Archive for the ‘Keeping Chickens’ Category

Keeping Chicken ? Keeping Chicken In The City

Friday, November 18th, 2011

Chickens could be kept in many urban areas, in some chickens are less welcome. If the intention however is to keep one as a pet, that is already accepted practice. Some are even keeping reptiles for pets but just to be on the safe side, check for local laws and regulations. The local animal control office in your municipality would know how many you can keep and whether that would include a rooster. The main deterrent here is that these birds may fall under noise ordinances and so check out first as it is very easy to be emotionally attached to these birds. In Urban areas that used to be a farming community, the ordinances are more relaxed. Either way, keeping chicken in the city does not require a license.

When the issue of ordinances is out of the way, decide the kind of chicken that you want and for what purpose. If pets are what you want, you would settle well with bantams. Bantams are chicken breeds that are about one fourth of the size of a regular chicken. It is very much like having toy dog breeds. Example of the bantam breeds that are good for pets are the Barred Plymouth Rocks and the Rhode Island Reds as they are mild tempered. If you want a good layer bantam, you would do well with a Cochin. The Buff Orbington on the other hand is a larger bantam breed and is very friendly too. These are only some of the excellent choices. There are many more choices to select on when you surf the net.

It seems like new information is discovered about something every day. And the topic of Keeping Chickens is no exception. Keep reading to get more fresh news about Keeping Chickens.

You may want your pet chicken to roam around the house, even sleep in the bedroom but the chicken would pretty much prefer its own coop to roost and its own nest box to lay eggs on. You can always build one using the materials that you already have or are readily available at a local farmers market or hardware. When you do, allow a two feet square space for every bantam. The chicken will also need a place to roam; they could be cranky when they do not besides it is good for them. Allow eight square feet for the bird. Chickens are very sociable.

They prefer to huddle together with other chickens. Having that in mind, keep at least two chickens. Likewise, double the spaces allotted to them because even when they are sociable, they could be cranky at times especially when they feel crowded and might start pecking at each other. Remember also that chickens do not need a rooster to produce chicks. Expect then and make provisions that they would multiply soon if you would not need all the eggs they produce.

Remember also that keeping chickens in the city will attract predators. Bantam chickens have no way of defending itself against cats. If you love cats, it would be most likely that you know your cat is not the kind that would attack and could live side by side with a chicken. Rodents however are a different issue. When you build a chicken coop, insure that the coop is very well secured and could never be accessed by these predators.

You can’t predict when knowing something extra about Keeping Chickens will come in handy. If you learned anything new about Keeping Chickens in this article, you should file the article where you can find it again.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, now offering the host then profit baby plan for only $1 over at Host Then Profit

Keeping Chicken As Pet

Monday, November 14th, 2011

Chicken by nature are evasive of human contact as most animals and birds are. Chickens raised as pets would not tend to run away as much when the bond and the trust have already been established. They would not mind too much the stroking and the cuddling when truly acclimatized to human contact. The chicken may run to you when they know that you bring a treat but that is just as far as it usually goes.

The evasiveness is not totally lost. From time to time, even, with the best care, they would try to steer clear of people. Staying clear out of people and other animals is its natural inclination and often its only defense to survive longer. To raise chicken as pets that will follow you around, seek your company and even nap in your lap, hand raise the chicken while still a baby chick. When the chick is handled gently and treated well, good bonding results, so does trust.

Chicks are one of those gentle precocious creatures and they are fun to watch and nice to have around. They could very well eat whatever little morsels given to them and walk around after hatching. Very young chicks though will need a heat source. In place of the mother hen, that provides the heat by gathering them under the wings, you will need a lamp as their source of heat.

You may not consider everything you just read to be crucial information about Keeping Chickens. But don’t be surprised if you find yourself recalling and using this very information in the next few days.

You will also want a place to keep them. Young chicks would fit well in a shoebox or something similar so long as there are small openings for ventilation. Stuff the box with paper towels, as they are easier to replace daily. Clip the lamp in the lip of the box and cover it with cloth to regulate the heat. Ideally, the heat inside the box should be warm to the touch but not exceed 90 deg Fahrenheit.

