Everyone can build a chicken coop with their own hands in the country
The cult of consumption of natural products without preservatives and dyes is growing every year. Many owners of summer cottages have chickens. Before you start a poultry, you need to build a warm, roomy chicken coop with your own hands with a roost in which the chickens will feel comfortable. Then every day the hosts will eat fresh chicken eggs for breakfast or from time to time prepare chicken dishes that do not contain antibiotics.
If more than 10 chickens are kept, then the eggs can be sold, which will allow the family to receive additional income.
DIY chicken coop
In order for the chickens to feel comfortable, rush abundantly and gain weight, it is necessary to ensure in the chicken coop:
- Stable indoor temperature. In winter, the temperature cannot be less than +12 0C. There should be no drafts in the chicken coop. In summer, it should be no more than +25 0C. Otherwise, you should forget about eggs until favorable conditions.
- Ventilation. Chickens do not like high humidity, so the organization of a ventilation system is necessary, no matter in what way.
- Illumination. It is necessary to conduct light in the hen house. The bulbs should glow with a warm yellow light. To achieve the desired daylight hours, many poultry breeders use timer lights that turn on / off the light for a specific period of time. In this case, all the wires are laid so that the chickens do not damage them.
- Organization of a quiet life for poultry. Absence of noise, harsh sounds are the main requirements. The place should be chosen aside from the house.
- Chicken coop security. The chicken coop should be inaccessible for the penetration of small predators, which not only steal eggs, but can also strangle the entire bird.
In remote areas, foxes, weasels, rats can enter the chicken coop, so the safety of chickens is paramount. Strong locks should be provided on the front door, bars should be placed on the windows to protect the bird from human theft.
Location of the chicken coop
The choice of a place for building a chicken coop is the main preparatory stage in which everything should be thought out. Bird safety, no noise. In addition, there is no escape from the specific smell.
Particularly capricious breeds of chickens do not like frequent visits to their "home" by people, because of this factor they rush less.
The main requirement for placing a chicken coop is away from a private house!
A suitable option is a remote corner of the site, moderately sunny. It is advisable to have a tree nearby that will shade the chicken coop on hot summer days. Many people make a small extension to the barn, which simplifies construction work. Near the hen house, it is necessary to fence off an area for walking chickens. You do not need to let them out into the yard, garden, you can step on something unpleasant. In this case, forget about the flower beds.
Chickens have sharp claws on their feet, with which they dig out the roots, worms, therefore, where this bird is kept, there is not even weed.
The calculation of the area for walking in the hen house is carried out at the rate of 1-2 sq. m per chicken.If it is planned to contain up to 20 pieces, then the area of the plot for walking should be at least 40 sq. m. If there are no such areas, then you can make fenced tunnels where the bird will move freely. Usually they are made from meshes of different mesh. The area should be sunny with places of shade where you can hide in hot weather.
A small elevation of the place for the chicken coop will help to avoid flooding during heavy rainfall or in the spring when the snow melts. If the area is flat, it is necessary to consider the removal of excess moisture.
The windows in the hen house are recommended to be made to the south side in order to increase the length of the sunny day. From the south they make a door, an aviary and a manhole. Plus, there are no cold winds on this side.
House parameters
Having chosen the optimal place for construction, it is necessary to calculate the dimensions of the house.
In this case, the following data should be taken into account:
- if you plan to breed meat birds, then 3 pcs. it is necessary to leave 1 sq. m .;
- for egg-laying hens per 1 sq. m. there should be 4 heads;
- for keeping chickens per 1 sq. m. can accommodate up to 15 pieces.
A small area can cause crowding of one or more birds.
Raising chickens requires a separate room from the adult livestock. Otherwise, adults will eat nutritious food. In addition, the maintenance of chickens is a separate topic in which there are many nuances.
For example, the average area of a chicken coop for 10 birds is 10 square meters. m. To make it convenient to clean the poultry house, go there, the ceiling should be made at least 2 m high.This will help the construction of a gable roof with a ridge height of up to 2 m, walls no more than 1.5 m.
What should be in a chicken coop for 10 chickens:
- area more than 5 sq. m .;
- arrangement of nests - 3-4 pcs.;
- roost 0.5 m high;
- feeders along one of the walls;
- door for quick cleaning of the house, changing water, adding feed;
- drinkers, feeders should be at a height of at least 50 mm;
- the total area of windows is not more than 10% of the usable area of the room;
- fenced-in aviary for daily walking;
- if the entrance to the hen house is located high, the arrangement of the ladder is necessary.
To save space, instead of a perch, they put an ordinary thick pole on which birds can sleep at night. It can be a beautiful driftwood that will make the interior design unusual and stylish.
The hen lays 1-2 times a day, so 4 nests for 10 birds will be enough, as they lay eggs at different times.
Nests are made away from the perch to prevent damage to the eggs.
So that chickens are not a stumbling block with neighbors, when building a chicken coop, the rules and regulations should be taken into account, according to which:
- more than 40 chickens cannot be kept in the country;
- from the poultry house to the neighbor's fence should be at least 4 m;
- if the chicken coop is adjacent to the house, then there should be 7 m or more from the front door of the house to it;
- the extension must be entered in the technical passport.
If chickens are bred in rural areas, then the restrictions do not apply here.
Description of chicken coop types
Poultry houses are:
- Closed access to the street - this type is used for raising chickens and is the simplest. Chickens sit closed until the owner releases them.
- Open - chickens, when they want, go for a walk and, if necessary, come back.
