2. (Our hens have lots of outdoor time. platforms, or even tunnels inside the run, you give them something to explore. Screws need to be stainless steel so they don’t rust. Electric Net Fencing. General Chicken Keeping Information This section contains general articles about keeping chickens that don’t belong in any other category. If you must keep your chickens confined completely in a coop (as is sometimes necessary), make sure it has windows. To help give them an outlet for this energy, there are several things you can do to fulfill their instinct to forage. An electric wire running across the top of a 6 foot fence to stop determined foxes. With a little creativity and some effort, you can turn their coop and run into a chicken playground that they will never want to leave. If you are going to keep your chickens in a run for most of the time then as a rule of thumb you should allow around 1 square meter of run space for each bird. Breaking up the visual space so that chickens can't see from one end of their run to the other will improve their quality of life. Place them well out of the reach of your children, chickens or other animals. Lauren Arcuri. A good rule of thumb is about 1.5m 2 interior coop space for 3 chickens and at least double that in chicken run or forage space. For the run, ducks need 12-20 square feet per duck. If you have problems with foxes during the daytime (or your chickens are not securely locked up in their house at night) then you will need to consider putting your run onto bricks so that Mr. Fox can’t dig underneath. If you already have a standard "box shaped" coop and run, you can break up the space within it by building walls and using "chicken furniture" such as logs and other items. Fencing should be buried a foot underground around the outer edges of the coop, as dogs will gladly dig to get to the birds. One mistake beginner chicken keepers do all the time is using chicken wire, thinking that it’s going to protect their girls. Here are a few tips on how to care for chickens in the winter: 1. Typically there’s a fenced in area outside the house that most folks call the run. Larger runs can have an electric fence where foxes are a problem. As with the branches used as roosts, make sure none of the logs or branches could tip over on top of a chicken and cause them injury. Whether you keep your chickens exclusively in a coop or offer them a run, they will need access to dry soil to dust bathe in. Either way, the space must be fenced in order to keep the chickens in and predators out. Many have fold out pages with the plans on so providing you are happy to work in inches and feet, for a couple of searches on eBay and a few pounds, you can soon have quite a few chicken run plans. To keep healthy, chickens need to get outside. Modern Black Fence. If you choose to utilize chicken tractors, understand that they will benefit your chickens as far as allowing them to forage for greens and insects, but on their own will not be enough to satisfy their enrichment needs. On the other hand, put in some walls, furniture, and architectural elements, and your home will be vastly more comfortable. It's completely enclosed. Other times, an enclosed run in a small suburban yard is the only way to keep chickens safe and contained so they don't run into traffic or make themselves the target of neighborhood dogs. Jun 9, 2020. Even if rats and mice do get into it - and they have a nasty habit if finding a way through the tiniest of holes - it's nowhere near where they can do damage to your flock. Leave them there for several days un-baited until the rodents get used to them. However, the rest of the year they have to be put up because we grow a lot of items in garden beds inside our fenced backyard. If you have already built your coop and run or are retrofitting an existing structure, it can be more challenging to implement design plans that would make enrichment opportunities possible. Batten down the hatches. While chicken tractors are very useful from a dietary perspective, they don't do much to alleviate the boredom of being confined, and you will likely find that your chickens still want to escape their enclosure whenever given the opportunity. Chickens are not very demanding when it comes to houses. Sometimes chickens have to be kept confined for their own safety, or to maintain good relationships with the neighbors. This allows ample sunshine to enter the coop, and prevents chickens from feeling claustrophobic. Next Last ••• More options Who Replied? As the plants grow within reach, your chickens will be able to nip them off through the wire, but they won't be able to scratch them up and leave the earth bare. Feeding and Nutrition. In most coops, the space is one big open box, and there is no challenge to walk from the door to the roost, or from the roost to the nesting box. To not only move away from our dependence on confined animal feeding operations on factory farms, but to produce a higher-quality product for our family that we would otherwise not be able to purchase? Make sure the extended run is tall enough for you to enter comfortably, as you will need to do so regularly to adjust their enrichment objects, clean the space, or to retrieve birds and eggs. It is difficult to say when a chicken run becomes a ‘fenced off area’ (see my page on fencing chickens if you have a large area to fence off as a run). Otherwise referred to as "chunnels", chicken tunnels are small, miniature