Chicken Coops, Tractors, Houses, or Runs?

Here's the scoop on chicken coops Chicken coops, chicken tractors, chicken houses, and chicken runs: oh my! We all know that happy chickens lay more eggs, and a wet, weathered, crowded, hungry chicken is not happy. These tips will guide you to the best chicken enclosure for you. Cover the basics Yes, chickens are outdoor animals. But they don't like being left out in the rain any more than you do. (The phrase "mad as a wet hen" was coined for a reason.) An exposed hen is also prone to disease, which is expensive. Whether a chicken coop, chicken tractor, chicken house, or chicken run, you'll want an enclosure that protects your chickens from weather, has room enough to move, and provides a healthy, enclosed area so your hen can relax and get down to business. A good rule of thumb: provide 4 square feet per chicken. Multiply the width of a chicken coop times its length to get the square footage. Example: a 4 x 5-foot chicken coop offers 20 square feet, enough for five chickens. The warmer your climate, the more ventilation you'll want, and if it gets cold and windy, choose solid walls.

Come to terms

A Chicken coop is a self-contained chicken house with walls, roof, floor, and door. Chickens stay in, predators stay out, and you control the food and water. A chicken tractor is similar, but it's more portable and doesn't have a floor, so your birds can peck away at grubs, bugs, and dirt. It's more natural, but you give up some control of their diet. Chicken houses are stand-alone buildings designed with proper ventilation and easy access to your birds. Chicken houses can be small as a shed or big as a garage, and may hold more than one chicken coop. Chicken runs provide controlled access to bigger areas, so your birds can happily explore and exercise. Chicken runs can be separate, but are usually attached to a door on a backyard chicken coop, since they don't provide adequate protection from the elements.

Free-range chickens have no enclosure at all. Although this sounds charming, it puts the birds at great risk for disease and predators. They love to rut through your garden, and some plants are toxic to chickens. Let just one chicken loose and you'll also learn quickly how many dogs roam your neighborhood.

Options

Once you've chosen an enclosure suitable for your property and your philosophy, consider your options. Chickens need constant access to fresh water, and a bowl gets dirty quickly. Automatic watering systems guarantee that the well never runs dry. Feeding systems help you meter how much your chickens eat and allow you more freedom. Most hang on the wall, a solution that's clean and efficient. At least consider a food storage bin nearby, so you don't have to lug food from the house every day. If your coop or house doesn't have access to natural light, you'll need electric light - or your hens won't lay. Electric light also helps avoid a drop in egg laying during the darker winter months.

Our professionally designed chicken coops, chicken tractors, chicken houses, and chicken runs guarantee you a happy start to chicken raising and are a bargain compared to the time and expense (and aggravation) that come with trying to build one yourself.