We know how important good plans are when you are building Henhouses, but no one ever really talks about tools.
We have built a ton of moveable poultry coops and tractors for breeding pens for our 20 plus rare chicken breeds. Also we framed 2 large laying poultry coops inside a barn. One of the things that made all this construction possible was the purchase of an air compressor driven nail gun. These can be rented by the day at local hardware stores, if you just have a small henhouse project to do. And I would highly recommend them.
We use the nail gun for framing and building the bones of the henhouse. A power drill with square tip screw driver attachment is best for screwing on the henhouses plywood sheeting. We have tried the staples and brad nailer with the air compressor but plywood panels can pop off especially when the henhouses are moved. By screwing on the plywood sheeting you give the henhouse structure more rigidity and it holds up way better when you move it to fresh grass!
For the unpleasant job of attaching the welded wire for the poultry coops run, the air gun stapler is excellent. Way faster than a manual stapler (I'd estimate at least 10 times faster) and you don't have the blistered aching hand at the end of the ordeal! As extra reinforcement so raccoons can't pull the 3/4 inch staples out and the wire off to access the chickens, we screw a large 1"+ washer at 2 feet intervals.
One of the things that makes building great henhouses easier, is having a clear idea of what you want to do, the materials you need and how to go about it! We have found these plans for henhouses excellent, clear and well thought out. And encourage you to take a look.
Tags: henhouses, henhouse, poultry coops, chickens coops, chicken coops
Saturday, 28 May 2011
Tuesday, 24 May 2011
Making your Henhouses Easy to Clean
Cleaning your chickens coops is a necessary but usually unpleasant job. By building great easy to use henhouses and choosing the right materials, you will make cleaning less of a chore.
Three most important things to make things easier are
-the right surface materials inside the poultry coops
-easy access to the inside of the henhouses
-good easy to move bedding
Surface Materials
By using waterproof and sealable walls and/or floors in your poultry coops you will make it easier for the surfaces to repel manure, water and even coccidia and bacteria that can cause diseases in your chickens.
We use inexpensive linoleum for our brooders and henhouses floor. Other poultry coops walls may be painted with exterior water-proof paints. We have used basement waterproofing paint too with great success. It makes pressure washing easier and prevents coccidiosis being harbored in the henhouses walls. If you can caulk all joins between poultry coops walls and floor, that will keep the dirt out too.
Easy access
By having the chickens coops ceiling tall enough you can stand up properly, your back will be better for it.
Have nice wide doorways for your henhouses so you can get a wheel barrow close. If you can build the henhouses raised up, make sure it is higher than a wheelbarrow then it will fall into the barrow with very little effort. We find a light snow shovel perfect for cleaning the chickens coops.
Make access to the poultry coops easy by having removable roosts, nest boxes, feeders and waterers. Make the chickens coops space nice and open for cleaning. You can use carabiners, hooks and chains to hold feeders, waterers and roosts, or even hinge the roosts so they fold up.
Good easy to use bedding
For your chickens coops, pine shavings the best as the chickens can turn them over and that helps keep the shavings dry and odour free. The shavings don't mat or feel as heavy as the longer-fibred straw. Straw absorbs a lot of water and the long fibres pack and weave together and make for a heavy shovel or fork full to lift out of the poultry coops.
Check out these great henhouses plans for other ideas to make cleaning way easier!
Tags: henhouses, henhouse, poultry coops, chickens coops, chicken coops
Three most important things to make things easier are
-the right surface materials inside the poultry coops
-easy access to the inside of the henhouses
-good easy to move bedding
Surface Materials
By using waterproof and sealable walls and/or floors in your poultry coops you will make it easier for the surfaces to repel manure, water and even coccidia and bacteria that can cause diseases in your chickens.
We use inexpensive linoleum for our brooders and henhouses floor. Other poultry coops walls may be painted with exterior water-proof paints. We have used basement waterproofing paint too with great success. It makes pressure washing easier and prevents coccidiosis being harbored in the henhouses walls. If you can caulk all joins between poultry coops walls and floor, that will keep the dirt out too.
Easy access
By having the chickens coops ceiling tall enough you can stand up properly, your back will be better for it.
Have nice wide doorways for your henhouses so you can get a wheel barrow close. If you can build the henhouses raised up, make sure it is higher than a wheelbarrow then it will fall into the barrow with very little effort. We find a light snow shovel perfect for cleaning the chickens coops.
Make access to the poultry coops easy by having removable roosts, nest boxes, feeders and waterers. Make the chickens coops space nice and open for cleaning. You can use carabiners, hooks and chains to hold feeders, waterers and roosts, or even hinge the roosts so they fold up.