runs that extend out into the yard, allowing chickens to explore and navigate your property without completely having free reign. Wood chips are much better for chickens kept in a run, and not just because they help with drainage. Many ordinances require that chickens must be raised in confinement for hygienic purposes. I have been keeping chickens for over 30 years, since I was a small child. If you confine your chickens to a run, you are quite likely to have a mud problem eventually, unless you live in the desert or on extremely free-draining soil. I like to make notes on my drawing as things pop into my head. The coop can be built to your own specifications, other garden buildings such as a shed can be converted and re-purposed as a coop, or most people purchase one that is either ready built or that needs assembling. Chickens generally require 10 square feet per bird in the run, but both parties will always appreciate extra space if they can get it. This is very important – Chickens can withstand the cold and are kept in temperatures as low as -20 in countries such as Canada, however, they need a dry, draft free house to sleep in that is well ventilated. It can increase the chances of your chickens getting bumblefeet and of course bad hygiene which can be easily transferred inside of the coop and that leads to many more problems. Whether you keep your chickens exclusively in a coop or offer them a run, they will need access to dry soil to dust bathe in. The acreage chicken keepers. Combine hanging treats with the network of roosts mentioned earlier for double the fun. It can be difficult for chickens to burn off this energy in confinement, so it is important to give them opportunities to do so through enrichment objects. Not exactly a law on keeping chickens but the Animal Welfare Act 2006 states that it is against the law to be cruel to an animal and you must ensure that the welfare needs of your animals are met. If you haven't built your chicken coop yet, now is the perfect time to start thinking about how to design it to keep your chickens occupied. Foxes will dig under a chicken run. The acreage chicken keepers. If a permanent cop or run is not possible, kindly build a moveable chicken tractor. These chickens are out in the field on an acreage. Galvanised fittings will last years so it is worth paying for these. To install it, you only need I’ve never seen a fox during the day in my area, and never seen one in my garden. In addition, the microscopic shards that are so deadly to small insects are likewise harmful to birds' sensitive respiratory systems. Access to the outdoors is not critical, but they will require dirt to dust bathe in to maintain their health and hygiene. Chickens are wonderfully intelligent, complex, and emotional creatures, but their wants, needs, and instinctive drives are going to be different from ours because they have evolved with different needs. Is this going to be an issue? Unfortunately, even in a spacious coop and run, the chicken waste is concentrated in their small living area. Connection kits are available to attach the run to most types of Eglu, while other houses can be placed directly inside the poultry run, giving your hens a place to rest, shelter and lay their eggs. Add hinges, latches, screws, nails, poultry netting and staples to this. If you have a problem with foxes in your area then this is my recommend and preferred method. Most of us get chickens with every intention of letting them free range. Constructing a network of roosts, perhaps leading to a treat-holder or other incentive will give chickens an opportunity to exercise their legs and wings, as well as forcing them to think about the path they will take from one point to another. 9 Ways to Keep Your Birds Active: You must provide your chickens with adequate space for maximum health. A chicken run provides lots of space to roam and also keeps chickens safely enclosed and closer at hand. I have done this regularly with my young growers but be warned they soon spoil the ground and need moving every few days if the grass is going to have a chance to recover so make sure you get a house and run that’s easy to move on your own or with someone. My chickens are allowed to free-range in our fenced backyard during the fall because they help clean up our garden beds. Plus, collecting eggs is easier because you do not have to search your entire property. Please read the Bylaw (Section 32) before constructing or locating a chicken coop/run. How To Keep Your Chickens Water From Freezing. In urban and suburban areas, dogs running loose can be a big problem for chicken owners who allow their chickens to roam. How to keep chickens warm in winter: Do not add heat lamps. If you're thinking of keeping chickens in your area, it’s important to check the council regulations in your area before you set up your coop and purchase your flock. Neighbors are too close, predators are too numerous, or maybe you just can't convince your chickens to leave your flowerbeds or vegetable garden alone. This is, no doubt, a huge step above and beyond what the factories do. The sunlight and fresh air that enters through windows will vastly improve their quality of life and make it easier for human caregivers as well. Depending on your location, this decision might already be made for you—many local ordinances don’t allow backyard chickens to range outside of an enclosed run in a coop. Allowing them to engage in this