The chick will also need layers mash or starter mash inside the box and clean water. Provide the water in a shallow dish weighed down with pebbles to keep the water from spilling as chicks would scratch and walk about in the box. You would know if the chick in uncomfortable or hungry when they peep loudly, when not, the chick chirps contentedly. As the chick grows, food consistency will be different. Starting from a starter mash, it will need crumbles and then pellets. This is no cause for worry though as the feed is basically made of the same mixtures and components, the differences accounts for the degree of coarseness of the milling only.

As the pullets grow, it will eat just about anything that catches its interest. It will also need a dirt run, preferably a sunny spot, to take dirt baths on. For this reason, it is best to supervise its activity if you have a garden, as it would peck at grass as well as the next Begonia.

Keeping chicken as pets is great to those who love its very sociable nature.

As your knowledge about Keeping Chickens continues to grow, you will begin to see how Keeping Chickens fits into the overall scheme of things. Knowing how something relates to the rest of the world is important too.

About the Author
About the Author By Janet Matthews, feel free to visit her site on how to manage Student Loan Debt

Keeping Chicken ? Preventing Chicken From Eating Their Eggs

Friday, November 11th, 2011

When most people think of Keeping Chickens, what comes to mind is usually basic information that’s not particularly interesting or beneficial. But there’s a lot more to Keeping Chickens than just the basics.

Chickens love to peck. Normally though they do not peck their own eggs but when it starts and nothing is done to keep them from doing it, they would develop the taste of the eggs and the habit could form. To prevent chickens from eating their eggs, try the following.

Feed your chicken grits. Grits are purchased in your local farm supply store or you could make your own. To make grits, roast eggshells until they are brownish and crunchy. Pound the shells and mix it with chicken feed. Chicken that does not have enough calcium in their diet will try to find it elsewhere and eggshells are an alternative source. Make sure that the feed has enough calcium and protein.

When an eggshell is weak, it could easily break and when it does, the chicken will start pecking on it. Weak eggshells are signs that the chicken lacks Vitamin D3, protein, calcium, or has an infection. Check for infection aside from feed composition.

Is everything making sense so far? If not, I’m sure that with just a little more reading, all the facts will fall into place.

When there are no infections and the feed is sufficient, it could be that the nest box is too hard. Provide padding for the nest to prevent accidents to the egg even when the chicken shuffles and scratches around the nest box. Keep the nest box dark. Chickens are less likely to keep on moving around in darker places. Dark nest boxes keep the chicken relaxed. When hens are less agitated they are less likely to trample on eggs. Limit also the number of chickens in a nest box. A typical nest box could accommodate four hens. Less hen for every nest box is better.

Do not feed the eggshells to the chickens. Gather the shells and clean up the coop, likewise, do not feed the dirtied eggs to chickens. Introducing the chicken to the egg will start them developing a taste for it that could start the habit. Chicken could also start pecking at the eggs if they are bored. Keep them busy by hanging vegetable scraps tied to a string for them to peck.

Collect eggs as often as twice a day if you can. That way you could monitor the production of the eggs better. When the eggs are reduced, and the causes are eggs that were pecked on, isolate the chicken pecking on the eggs. You could find that out when a chicken has egg residues in the beak. When the chicken is isolated, feed the chicken with liquid milk for a while. If isolating the chicken is not possible, try trimming the upper beak.

Another method to prevent the chicken from eating their eggs is to place golf balls in the nest box. Pecking on a golf ball will discourage the habit from forming. If you have done this and the egg supply does not return to normal, find out if rodents are getting into your nest box. Whatever the case though, prevent the chicken from tasting their eggs because when the habit is formed, it will almost be impossible to break.

About the Author
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Keeping Chicken As Pet

Wednesday, November 9th, 2011

Chicken by nature are evasive of human contact as most animals and birds are. Chickens raised as pets would not tend to run away as much when the bond and the trust have already been established. They would not mind too much the stroking and the cuddling when truly acclimatized to human contact. The chicken may run to you when they know that you bring a treat but that is just as far as it usually goes.

The evasiveness is not totally lost. From time to time, even, with the best care, they would try to steer clear of people. Staying clear out of people and other animals is its natural inclination and often its only defense to survive longer. To raise chicken as pets that will follow you around, seek your company and even nap in your lap, hand raise the chicken while still a baby chick. When the chick is handled gently and treated well, good bonding results, so does trust.

Chicks are one of those gentle precocious creatures and they are fun to watch and nice to have around. They could very well eat whatever little morsels given to them and walk around after hatching. Very young chicks though will need a heat source. In place of the mother hen, that provides the heat by gathering them under the wings, you will need a lamp as their source of heat.