- For winter, it is made insulated so that the bird does not freeze during cold weather.
If there is an unnecessary shed or utility room on the site, then it can be converted into a poultry house. You can save a lot on this. It is only necessary to make the interior comfortable for chickens.
All coloring and chemicals should be removed from the former barn so that they do not harm the health of the bird.
DIY chicken coop - construction process
If the decision to build is finally made, then the construction can be divided into the following stages:
- design;
- calculation of building materials, budgeting;
- pouring the foundation;
- building walls;
- roof erection;
- installation of windows, doors;
- pouring the floor, treating the walls (more often with lime);
- insulation (in cold regions);
- making nests, equipment with drinkers, feeders;
- bedding for the floor (straw, sawdust);
- assembly, installation of flooring;
- conducting electricity.
Next, we will look at the main construction steps that can cause difficulties for novice poultry breeders. On the Internet, you can find projects of any design of poultry houses that will be in harmony with the general appearance of the summer cottage.
Calculate the amount of building material needed, the cost of construction is a matter of technology.
Pouring the foundation
It is a bad idea to set up a house without a foundation, as it will quickly fall apart.
Therefore, a foundation is required. It happens:
- columnar (which is preferable);
- monolithic;
- tape.
If the chicken coop is planned to be built from bricks or blocks, then a monolithic or strip foundation should be made that can withstand high loads.
If the house will be built of wood, then a columnar foundation will do, which is much easier and faster to make. Thick-walled pipes concreted to a depth of at least 1 m, pretreated wooden pillars, etc. are suitable as material for support pillars.
Walling
The material of the walls depends on the type of foundation and the amount of money that the breeder is willing to spend on the chicken coop. If the poultry house is made of cinder block, foam block, then it must be additionally insulated (on both sides), since the material has high thermal conductivity. With a columnar foundation, the structure can be made of wood. A frame is built on the pillars, on which the future chicken coop is attached.
For organizing walking, experienced breeders use a metal mesh with small meshes.
Among bird breeders, you can find adobe chicken coops, which keep warm in winter and cool in summer, however, construction technology is not available to everyone. The surface of the walls is difficult to align with. The adobe walls are made mainly in the south of Russia. A wide selection of construction technologies allows you to choose the best option for the construction of a convenient, comfortable for birds, as well as a beautiful chicken coop.
Regardless of the material, the walls of the interior are subject to treatment against mold, bacteria, and the breeding of microorganisms harmful to poultry. It is better to cover the walls with lime and treat the chicken coop from parasites at least once a year.
For colder regions, you should take care of additional heating of the room (usually electricity or gas). Walls and ceilings can also be covered with heat-insulating material, which can be easily purchased in specialized stores. For indoor use mineral wool is used, for outdoor - penoplex and other materials.
Roof and floor construction
The microclimate in the house depends on the roof. Insulated roofing does not require ceiling covering. Slate is the best option, both in terms of its properties and price. At the same time, do not forget about the organization of drainage, removal of excess moisture from the structure.
The floor depends on the scope of the chicken coop. If it is planned to keep broilers in it for meat, then a light, not insulated floor will be enough. The floor can be concrete, but a bedding of straw, sawdust, sand, which is regularly changed, or wood, which is not difficult to build with a columnar foundation, will be needed. With a strip foundation, the floor can be earthen or clay. In this case, dry, clean bedding is also required.
The health of chickens depends on the cleanliness of the floor.
Do not forget about a reliable window with a lattice, doors with a lock.
Arrangement of the indoor chicken coop
In order for the chicken coop to become a comfortable home for chickens with your own hands, it must be equipped inside.
There must be a roost inside the premises. The roost is the main component of any poultry house.In the dark, the chicken spends on it. The roost is installed at an angle with the distance between the poles up to 0.5 m.One chicken is up to 35 cm wide.
Drinking bowls, feeders are installed opposite the perch. In specialized stores you can find many models of drinkers, feeders. Automatic drinking devices will provide a continuous supply of water and protect the drinker from dust, which is often in the hen house due to "internal fights" between birds. Feeders should be designed in such a way that all birds can come up and calmly peck on food, without crushing, fights.
When arranging large feeders, chickens will climb into it and paddle with their feet, scattering precious, expensive food on the floor. Therefore, feeders should be chosen small, preferably with automatic feeding.
Automatic drinkers, feeders will be convenient if the family comes to the dacha on weekends, and does not live there permanently. In this case, the chickens will always be watered and fed. You just need to fall asleep, fill in the required rate of feed, water, respectively.
Nests should be made more closed, in a dark place in the coop with soft bedding inside and a closing lid for easy retrieval of eggs. Good nests are a guarantee of increased egg production in chickens.
Arrangement of walking in the chicken coop
Poultry walking is essential. He depends on his health, growth, egg production. Ideal - if the bird walks wherever he wants. But this option can turn into a problem for the garden, ornamental plants, so many breeders organize a special fenced-off area where the chicken walks as soon as it blooms.
Free-range poultry are more robust and have tasty nutritious meats and eggs with a higher vitamin content. There is no limit to the arrangement of the pasture of the imagination of summer residents, poultry breeders. What kind of designs you can not find on the Internet.
The health of the bird depends on sufficient walking space.
As you can see from the above, building a chicken coop with your own hands is not a difficult task, but it requires patience, imagination and time to build.
The design can be very different, as long as it is comfortable for the healthy growth and habitation of chickens.
The minimum number of calculations will help you quickly build a poultry house convenient for poultry and fresh eggs, delicious meat will always be on the table.