First steps to take when putting up a chicken house

Choosing the right site and materials to set up a chicken house or coop on your smallholding or in your backyard is essential to ensure the health and safety of your chickens.

- Janine Ryan reports.

A well-designed chicken house provides a clean, dry, secure, and comfortable environment for chickens. This promotes their health and maximises egg production or meat yield while keeping operational costs low.

When setting up a chicken house or coop, there are a number of factors that must first be considered. These factors are paramount for the health, well-being, and survival of your chickens. However, the criteria for this will change depending on the type of house you are erecting. Remember that a good poultry house must offer the birds protection from predators and poor weather, and prevent injury.

The following criteria are specifically with relation to basic coops, and not intensive housing systems used by commercial farmers in which the environment is largely controlled with artificial lighting, heating and cooling, amongst others.

SITE SELECTION

Select a site with good natural drainage. Excess moisture promotes the growth of bacteria, parasites, and fungal diseases. In this regard, avoid low-lying areas where water can accumulate, leading to muddy conditions, increased humidity inside the coop, and a higher risk of disease. Keep in mind that poor drainage can also damage the foundation of your chicken house.

Choose a site that receives some sunlight throughout the day, especially in the morning. However, it should also offer some natural shade, particularly during the hottest parts of the day in summer. This is important because sunlight helps to dry out the coop, reducing moisture and killing some bacteria.

Choose a site that is reasonably close to a water source and, preferably, an electricity source.