natural, healthy behavior will not only make them happier, but will help prevent infestation of external parasites. Something like this is ideal, placed away from your chicken run. We have a number of different chicken runs and I have used several designs over the years but every time I visit a friend who has lost chickens to the fox, they say the same things, either “I didn’t want to spend….” or “I didn’t have the time to…” and “the fox got in through here…”. An excellent first step. If you decide to use rabbit wire then look for British made, galvanised wire. There are specific rules about hen enclosures in Oak Bay. Learn about The Spruce's Editorial Process. This turns the bedding over, allowing it to air out and extending its usefulness, making less work for you with fewer coop cleanups. It is quite durable and will withstand being out all winter long. Easy Ways to Keep your Chickens Water from Freezing. You should protect your chickens by creating a run, or an enclosure, connected to their coop. A chicken wire roof is included in all Somerzby chicken coops and some of the Somerzby range, e.g. Keep your chicken population low. Learn how your comment data is processed. If you do plan on keeping your hens permanently in an enclosed run then you should expect the grass in that area to soon wear thin and turn in to a bit of a quagmire when it rains. The most successful confinement coops I have build for my birds have utilized a maze-like configuration where the chickens have to plan how they are going to journey from one area to another. raising chickens with coop and run. Go. So make sure you have plenty of space for all your chickens to comfortably roost. Chicken wire = Not good. They don’t need running water, electricity or carpets. By creating a variety of paths and obstacles for the chickens, you make their world more interesting and varied. They connect to your electricity supply so you’ll either need power at the coop or be willing to run an extension cable out to it. If your property already has an amply-sized coop and run, then it will require very little modification to make it suitable for confinement chicken keeping. Probably the most common way to be raising chickens. There are a number of chicken run designs that manufacturers use and a few other ‘home made’ runs that are successful. If it isn’t particularly thick, a determined fox will be able to tear at it to get in. It is difficult to say when a chicken run becomes a ‘fenced off area’ (see my page on, Keeping Chickens: A Beginners Guide © 2020, The Protection of Animals Act and Chickens, Ten Questions to Answer Before Keeping Chickens. Honestly, I don’t just recommend using wood chips for a muddy chicken run. The cute chicken coop is an eye catcher, as is the rest of the property. Otherwise, access to any exposed dirt will suffice. Updated 10/21/19. Please read the Bylaw (Section 26) before constructing your chicken coop. Galvanised Fittings on a Chicken Run will last years. Why I Recommend Wood Chips for a Muddy Chicken Run. If you don’t believe me, go to my page on foxes and watch the film of the fox squeezing under the fence that’s just a few inches off the ground! If you have problems with foxes during the daytime (or your chickens are not securely locked up in their house at night) then you will need to consider putting your run onto bricks so that Mr. Fox can’t dig underneath. DE is valued as a natural deterrent to pests like mites and lice, but it does not discriminate between the harmful bugs you want to kill, and the beneficial creatures you want to keep around, like bees and composting organisms. This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional. The Chicken Run is the next most expensive thing you will buy, next to, and is most likely to be the weakest link as far as predators like. Placing a roof over the run is the best way to keep predators from landing or climbing into the chicken run. If you live in a particularly wet climate, you will want to provide a sheltered basin of soil and wood ash to meet this need. The chickens will hollow out "wallows" that they will use to dust bathe in, and dustbathing will often be a social event that multiple birds participate in together. Even if your chickens roam loose, you can still wind up with a mud problem right around the coop, or in favored areas such as under the bush where it's nice and shady in summertime. Chicken wire needs to be burried at least 6 inches with another couple of inches turned outwards but if the soil is loose, you may need to go down 9 inches or more. Confine chickens to your property. This is very useful in a garden or other situation where you want to keep insects down, but don't want the chickens damaging the garden themselves. An excellent first step. This will make life vastly easier on you, and happier for your chickens. The cute chicken coop is … Chickens need a safe place to spend their days. As a chicken fence, it is natural, sturdy, and versatile. Even raccoons and coyotes are often numerous in cities and suburban areas. Logs, stumps, tree branches, etc can be piled in various configurations for them to climb on, roost on, and explore. Use this run for your girls when the weather is really bad or when there is a higher risk of predators but at other times, open the door and let them out! A secure area for your chickens to roam, scratch, and wander safely throughout the day. Oak Bay: You can keep up to 5 or 10 hens depending on