Good easy to use bedding
For your chickens coops, pine shavings the best as the chickens can turn them over and that helps keep the shavings dry and odour free. The shavings don't mat or feel as heavy as the longer-fibred straw. Straw absorbs a lot of water and the long fibres pack and weave together and make for a heavy shovel or fork full to lift out of the poultry coops.
Check out these great henhouses plans for other ideas to make cleaning way easier!
Tags: henhouses, henhouse, poultry coops, chickens coops, chicken coops
Thursday, 28 April 2011
Building Comfortable Henhouses means Content Chickens.
Building henhouses that make hens feel comfortable, safe and secure with ample light and food and water will mean more eggs for you and your family. Happy healthy hens that are settled in their poultry coops, will lay more eggs than birds that are stressed or not getting enough light. Building comfortable henhouses does not happen by accident and involves thought and preparation.
Click here for more help and information on Plans for Henhouses.
Size
Big henhouses will allow lots of space for your hens and save you rebuilding if you get more chickens. Chickens are endearing pets and people always want more! And once you install roosts, feeders, waters, and nesting boxes all poultry coops will seem small.
Predator Safe
In locations with large predators or neighbourhood dogs, it is a waste of money to use hexagonal chicken wire for the henhouse run. It will not keep them out and keep your birds safe. You will eventually replace the chicken wire with welded wire or hardware cloth (we use 1" squares) when something gets to your birds. The only thing worse than building the run, is taking all that sharp scratchy wire off to put the strong wire on. Predators will dig so henhouses where the chickens roost at night need wire floors or buried wire in the perimeter.
Light
Laying hens require 14 hours of light a day. This can be from daylight or light bulbs. In winter when days are shorter than 14 hours, it is a good idea to have a light on an energy-saving timer that comes on automatically for a few hours in the morning or evening to extend their day.
Feeder height
Poultry coops feeders at the right height, will make the hens more comfortable and give less wasted and spoiled food. Level with the back or breast of the birds will be more comfortable. You will be happier with less mess and spilled feed and rodents looking for it. You can adjust most feeders to allow a shallow or deep trough for food, set it to shallow so there is less waste.
Roosts
Chickens prefer roosts wider than 2 inches in the poultry coops. In cold weather they can fluff-up to cover and insulate their feet when roosting in the henhouses. Roosts can be flat 2 by 4s or even wider tree branches. Make sure they will not be roosting over feeders, waterers or nest boxes and have at least a foot of distance from any walls.
Dust baths
Hens love to dust-bath to remove oils and parasites and makes them feel content. A heavy wood box in the corner of the henhouse with wood ash or diatomaceous earth is perfect for the hens and helps keep them healthier.
Watch your Henhouses Budget
But don't skimp on safety. Check around for supplies, Habitat for humanity, Freecycle, Craigslist, Kijiji. Well-designed and built henhouses are more important than brand new. Having the better wire to keep the birds safe is much more important than new wood. Poultry coops are no good if your chickens can`t survive in there.
Tags: henhouses, henhouse, poultry coops, chickens coops, chicken coops
Click here for more help and information on Plans for Henhouses.
Size
Big henhouses will allow lots of space for your hens and save you rebuilding if you get more chickens. Chickens are endearing pets and people always want more! And once you install roosts, feeders, waters, and nesting boxes all poultry coops will seem small.
Predator Safe
In locations with large predators or neighbourhood dogs, it is a waste of money to use hexagonal chicken wire for the henhouse run. It will not keep them out and keep your birds safe. You will eventually replace the chicken wire with welded wire or hardware cloth (we use 1" squares) when something gets to your birds. The only thing worse than building the run, is taking all that sharp scratchy wire off to put the strong wire on. Predators will dig so henhouses where the chickens roost at night need wire floors or buried wire in the perimeter.
Light
Laying hens require 14 hours of light a day. This can be from daylight or light bulbs. In winter when days are shorter than 14 hours, it is a good idea to have a light on an energy-saving timer that comes on automatically for a few hours in the morning or evening to extend their day.
Feeder height
Poultry coops feeders at the right height, will make the hens more comfortable and give less wasted and spoiled food. Level with the back or breast of the birds will be more comfortable. You will be happier with less mess and spilled feed and rodents looking for it. You can adjust most feeders to allow a shallow or deep trough for food, set it to shallow so there is less waste.
Roosts
Chickens prefer roosts wider than 2 inches in the poultry coops. In cold weather they can fluff-up to cover and insulate their feet when roosting in the henhouses. Roosts can be flat 2 by 4s or even wider tree branches. Make sure they will not be roosting over feeders, waterers or nest boxes and have at least a foot of distance from any walls.
Dust baths
Hens love to dust-bath to remove oils and parasites and makes them feel content. A heavy wood box in the corner of the henhouse with wood ash or diatomaceous earth is perfect for the hens and helps keep them healthier.