The more authentic information about Keeping Chickens you know, the more likely people are to consider you a Keeping Chickens expert. Read on for even more Keeping Chickens facts that you can share.

You will also want a place to keep them. Young chicks would fit well in a shoebox or something similar so long as there are small openings for ventilation. Stuff the box with paper towels, as they are easier to replace daily. Clip the lamp in the lip of the box and cover it with cloth to regulate the heat. Ideally, the heat inside the box should be warm to the touch but not exceed 90 deg Fahrenheit.

The chick will also need layers mash or starter mash inside the box and clean water. Provide the water in a shallow dish weighed down with pebbles to keep the water from spilling as chicks would scratch and walk about in the box. You would know if the chick in uncomfortable or hungry when they peep loudly, when not, the chick chirps contentedly. As the chick grows, food consistency will be different. Starting from a starter mash, it will need crumbles and then pellets. This is no cause for worry though as the feed is basically made of the same mixtures and components, the differences accounts for the degree of coarseness of the milling only.

As the pullets grow, it will eat just about anything that catches its interest. It will also need a dirt run, preferably a sunny spot, to take dirt baths on. For this reason, it is best to supervise its activity if you have a garden, as it would peck at grass as well as the next Begonia.

Keeping chicken as pets is great to those who love its very sociable nature.

You can’t predict when knowing something extra about Keeping Chickens will come in handy. If you learned anything new about Keeping Chickens in this article, you should file the article where you can find it again.

About the Author
By Suraya – Your main sources and articles. Share your opinion and advice here!

Keeping Chickens As Pets

Sunday, November 6th, 2011

When you think about Keeping Chickens, what do you think of first? Which aspects of Keeping Chickens are important, which are essential, and which ones can you take or leave? You be the judge.

Gone are the days when chickens were only kept for their eggs and meat. Nowadays, people take a liking for chickens because of their domestic appeal, and many would even claim that they get a sense of kinship with their poultry, that same kinship people get from common pets such as cats and dogs.

But before you entertain the idea of keeping chickens as pets, you have to check the local zoning laws in your area for the simple fact that some counties prohibit the housing of “farm animals”. Once you’re able to verify this, the one thing left to do is to pick the particular breed of the chickens you want to have as your constant feathery companions.

You will need to have extensive knowledge of which breeds are most suitable to your preference. A bit of visual appeal can also go a long way into sparking and maintaining interest. A chicken can have a variety of colors and styles to choose from – red, gold, brown, spotted, dappled, high-tailed, bushy tailed, feather-legged, the list goes on. Be very nit-picky, for it’s your sole responsibility to ensure that your chickens are not only well fed, but also nurtured and yes, loved. Why keep a pet in the first place if you’re not going to shower it with attention?

I trust that what you’ve read so far has been informative. The following section should go a long way toward clearing up any uncertainty that may remain.

If there are kids always hanging around the chicken coop, it might be advisable to choose the smaller breed, or in poultry talk – bantam chickens. That way, kids won’t be afraid of them, and will be drawn to them as much as they do to small pets like rabbits and cats. It goes without saying that you need to pick one that is young, more preferably a one-day old chick. This gives the bird ample time to get domesticated and get used to being handled by people. The birds won’t “fly the coop” and be predisposed to hurt anyone every time people get close to them.

In that parlance, hens make better pets than cockerels since they are more docile in nature. The fact that hens are capable of providing you a steady supply of eggs without the requirement of fertilization only fuels that premise. Sexing the chicken is not as easy as it looks, so you are better off asking the help of a ?chick sexer? if you’re not well trained to do it on your own.

Pet chickens naturally have to be free-range. They love to have enough space to walk around with, so make sure there’s enough of it. Perches also need to be set up since it is hardwired into a chicken’s instincts to roost and sleep on an elevated surface. Also make it a point to scatter some dirt into the ground since they love to dig and scratch with their feet.

Feeding your chickens occasionally with special treats (worms, fish, table leftovers, etc.) in the palm of your hand can also help tame them as they grow. In this manner, they associate you as a source of food and will always cluck in anticipation every time they see you.

So now you know a little bit about Keeping Chickens. Even if you don’t know everything, you’ve done something worthwhile: you’ve expanded your knowledge.

