air flow and also sufficient nest boxes for a practical variety of birds, however will each of the chickens have anything greater than an A4 sized piece of ground to spend the day on? And so as the claiming goes, "you get what you spend for". You could think you've grabbed a deal, but you and also your flock could rue the day you did. Acquisition the best house and also it will certainly last for a couple of decades, otherwise longer offered the proper therapy. Eventually your fowl and also your chicken maintaining encounter will certainly be considerably the better for it.chicken diy
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