your lot size. You may not be planning on keeping your chickens confined, but it is always ideal to be prepared, and it certainly won't hurt anything to have a really appealing coop for them to come home to, even if they do free range. Keeping Chickens FAQ Frequently Asked Questions about keeping chickens. It has worked so well that more than once I have had to remove otherwise wild or feral chickens from it, because they darted in while I was cleaning or feeding the birds there and then refused to leave. However, with a little creativity and effort, almost any space can be turned into a chicken playground that will keep them busy and fulfilled all day long. To understand what really makes your chickens tick and be able to meet their enrichment needs in confinement, you have to place yourself in the mindset of a chicken. Utilizing bright colors and shiny surfaces should be sufficient. Chicken Gardens. Chicken wire is more for keeping your chickens in than keeping predators out. The run needs to be secure – keeping the fox and other predators out whilst keeping the chickens in. If possible, bury wire netting at least 20cm into the ground to stop predators from digging under the fence and cover the roof of the run over. [14] Other Chicken Fences. There, you have the complete set! Draw a ‘close up’ of how you are going to make the joints of the chicken run, doors, joint wire and so on. 10; Next. Gates should ideally be made from a solid mesh stapled to a sturdy frame. Really informative and helpful, thank you. So lets look at the options, you can pay for a chicken run that will cost you money or you can build a chicken run that will cost you in time but is less money! Premium Feather Member. So a chicken shelter for four hens needs to be about 2 feet by 4 feet, and the outside pen needs to be another 2 feet by 6 feet, to make your total space used 2 feet by 10 feet (these dimensions don’t have to be exact). Keep them entertained with these chicken run boredom busters! Inside the coop, scattering scratch grains in the bedding material will encourage the chickens to dig through it. It's natural to assume that chickens would want to be free, because that is what we would want. As I've mentioned before, breaking up the visual space helps stimulate your chickens' thought process, but by adding things like empty barrels, shelves. Although this is a convenient option, it doesn’t help to absorb the dirt and manure inside the coop. During the winter you shouldn’t let your chickens free range: they should be kept in the coop/run area, and this is why it’s important that their run is ready for the wintertime. Go. The main reason chickens tend to be so eager to free range is not because they long for the abstract concept of freedom, but because it is usually easier to fulfill their needs outside of their coop and run. Every council will definitely allow you to keep chickens, and generally the rules are quite common-sense - pertaining to how many you can keep, coop requirements and chicken maintenance. Small chicken runs can protect birds and you can let them out when it’s safe. Galvanised fittings will last years so. If you don’t believe me, go to my page on, There are a number of chicken run designs that manufacturers use and a few other ‘home made’ runs that are successful. Latches or bolts to doors are important as well. Top 10 Tips for Keeping Chickens in Winter. Here, I am going to call the ‘chicken run’ an enclosure that could be 3 to 4 meters long, usually attached to the coop, rather than being ‘around’ the coop and is often covered over. Whatever the reason, it can be hard to see their little faces gathering at the gate, waiting to be let out in the morning, knowing that you have to say "no".But if keeping your chickens confined has you feeling like the warden of a tiny chicken prison, take heart--confinement doesn't have to be incarceration. These chickens are out in the field on an acreage. Roosters are prohibited. Also known as heated chicken waterers, these electric devices keep your chicken’s water liquid no matter the temperature outside. If you haven't built your coop yet, plan for it to be tall enough for you to walk into easily. Some hens love wandering around the yard and their first snow sighting can be quite entertaining. Start by keeping chicken feed in a hanging feeder inside their coop. 2. Lauren Arcuri. This applies to chickens as well as other domestic animals. All you need to keep chickens in your garden is a coop or hen house and an enclosed run. While interest in these objects will vary by individual, some chickens seem genuinely enthralled by the ability to make beautiful noises. Chickens are social creatures, and generally do better in small- to medium-sized flocks; The chicken coop should open up to a run and/or a “chicken field” that provides at least 10 square feet of space per chicken. There is nothing I love more than watching my flock chatter and cluck as they make their way around the yard. Not only will ample vertical space make it easier for you to access, clean, and modify your coop, it will give you more options for placing enrichment opportunities. If your chickens don’t free-range then they most likely have a run or a chicken yard of some sort. But if your ordinances don’t require you to keep your chickens cooped up, you’ll need to make some decisions about what you feed your chickens and if and when they range. 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