About the Author
About the Author By Janet Matthews, feel free to visit her site on how to manage Student Loan Debt

Keeping Chicken As Pet

Monday, October 31st, 2011

Chicken by nature are evasive of human contact as most animals and birds are. Chickens raised as pets would not tend to run away as much when the bond and the trust have already been established. They would not mind too much the stroking and the cuddling when truly acclimatized to human contact. The chicken may run to you when they know that you bring a treat but that is just as far as it usually goes.

The evasiveness is not totally lost. From time to time, even, with the best care, they would try to steer clear of people. Staying clear out of people and other animals is its natural inclination and often its only defense to survive longer. To raise chicken as pets that will follow you around, seek your company and even nap in your lap, hand raise the chicken while still a baby chick. When the chick is handled gently and treated well, good bonding results, so does trust.

Chicks are one of those gentle precocious creatures and they are fun to watch and nice to have around. They could very well eat whatever little morsels given to them and walk around after hatching. Very young chicks though will need a heat source. In place of the mother hen, that provides the heat by gathering them under the wings, you will need a lamp as their source of heat.

Most of this information comes straight from the Keeping Chickens pros. Careful reading to the end virtually guarantees that you’ll know what they know.

You will also want a place to keep them. Young chicks would fit well in a shoebox or something similar so long as there are small openings for ventilation. Stuff the box with paper towels, as they are easier to replace daily. Clip the lamp in the lip of the box and cover it with cloth to regulate the heat. Ideally, the heat inside the box should be warm to the touch but not exceed 90 deg Fahrenheit.

The chick will also need layers mash or starter mash inside the box and clean water. Provide the water in a shallow dish weighed down with pebbles to keep the water from spilling as chicks would scratch and walk about in the box. You would know if the chick in uncomfortable or hungry when they peep loudly, when not, the chick chirps contentedly. As the chick grows, food consistency will be different. Starting from a starter mash, it will need crumbles and then pellets. This is no cause for worry though as the feed is basically made of the same mixtures and components, the differences accounts for the degree of coarseness of the milling only.

As the pullets grow, it will eat just about anything that catches its interest. It will also need a dirt run, preferably a sunny spot, to take dirt baths on. For this reason, it is best to supervise its activity if you have a garden, as it would peck at grass as well as the next Begonia.

Keeping chicken as pets is great to those who love its very sociable nature.

There’s no doubt that the topic of Keeping Chickens can be fascinating. If you still have unanswered questions about Keeping Chickens, you may find what you’re looking for in the next article.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO

Keeping Chicken ? Protecting Chicken From Other Animals

Monday, October 31st, 2011

Chicken has a lot of attributes but unlike most animals in the food chain, except for their typical if not initial distrust, they have none for defense. Aside from that, chickens do not move fast, are noisy, meaty, and tasty, that makes them the ideal bird to prey upon. To protect chickens from predators and other animals, observe try the following.

Introduce human smell. The scent of humans is very repulsive to animals. It has often been claimed that the reason that man is the least to be preyed upon is due to human smell. There is not much study to support this but the fact is man will only be preyed upon when a predator is starving and there is nothing else available, when a predator is sick and is unable to hunt or is very old that their movement and ability has been limited, when the animal is threatened with its back to the wall and escape routes are closed and sometimes when a man is mistaken for another identity. To do this, hang bags of hair and used clothing inside the chicken coop and the fence preferably near entrances.

Discourage predators from your premises. This will depend much on the predators that are in your area. Different predators use different methods. Consult with the animal control or the local authorities in your area. Aside from that you could use chemical deterrents. An electric chicken fence may also be ideal. Outside of these, remove places and clear spaces where predators could hide. Having dogs around will discourage most predators from getting near the place.

Build sturdy chicken coops. Build the chickens living spaces free from gaps and holes. If the flooring of the chicken house is made from slats, install wires underneath to prevent predators from digging from underneath. Cover weak posts with wires to prevent them from biting through and lock up the chicken hutch without fail when the chickens are roosting in their coops.

Truthfully, the only difference between you and Keeping Chickens experts is time. If you’ll invest a little more time in reading, you’ll be that much nearer to expert status when it comes to Keeping Chickens.

Prevent access. Predators will dig underneath a fence if they could not jump over it. When building the fence, ensure that it goes at least 10″ or more below the ground to discourage digging. See to it that there are no weak points either in the fence or in the chicken house itself.

