Essentials of Chicken Houses and Runs
Chicken houses and runs are the most important part of owning a flock of poultry.
Providing chicken huts that will keep your feathered friends from being assaulted by the inclement weather, is a major part in keeping your birds healthy.
The enclosure referred to as a run gives the birds a place to freely walk about without the fear of a predator attack.
It is very easy to provide your animals with poultry coops.
You can design and build one for yourself, or you can find chicken coops for sale and purchase one that is already constructed.
The outcome will be the same, since your birds will have a safe place to roost, and a safe place to nest.
Some people, who use chicken incubators to hatch their own fertilized eggs, often have portable coops that are on legs.
These portable coops allow the individual to be able to tend to the young birds easily, and they help to provide greater protection for the young birds.
Shelter for these animals does not need to be elaborate.
The birds will not lay more eggs because they have a pretty house built of brick.
You will however, get more eggs if they have a secure house that keeps out their enemies.
You will not get more eggs because the birds lay more, but you will get more because the enemies are getting less.
Your biggest concern when you are considering chicken hutches and runs will be the problem of providing adequate protection from other animals.
A chicken is basically defenseless against the animals that prey upon them.
If the chicken were living freely in the wild, they would be able to fly away from their enemies, but the captive bird is trapped by its environment, and must succumb to the other animals.
Since we are the ones who are making them more vulnerable to their enemies, we naturally should take the time to build their structures as safe, and secure as we possibly can.
When you decide to cage an animal, you take on the responsibility of providing everything that animal needs.
This responsibility includes the safety of the animal.
When you construct your chicken sheds and runs be certain that the wire enclosing the run is partially buried.
If you dig a trench that is a foot deep, and you place the bottom of the wire in that trench, you will help to stop animals from digging under the fence.
Check the fence periodically to make certain the wire that is underground has not rotted and become weakened.
Under the door that leads into the pen you need to either pour a concrete threshold, or you need to build one out of treated lumber.
Under the door is a vulnerable spot in your cage, as predators can easily dig their way in.
Make certain that you place wire on the top of your run area to prevent attacks, and entrances from above.
If the top of your run is open you are merely inviting animals to climb the fence, or to swoop on down.
Remember that you are the security force, and be vigilant with your protection efforts.
Providing chicken huts that will keep your feathered friends from being assaulted by the inclement weather, is a major part in keeping your birds healthy.
The enclosure referred to as a run gives the birds a place to freely walk about without the fear of a predator attack.
It is very easy to provide your animals with poultry coops.
You can design and build one for yourself, or you can find chicken coops for sale and purchase one that is already constructed.
The outcome will be the same, since your birds will have a safe place to roost, and a safe place to nest.
Some people, who use chicken incubators to hatch their own fertilized eggs, often have portable coops that are on legs.
These portable coops allow the individual to be able to tend to the young birds easily, and they help to provide greater protection for the young birds.
Shelter for these animals does not need to be elaborate.
The birds will not lay more eggs because they have a pretty house built of brick.
You will however, get more eggs if they have a secure house that keeps out their enemies.
You will not get more eggs because the birds lay more, but you will get more because the enemies are getting less.
Your biggest concern when you are considering chicken hutches and runs will be the problem of providing adequate protection from other animals.
A chicken is basically defenseless against the animals that prey upon them.
If the chicken were living freely in the wild, they would be able to fly away from their enemies, but the captive bird is trapped by its environment, and must succumb to the other animals.
Since we are the ones who are making them more vulnerable to their enemies, we naturally should take the time to build their structures as safe, and secure as we possibly can.
When you decide to cage an animal, you take on the responsibility of providing everything that animal needs.
This responsibility includes the safety of the animal.
When you construct your chicken sheds and runs be certain that the wire enclosing the run is partially buried.
If you dig a trench that is a foot deep, and you place the bottom of the wire in that trench, you will help to stop animals from digging under the fence.
Check the fence periodically to make certain the wire that is underground has not rotted and become weakened.
Under the door that leads into the pen you need to either pour a concrete threshold, or you need to build one out of treated lumber.
Under the door is a vulnerable spot in your cage, as predators can easily dig their way in.
Make certain that you place wire on the top of your run area to prevent attacks, and entrances from above.
If the top of your run is open you are merely inviting animals to climb the fence, or to swoop on down.
Remember that you are the security force, and be vigilant with your protection efforts.