| Chicken Coop Care | | | | clean and well ventilated. Ammonia fumes can build up |
| Chickens are self-sufficient pets. As long as they | | | | and cause respiratory problems in your chickens. |
| have fresh water every day and a dry, clean coop | | | | Ventilation also removes humidity and keeps the |
| to sleep in, they should be happy living in your | | | | coop nice and cool in the summer and prevents |
| backyard. You want to keep a clean coop to stop | | | | frostbitten chickens in the winter. |
| parasites and rodents from being attracted to your | | | | Keeping of backyard hens is still controversial in cities. |
| coop. Your cleaning can vary from how many hens, | | | | You don't want your neighbors complaining that it |
| size of coop, etc. I do a weekly maintenance | | | | stinks! Keep your coop clean. |
| inspection and change floor bedding and nesting | | | | Feeding |
| boxes if needed. Twice a year I do a deep clean and | | | | Food: The best food for egg laying chickens is an |
| disinfect the entire coop from top to bottom. | | | | organic feed. You can buy pellet or mash. Feed should |
| Floor: Care can vary for the type of coop that you | | | | contain nutrients, omega 3 oils, carbohydrates, |
| have. We use a portable coop that my husband built | | | | protein and vitamins and minerals that your chickens |
| but I still put a piece of plywood in the run area with | | | | need. Chickens will eat about 4 ounces of pellets a |
| pine shavings. With our coop it is easy to remove the | | | | day. |
| plywood if I just want to let the hens scratch up | | | | Grit (small rocks): Chickens hold grit in their gizzards. A |
| bugs and worms. We found that without the wood | | | | gizzard is an organ that ginds up feed making it easier |
| shavings they can create quite a mess digging up the | | | | to digest. Use more grit in the winter when rocks are |
| yard. The plywood just helps with the cleanup by | | | | harder to find. If you find that shells are thin and soft |
| having a flat surface. | | | | add oyster shells for calcium. |
| Floor covering options: pine shavings or sand (very | | | | Oyster Shells: Give oyster shells to egg laying hens. It |
| coarse). | | | | gives them extra calcium to help produce strong egg |
| Sprinkle lime on the floor to help neutralize odors | | | | shells. |
| even before the wood shavings. Here is a good | | | | Scraps: Think of this as "treats". Chickens have their |
| article regarding the use of lime in a chicken house - | | | | own likes and dislikes so see what your ladies like. |
| Liming the Chickenhouse. Some individuals have mixed | | | | This can be anything from fruits, veggies and bread. |
| emotions on the use of lime. | | | | Free Range:This is my favorite part. Let your hens |
| For lice and mice control use diatomaceous earth. | | | | out and let them run around the yard and let them |
| Diatomaceous earth is a non-toxic, abrasive fine | | | | look for their own food. Mine head straight for my |
| white powder made of the tiny fossilized remains of | | | | perennial garden. There are some good nightcrawlers |
| diatoms, a type of algae. If you ever take a | | | | and bugs in their. |
| microbiology class make sure you get to take a look | | | | Water: Provide fresh water everyday. I sanitize the |
| at this algae under the microscope. They are | | | | water containers once a week. If you use bleach |
| absolutely beautiful! Diatomaceous earth is a 100% | | | | make sure you rinse well. |
| natural treatment for poultry ailments including mites, | | | | Food Storage: Store in vermin-proof containers. |
| lice and intestinal worms. Sprinkle it in the nest box | | | | Health |
| and run and coop bedding. | | | | Bugs: Keep an eye out for parasites, lice and fleas. |
| Nesting Boxes: Chickens like quiet, enclosed areas to | | | | You may need to give treatments if necessary. |
| lay their eggs. You can put straw or pine shavings in | | | | * Provide a dust bath for your girls. This is where |
| your nesting boxes and let them rearrange it to how | | | | your chickens will roll, flap or run around in the dirt. It |
| they want it. I have heard that some people have | | | | gets rid of bugs and lice naturally. |
| problems with the hens laying their eggs in the corner | | | | Stress: If your chickens are looking stressed find a |
| on the floor but I have not encountered that | | | | cool dark place for them to go to and recover. |
| problem yet. Our coop has two nesting boxes but | | | | Miscellaneous Chicken Care |
| for some reason the hens like to nest in the same | | | | Handle: Don't chase your chickens or pick them up by |
| box. Change the bedding when it looks like its getting | | | | the tail or wings. Get close to them by gaining their |
| dirty. | | | | trust and confidence. Talk to them and give them |
| Roosts: Chickens like to "roost" on raised platforms. | | | | treats. Gently pick them up and support under your |
| Its where they huddle together at night. Once it | | | | arm. Patience! |
| starts to get dark at our hen house don't even think | | | | Let Your Chickens Out: Let your chickens out of the |
| about peeking in. We have one hen that will make | | | | coop to scratch and dust bath. I only let them out in |
| crazy noises and even peck at you! Our roosting | | | | the afternoons for a couple of hours under |
| stick is removable so I will take it out at least once a | | | | supervision. They destroyed my entire perennial |
| month and give it a good scraping. Below the stick I | | | | garden one afternoon. |
| used to lay hay down but found that cat litter works | | | | Watch for predators: Keep an eye out for |
| better. It is very easy to clean up. Learn as you go..... | | | | neighborhood pest. This can be anything from cats, |
| Ventilation: It is very important to keep your coop | | | | dogs, foxes, and racoons. |