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Home | Pets And Animals
Chicken Raising Practices - Free-Range And Chicken Coops Examined
By: Vin DeWolfe
On some farms, the flock is not penned up, but instead, allowed the run of the place. Since they can not fly, they're improbable to leave the property, preferring in lieu to remain close to food and water. Free-range chickens, as they're referred to, roam around and peck the earth. They're moving almost all the time, eating bugs and morsels of plant material.
One shortcoming to this style of raising chickens is that they leave their droppings all over the yard. It makes excellent plant food, but isn't nice to walk in. Additionally, free range poultry will lay their eggs anyplace they find convenient. Although that may work for the chicken, it is awkward and inefficient for the farmer desiring to gather the eggs.
Another potential issue with the free-range technique is the threat of predators. Being exposed, big fowl such as hawks are a major threat to these chickens. Unlike their housed counterparts, they have got no real protection from the weather either. At night, they perch on low branches or just hunker down on the ground. This can expose them to the threat of nocturnal marauders such as cats.
One might think that free-range poultry would be fitter and indeed, happier than housed chickens. Their food will be more natural and varied, even if supplemented with chicken feed. In addition, the threat of sickness may be reduced since the poultry are not held to one space.
It is most common that chicken raisers keep their flock enclosed in a a poultry house. This can be a concrete, wood or metal structure of nearly any size. Regardless of what the hen house is constructed of, they will all incorporate certain comforts.
Much like our own homes, chicken coops have sleeping areas, eating areas and nearly all even have a yard. Like most fowl, chickens prefer to roost at night. Inside the chicken coop, wooden perches are arranged in both high and low positions for this purpose. Like people, chickens are individuals and will frequently show a preference for one or the other.
One of the rationalities for raising chickens is for the eggs. Because of this, nests are also incorporated in the average poultry coop. When lined with straw or other bedding, hens will use them for egg laying making them easy to hunt down. They will also use them for sleeping, both during the day and at night.
In addition to roosts and nests, the chicken coop also integrates feeding and watering stations. Typically, they're particularly designed feeders and waterers that are partially covered. Open water containers are especially dangerous for chickens. Not only is there a possibility for dangerous water pollution, but there is also a risk of the poultry drowning.
In most poultry coop systems, there is an exterior, confined area adjacent to the coop. A chicken run, as it is called, is fenced in and often covered. The sizing of the run depends solely upon how many chickens will be using it. Most cover the same square footage as the actual coop itself, in effect doubling the living space of the flock. During the day hours, chickens freely move between the coop and the run, at nighttime they're enclosed to the house.
A chicken house will need frequent and exhaustive cleanup to keep the flock healthy. Over time, fecal matter, feathers and other debris will build up on inside surfaces. This can encourage the evolution of diseases and parasites that can hurt the chickens. Monthly cleanup and maintenance of the coop, therefore, is highly recommended.
Whether raised in a free-range way or an orthodox hen house, poulets need fresh food and water daily. In hot weather, they should be given fresh water a few times a day. In colder weather, keeping the water from freezing is the primary concern. Chicken feed is available at local livestock retailers and comes in different formulations. Laying hens and chickens raised for their meat are fed different types of feed.
Overall, farming poultry is fairly easy. From the eggs that can be gathered daily to fresh chicken dinners and even fertilizer for the garden patch, they are beneficial too.
Article Source: http://www.ezarticles.info
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