Watch your Henhouses Budget
But don't skimp on safety. Check around for supplies, Habitat for humanity, Freecycle, Craigslist, Kijiji. Well-designed and built henhouses are more important than brand new. Having the better wire to keep the birds safe is much more important than new wood. Poultry coops are no good if your chickens can`t survive in there.
Tags: henhouses, henhouse, poultry coops, chickens coops, chicken coops
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Location of Henhouses Makes Life Easier
Raising Chickens is relaxing, rewarding and enjoyable when done the easy way. New chicken keepers often have to rebuild or rework their henhouses to make chores easier after using them a few months. Rebuilding henhouses takes time, money and effort. This is unnecessary if you plan your poultry coops right the first time around. Besides, who wants to redo that work when they could be collecting fresh organic eggs or laying in a hammock? Click here for Plans for easy to build, affordable henhouses.
Years of experience raising hundreds of Heritage and Rare breed chickens has helped us learn quickly, the hard way! If you want to find the best ways to get started, we will share our time and labour saving resources!
From getting started and building your henhouses and choosing the right breeds, we can improve the efficiency of your hobby. We can save people making mistakes we have made, and keep chicken raising fun! And you get some hammock time too!
Water Location
The henhouse should be as close as possible to water source as chickens need free access to water all day. A large waterer in the poultry coops will keep them supplied all day but is heavy to carry a long way. Water will spill in a barrow or cart. So run a hose if possible to the henhouses.
Electricity
Henhouses should have electricity to run light to the coop in the winter. This is to give 14 hours of light to keep the hens laying eggs year round. Also in colder climates, a source of electricity to heat water in the winter make life much easier so you are not replacing the water multiple times in the day as it freezes.
Feeders
You will save a lot of work while the birds get free access to feed with larger automatic or self filling feeders. You can fill once a week or so, saving you time each day. Weather and pest proof feeders are a great idea if henhouse space is limited. The feeder can go out in the run but won't need moving inside and out daily.
Wind protection
Locating henhouses in a sheltered area will help reduce drafts and even feed costs. Windows of the poultry coops need to be covered to eliminate drafts in Winter to cut down on drafts. Chickens have an insulating layer of downy feathers that keep them warm as long as they trap the warmed air over the chickens skin. A cold wind or draft in the poultry coops replaces the warm layer with cold air and the chickens get chilled.
Food Storage bins
Build or place storage bins close to the henhouses you build. If possible, locate them near the poultry coops where you can drive to them for transferring bags of feed. Feed bags are heavy and feed should be stored close to the poultry coops, if not inside. If it is not possible to locate them to a location you can drive to, use a dolly cart to save your back. Make sure the storage bins are waterproof and pest proof. A simple wheeled garbage pail with pest proof lid works very well for us.
Tags: henhouses, henhouse, poultry coops, chickens coops, chicken coops
Years of experience raising hundreds of Heritage and Rare breed chickens has helped us learn quickly, the hard way! If you want to find the best ways to get started, we will share our time and labour saving resources!
From getting started and building your henhouses and choosing the right breeds, we can improve the efficiency of your hobby. We can save people making mistakes we have made, and keep chicken raising fun! And you get some hammock time too!
Water Location
The henhouse should be as close as possible to water source as chickens need free access to water all day. A large waterer in the poultry coops will keep them supplied all day but is heavy to carry a long way. Water will spill in a barrow or cart. So run a hose if possible to the henhouses.
Electricity
Henhouses should have electricity to run light to the coop in the winter. This is to give 14 hours of light to keep the hens laying eggs year round. Also in colder climates, a source of electricity to heat water in the winter make life much easier so you are not replacing the water multiple times in the day as it freezes.
Feeders
You will save a lot of work while the birds get free access to feed with larger automatic or self filling feeders. You can fill once a week or so, saving you time each day. Weather and pest proof feeders are a great idea if henhouse space is limited. The feeder can go out in the run but won't need moving inside and out daily.
Wind protection
Locating henhouses in a sheltered area will help reduce drafts and even feed costs. Windows of the poultry coops need to be covered to eliminate drafts in Winter to cut down on drafts. Chickens have an insulating layer of downy feathers that keep them warm as long as they trap the warmed air over the chickens skin. A cold wind or draft in the poultry coops replaces the warm layer with cold air and the chickens get chilled.
Food Storage bins
Build or place storage bins close to the henhouses you build. If possible, locate them near the poultry coops where you can drive to them for transferring bags of feed. Feed bags are heavy and feed should be stored close to the poultry coops, if not inside. If it is not possible to locate them to a location you can drive to, use a dolly cart to save your back. Make sure the storage bins are waterproof and pest proof. A simple wheeled garbage pail with pest proof lid works very well for us.
Tags: henhouses, henhouse, poultry coops, chickens coops, chicken coops
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