Chicken Coop Info

Whether you’re keeping chickens so you can enjoy a fresh egg supply or so you can get natural pest and weed control, a small chicken house is a safe and effective way to house your flock. Before you invest in a pint-sized poultry house, check out these most frequently asked questions.

How do I get access to the inside of the house?

When it’s time to choose a small chicken house, make sure it’s designed for you as well as the chickens. Access eggs through small doors behind the nest boxes. When it’s time to clean, you’ll want a coop that lets you in through a full-sized door or through a hinged roof. If you have health conditions that limit your mobility, choose a design that allows you to access the nest boxes and the interior as easily as possible.

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How can I move my chicken coop?

One of the best features of using a small chicken house is its mobility. Coops that feature wheels and convenient carrying handles can be moved into a shady spot in the summer or a wind-protected area in the winter. It also allows you to move the house so the chickens have fresh grass and it gives the vegetation they ate yesterday a chance to re-grow. One particular type of coop, called an ark, is easy to move. It typically houses between 2 and 4 chickens and has no floor, which allows the birds to walk directly on the grass. Purchase ark-style houses through online stores or, if you’re a DIY-er, look for plans online and in books.

What’s the easiest way to clean my coop?

A small chicken house should be a breeze to clean, especially when it comes to bedding. Some poultry keepers place chicken wire under the bedding of raised coops. This allows droppings and dirt to drop onto the ground. Clean up is as simple as sweeping out the mess about once a week.

Others prefer what’s known as the “deep litter” method. Start by adding 6-8″ of bedding to the coop’s floor. Every few days, stir the soiled bedding on top down to the bottom of the pile. The droppings will decompose, creating a compost mixture. Add fresh litter to the top as needed. Deep litter fans say this method produces surprisingly little odor and requires much less maintenance than conventional bedding.

Whichever method you use, choose a small chicken house that’s designed to make cleaning as easy as possible. Features like a hinged roof or a person-sized door allow you to clean without much hassle. Remember to keep supplies handy, too. For example, hang a broom on a nearby wall or keep bedding in a nearby shed or garage.

Do I need to spend money on an elaborate chicken house?

Absolutely not! Your hens won’t care if the small chicken house looks like an outhouse instead of the White House. Sure, you can find fancy coop that’s already assembled, but it could break your piggy bank. For a fraction of the cost, you can build your own. There are a variety of plans available on internet sites and in chicken house books. Save even more money by using recycled materials rather than new ones.

Your poultry house can be easy to access, easy to move, and easy to clean. As a bonus, it can be built cheaply enough to satisfy Ebenezer Scrooge. Even if you’ve never had the pleasure of owning a small chicken house, there’s no better time to start than now.

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