Provide barriers

When the fence is made from chicken wire, bury planks that are at least 8″ deep into the ground, also put footplates near the fence. Make the height of the fence at least five feet to prevent foxes from jumping over. Leave the top of the fence rough for added measure. Generally foxes could jump as high as their length. There are foxes though that could jump more than that. Leaving the top of the fence rough could catch if not scrape their underbellies on it.

Other methods of protecting your chicken from other animals could be provided by other farmer/residents in your area who have been raising animals longer than you do.

If you’ve picked some pointers about Keeping Chickens that you can put into action, then by all means, do so. You won’t really be able to gain any benefits from your new knowledge if you don’t use it.

About the Author
By Wilson Chew, feel free to visit his site:Free Infomation Home

Keeping Chicken ? Chicken Fencing That Saves You Money

Saturday, October 29th, 2011

Are you looking for some inside information on Keeping Chickens? Here’s an up-to-date report from Keeping Chickens experts who should know.

Buying pullets is the easiest. It is also the cheapest. Chicken fencing? That varies. No matter how you look at it though, the cost of the fencing will add up to the cost of the chicken. In high urban areas, raising more than a few chicken would consequently raise eyebrows. In fact, you could be placing yourself in harm’s way. Raising chicken in urban areas are more of pet raising. Commercial? Just don’t.

When you are in a rural location with ample backyard space, keeping chicken is a capital idea. Capital, literally. You see, there is fancy chicken fencing, state of the art fencing and if you could afford electric fencing that is fine too, it would keep the chooks out and hem the chicken in. It will still add up to the costs though, but it is a choice, not a necessity. If you want to travel the frugal route, just as effective albeit not as pleasant to look at, were talking.

You will need corrugated galvanized iron sheets, chicken wire, planks, and whatever means to build them. The idea here is as simple as protecting the chickens and those flowers and plants that adorn the yard as much as keeping the predators out. When building, remember that chicken scratches all over the dirt. To our chagrin, they love it. They could scratch near the fence and before you knew it, the fox and raccoons gets the idea and figures out a way to get their dinner easy.

Is everything making sense so far? If not, I’m sure that with just a little more reading, all the facts will fall into place.

The way to prevent this is to sink the bottom of the fence about 10″ into the ground. The area near the fence are usually forgotten so don’t. If that is not possible in some areas along the perimeter, sink 8″ planks to prevent predators from scraping underneath. If foxes roam the area get the thickest chicken wire possible. Foxes have teeth that are as sharp as wire cutters that could easily cut through thin chicken wires.

Normally animals could jump as high as their heads when standing on hind legs. Foxes are about four feet but do not bank on that. Foxes could jump as high as five feet so make the height of the fence a little higher just so the chicken are on the safe side. This may not be as dangerous in hotter months when there are easier prey for the fox to pounce on but during colder months, the fox could hunt more aggressively and get a shelter besides. While at it, do not trim the wire at the top portion of the fence. Leave it rugged.

Use the GI sheets as further protection between the posts where you nail your chicken wire. Nail also thick wire fencing around the portion of the wood with signs of wear to discourage chewing.

Chicken fencing such as this would not win you a prize for best chicken fence design. But bet your neighbor’s dog this will win you savings. Bunches of it

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his Perpetual20 training site for great bonuses: Perpetual20

Building A Chicken Coop For Keeping Chickens

Thursday, October 6th, 2011

Are you looking for some inside information on Keeping Chickens? Here’s an up-to-date report from Keeping Chickens experts who should know.

A chicken coop is instrumental in many important aspects of keeping chickens in the back yard. In this article, we’re going to lay down the groundwork on how to build one that guarantees the safety of your poultry.

Building your own chicken coop shouldn’t be expensive. Some owners spend up to $300 by purchasing a ready-made chicken coop, but keep in mind that you don’t really have to spend that much if you are aware of all the important elements that a fully functioning coop requires. More often than not, you can get everything that you need in your own house!

Before you start building, it is advisable to do a sketch out of your design on a piece of paper. A little creativity can help, but if you are not the artistic type, you can find a lot of blueprints that you can use as a framework for the coop you are about to install. A site I would recommend for this is buildingacoop.com.

Once you are ready to install the coop, make sure that it is set up in a way that will make cleaning and disinfecting more efficient. For instance, a floor that is slightly sloped downwards towards the door can make it easier for water to flow outside when you hose down the coop.

I trust that what you’ve read so far has been informative. The following section should go a long way toward clearing up any uncertainty that may remain.

If built correctly, the chicken coop can be very effective in protecting your chickens from outside elements. A coop should be safe from cold drafts, but also well ventilated. Too much moisture can cause ammonia to accumulate within the shelter and cause diseases. The general rule of thumb is to set up the door in a way that it opens inwards, so that the air can freely enter the shelter. Another technique is to position the coop in an area where it faces the sun. This allows the sun’s heat to dry the ground and prevent too much moisture.

Having proper insulation installed around the walls can also help the chickens warm in winter and cool during summer, as well as keep them dry. This minimizes the chances of your chickens from getting sick. This is most important when the chickens you are raising are specifically meant for egg production.
The best way to keep your poultry safe from predators is to surround the shelter with strong chicken wire. Even the doors and windows should have a screening system for double protection. In the case of those that burrow or dig under the ground, burying chicken wire around the coop at least one foot below the soil should be able to prevent entry.

The waterers and feeders should have designated spots in the coop that are easily accessible. Keep in mind that chickens love to scratch with their feet, which can create quite a mess on the coop’s surface. You can avoid this by setting up the waterers and feeders at the same level as their necks. This should keep spilling at a minimum. And don’t forget to replace the water and food daily!

There are still many ways to improve on the living conditions of your poultry, but following what has been advised on this article should place you in the right direction.

About the Author
By Nelson DSouza, feel free to visit top rated authority quiz site: Quiz Questions and Answers. This quiz site has quizzes in multiple choice format. Trivia Quizzes. Pub Quizzes. 10000+ general knowledge questions and answers.

Keeping Chicken ? Building Chicken Nest Boxes

Wednesday, October 5th, 2011

The following article includes pertinent information that may cause you to reconsider what you thought you understood. The most important thing is to study with an open mind and be willing to revise your understanding if necessary.

Chicken nest box design comes in all sizes and shapes. The suggestions for better designs also vary. The large variety of suggestions speaks so much about personal experiences and thereby the preference. In building chicken nest boxes, there are designs that stand out in view of practicality and function.

First though, a good chicken nest box must be planned to get the chicken lay eggs in manners that are most productive. The basics are the same. You build a box, put in some straw or wood shavings and when the time comes so too the eggs. But when there is low egg production chances are something must be done to improve the nest box. For as much eggs as possible, here are suggestions:

Often, chicken nest boxes are built to house more chicken and there are practical management reasons for this. The fact though is that when the nest box is crowded, chicken prefer laying eggs on the floor where the eggs are dirtied, trampled on, and even eaten lowering production. Chicken are actually more productive when they nest on smaller boxes. A box that could house four chickens at a time is good. Smaller is better. When nesting boxes are smaller, there is also less room for the chicken to kick around the straw or wood shavings, creating less mess and keeping the straw where they should be.

Now that we’ve covered those aspects of Keeping Chickens, let’s turn to some of the other factors that need to be considered.

The roof of the chicken nest boxes are sloped for the purpose that chickens do not roost on the roof. A roof not angled steeply will invite chickens to roost there and when that happens expect where the eggs will be. Inside the nest box, keep at least two inches of straw but if you could have wood shavings (pine is preferable) that is even better.

If you could provide a chute where the eggs will roll after being laid, and collected at a separate place, the added cost of the chute will be paid for in terms of more eggs that could be used. It will also be practical as frequent intrusions disturbs chicken and that destroys eggs in the process let alone the muck that you will help splatter around.

In place of the egg chute, construct the chicken nest box with doors constructed at the backside so that you could collect the eggs from outside the coop without disturbing the chickens very much. Build a lip at the opening to prevent the eggs from falling when the doors open. A two-inch high lip is enough to keep the eggs safe. Likewise, build also a similar lip at the entrance to the nest boxes that serves as a chicken step. This will prevent the eggs from falling from inside the chicken coop as the chicken kicks around before laying more. The lips will also keep the straw inside the nest.

The sizes in building chicken nest boxes vary widely. In general though the height would be about 9″ and if you intend to limit the chickens inside the box, a 12″ square is sufficient and let the nest boxes be cave like, cold and dark.

About the Author
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